DAVID CASTRO, ELIZABETH CHAIPRADITKUL, RAI W.

COLE, HIROMI COTA,

ERYKAH FASSETT, MEGHAN FITZGERALD, DANIELLE LAUZON, SPIDER B. PERRY,
JOHN SNEAD, MONICA SPECA, LAUREN ROY, RACHEL WILKINSON, H. ULRICH
CREDITS
Writers: David Castro, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Rai
W. Cole, Hiromi Cota, Erykah Fassett, Meghan Fitzgerald,
Danielle Lauzon, Spider B. Perry, John Snead, Monica
Speca, Lauren Roy, Rachel Wilkinson, H. Ulrich
Developer: Danielle Lauzon
Line Developer: Neall Raemonn Price
Editor: Matt Click
Artists: Shen Fei, Marco Gonzales, Melissa Uran,
Aaron Riley, HIVE Studios, Farri Lensen, Ivan Vegar,
Nicholas Phillips
Art Director: Maria Cabardo and Mike Chaney
Book Design: Josh Kubat
Creative Director: Richard Thomas
Storypath System by: Rose Bailey, David Brookshaw,
Meghan Fitzgerald, Danielle Lauzon, Matt Miller, Neall
Raemonn Price, Lauren Roy, Malcolm Sheppard, Stew
Wilson
SPECIAL THANKS
REQUIRES THE USE OF
To my husband, Weston Harper, who keeps me
SCION ORIGIN AND SCION HERO
grounded in reality.
To Eddy Webb, for keeping me on track and out of my
own head.
To Monica Speca, for listening to me ramble about
magic for far too long.

© 2022 Onyx Path Publishing. All rights reserved. References to other copyrighted material in
no way constitute a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material. “Scion” and all
characters, names, places, and text herein are copyrighted by Onyx Path Publishing.
Keep up to date with Onyx Path Publishing at theonyxpath.com.

2 SCION: DRAGON
RETRIEVAL 6 Mantles of Divinity 31
Memory and Deed 32
INTRODUCTION 10 The Draq 34
Characteristics 35
What’s in a Name? 11 Lairs 36
Themes 11 Mysteries 37
Self-Discovery 11 Relationships 37
Shadow Moves 12 Notable Dragons 38
Decoding the Myth 12 Common Draq Birthrights 42
Pulp Spy 12 The Joka 44
Politics 12
Characteristics 45
How to Use this Book 12
Lairs 46
The Flights 13
Mysteries 47
Media 13
Relationships 48
Procedurals 13
Notable Dragons 48
Dragon Stories 14
Common Joka Birthrights 52
Other Reading 14
The Lindwurms 54
Lexicon 14
Characteristics 55
CHAPTER ONE: Lairs 56
DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS 16 Mysteries 57
Relationships 57
Draconic History 17 Notable Dragons 58
The Youth of Creation 17 Common Lindwurm Birthrights 62
Children of Claw and Tooth 18 The Lóng 64
Fate’s Birth 18 Factions 65
Ego of the Skin 19 Characteristics 65
Rewriting History 19 Lairs 66
Immortal Conflict 19 Mysteries 67
Formation of Flights 20 Relationships 67
Dragons Today 21 Notable Dragons 68
Safety in Secrets 22 Common Lóng Birthrights 72
Hoards and Secrets 22 The Naga 74
Powerbrokers 23
Characteristics 75
Memories 24
Lairs 76
Children’s Games 25
Mysteries 77
Draconic Lineages 25
Relationships 78
Heirs 26
Notable Dragons 79
Bequeathal 26
Common Naga Birthrights 82
Handler 27
The Serpents 84
Smoke and Mirrors 27
Characteristics 85
Broods 28
Lairs 86
Heirs and Scions 29
Mysteries 86
Dragon Cults 29
Relationships 87
CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS 30 Notable Dragons 87
Common Serpent Birthrights 92
Laying Low 31

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE 94 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS 138
Calling Knacks 139
CHAPTER THREE:
Knack Skills 139
CHARACTER CREATION 98 Momentum Expenditure and Enhancement 139
Ready Made Characters 99 Collector 139
Kiran Aamir 100 Destroyer 140
Ambrosia Cook 102 Guardian 140
Jakob Lukasson 104 Healer 141
Mitch Chu Kai-Wing 106 Judge 142
Leticia Flores Gonzáles 108 Ruler 143
Character Creation 110 Mystic 143
Step One: Concept 110 Nomad 144
Step Two: Paths 110 Predator 144
Step Three: Skills 111 Primeval 144
Step Four: Attributes 111 Watcher 145
Step Five: Callings and Knacks 111 Dragon Knacks 146
Step Six: Dragon Magic 112 Knacks of Scale 146
Step Seven: Birthrights 112 Transformation Knacks 146
Step Eight: Finishing Touches 112 Transformation Knacks 147
Dragon Paths 113 Dragon Magic 150
Origin Paths 113 Inheritance Costs 150
Role Paths 114 Magics 150
Character Advancement 114 Animal Control 151
Decay 151
CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS 116 Elemental Manipulation (Air) 152
Inheritance 117 Elemental Manipulation (Earth) 153
Inheritance Systems 117 Elemental Manipulation (Fire) 154
Raising and Regaining Inheritance 118 Elemental Manipulation (Frost) 155
Remembrances 118 Elemental Manipulation (Water) 156
Flight Remembrances 119 Fear 157
Callings 120 Flight 157
Systems 120 Illusions 158
List of Dragon Callings 122 Luck 159
Memory 124 Transformation 160
Systems 125 Understanding 161
Memory Conditions 125 Weather Control 162
Draconic Form 128 Signature Dragon Magic 162
Birthrights 128 Draq Signature Magic: Pandemonium 162
Lost Birthrights 129 Joka Signature Magic: Refinement 163
Guides 129 Lindwurms Signature Magic: Avarice 164
Hoard 133 Lóng Signature Magic: Blessings 165
Lairs 134 Naga Signature Magic: Teleportation 166
Pawns 135 Serpent Signature Magic: Purification 167
Tradecraft 137 WHERE THERE’S SMOKE 168

4 SCION: DRAGON
CHAPTER SIX: The 1000 Yard Club 185
STORYGUIDING DRAGON 172 Time is Ticking 185
Asset Acquisition 185
Setting the Stage 173 Upper Tier Play 185
Nuts–and–Bolts 174 Lesser Wyrm 186
Players as Plot Creators 175 Dragon 186
Shadow Games 176 Collateral 187
Scions and Heirs 176 Field Complications 188
Following the Paper Trail 177 Antagonists 190
Real-Life Spies 178 Draconic Archetypes 190
Intelligence Glossary 178 Qualities 191
Tradecraft 180 Flairs 193
Surveillance 180 Example Antagonists 196
Communications 180 Nest Raiders 196
Deception 181 Dragonslayers 197
Assets 181 Heirs 199
Infiltration 182 Legendary Creatures 200
Theft 182
Violence and Assassinations 183 APPENDIX:
Operations 183 LEGENDARY CREATURES 202
Breaking and Entering 183
General Rules 202
Exposure 184
Scourges 202
Run! 184
Scourge Knacks 203
Cannons for Cash 184
Ruling Serpents 204
By Way of Deception 184
Ruling Serpent Knacks 204
Deep Cover 184
Reptilian Destroyers 204
Search and Rescue 184
Reptilian Destroyer Knacks 205
The Heist 185

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
 n a ballroom on the other side of the manor, Randolph Lonergan’s trophies were other
Iguests
Randolph Lonergan bade the last of his party
goodnight. At least, he believed they were
cultures’ historical treasures.
Mitch bypassed the cups. Tempting as they
the last guests. While he was busy squeezing hands were, they weren’t his target. At least, not yet.
and kissing cheeks, Mitch Chu and Ambrosia Tonight, he was only here for the coins. They’d
Cook were on the other side of the vast house, in filled his dreams the last few weeks: in them, he’d
Lonergan’s trophy room. twisted through rivers full of the little bronze
“Look at it all,” Mitch said. He unknotted his discs. Each morning, he’d woken with the taste of
bow tie and let its ends hang rakishly as he moved metal in his mouth and rage churning in his belly.
from display case to display case. He knew exactly He felt it rising now. He couldn’t be sure where
what type of figure he cut: The handsome young his anger ended and his patron Gōnggōng’s be-
historian, preparing to steal back artifacts that gan. Was there even a difference, anymore?
had been smuggled out of their home countries. The coins lay on a bed of black velvet in a case
“Little busy here.” Ambrosia stood in the that looked simple, but was wired to hell and back
doorway, on watch for any of Lonergan’s security with pressure sensors and temperature alarms.
or household staff. Any more of them, that was. “You sure you’ve got this?” Kiran Aamir
The guard she’d knocked out lay in a heap just asked in Mitch’s ear. They were offsite, guiding
inside the room. His next scheduled check-in was Mitch and Ambrosia from the comfort of — well,
in five minutes. Mitch didn’t know exactly where. They were in-
“Clock’s ticking,” Ambrosia said, as she rolled tensely private about their personal information,
down her jacket’s sleeves. Tonight, she’d traded which was understandable considering their line
her usual business casual for a sleek bespoke suit. of work. Kiran’s day job had something to do
Mitch had insisted she dress the part, introduced with smart home software. They’d never men-
her to his personal tailor, and footed the bill. tioned which company, though Mitch had his
Ambrosia suspected the suit cost more than she suspicions.
made in a year, but it felt nice, looked good, and Whoever Kiran worked for, it made them
hid her holstered gun perfectly. not only extremely wary of how much people
Lonergan’s trophy room contained neither unthinkingly put online, it also made Kiran ex-
mounted animal heads nor first place pennants. tremely good at finding that information. Their
The items on display here didn’t reflect their host’s research into Lonergan’s habits had sped up
hunting prowess, nor his sporting victories. The Mitch’s timeline by at least a month. Tonight,
entrepreneur did, however, possess some golden they’d intercepted all of the manor’s smart device
cups — a whole case of them, in fact. It held the traffic, including its security cameras. The trophy
drinking vessels of ancient kings.

6 SCION: DRAGON
room display cases, however, weren’t on the net- Mitch couldn’t tell if by us she meant herself
work. Here, Mitch was on his own. and Kiran, or whether she was speaking on be-
“I know what I’m doing,” he said, glancing half of her Flight. Either way, he needed them.
toward the camera overhead in case Kiran was “Sure. Of course.”
watching. “I’ve bypassed one of these before “Three and-a-half minutes,” she said, and
— oh. Hello. When did you sneak in here?” The returned to her position by the door.
wall behind the coin display held a collection Mitch only needed two to bypass the various
of mounted blades. Mitch had made note of alarms and monitors on the coin display. It took
them during his reconnaissance work, but the him another minute to disable the proximity
jian in the center was a new addition. New to sensors on the swords, but the jian had its own
Lonergan’s collection, that was, but not to Mitch. complex series of wires discreetly attached.
The double-edged sword had eluded him once
before; why hadn’t he gotten wind of Lonergan’s “Thirty seconds,” said Kiran.
acquisition? Ambrosia bent to confirm that the guard was
Didn’t matter. He was here now. still unconscious.
“... Mitch? Who’s there with you? Who snuck “Twenty.”
in?” The sound of Kiran hammering at their key- Mitch patted the coins where they were
board — demanding data the cameras and their tucked safely in his pocket.
accomplice weren’t providing — transmitted “Ten.”
over the earpiece.
He cracked his knuckles and held his hand
“He’s talking to an artifact, Kiran. Stand over the pommel, waiting for Kiran’s countdown
down.” Ambrosia had come over to see who to finish.
Mitch was talking to, too. She scowled at him as
her hand eased away from her holster. “Four min- “Three. Two. One.”
utes, Mitch. We’ve only got time for the coins.” With one smooth, sharp tug, he tore the jian
“I won’t get this chance again,” he said. “Not from its moorings. The ancient steel came away
for a long while. Years, maybe.” Even if every- easily, unharmed.
thing went exactly according to plan and they got Alarms shrieked out news of the intrusion.
away clean, Lonergan would beef up his security “Let’s go,” said Ambrosia. She led the way
as soon as he realized the coins were missing. out of the trophy room, keeping low and hugging
The jian wasn’t something Mitch’s family or the the wall. Mitch skulked along behind her. As they
Sky Breaker wanted him to take. He rarely kept ran, more bells and whoops echoed down the
anything he stole, much to his family’s chagrin, corridor. Lights flashed off and on in out of sync
but this ... this was worthy of adding to his hoard. patterns. Music blared from every room they
“You’re going to do a smash and grab, aren’t passed, and a voice — a pleasant but inflection-
you?” Ambrosia asked. less alto — recited shopping lists, search results,
“Not on the coins. But on the jian? Yeah. Yeah, and driving directions to Mount Rainier.
I am.” He flashed her his most confident grin, and “Kiran, is this you?” Mitch asked.
turned one on the camera, too. “Because I have “Sure is. I threw a little chaos at Lonergan’s
the best team backing me up.” smart home. You still have some guards coming
Ambrosia closed her eyes. Mitch was fairly your way, but it’s not the full force. Company in
certain she was counting to ten. “Kiran?” she about ... fifteen seconds.”
said. “We’re going to need a distraction.” Ambrosia signaled for Mitch to halt as they
For a moment, Mitch thought they’d cut the came to an intersection. “I’ll take care of them.”
connection entirely. Then came a long sigh. “Fine. While she took up her position, Mitch held ut-
I can’t stop any alarms you set off when you grab terly still. Most of the time, he enjoyed being seen,
it, but I can try to peel a few of the security team having all eyes in the room on him as he charmed
off to another part of the house. Best I can do.” a small crowd with fascinating tales from history.
“You owe us,” said Ambrosia. The phrase Right now, though, his job was to go unnoticed.
carried weight behind it. They wouldn’t even know he was there.

RETRIEVAL 7
 Ambrosia glanced back toward where he empty fist, ringing his bell three or four times in
stood, and looked right through him. “I hate quick succession.
when you do that,” she muttered. Still, the contested gun waved between them,
The first guard rounded the corner seconds the rose in their deadly tango. Then it went off,
later. Ambrosia flowed up from her crouch its report reverberating down the long hallway.
smooth and quick, like fire spreading along a The bullet tinged as it punched through antique
trail of gasoline. The butt of her gun made a solid tin ceiling tiles.
thunk as it connected with the back of the guard’s The gun’s discharge, awfully close to his face,
head, and he toppled in a heap. surprised the guard into releasing Ambrosia’s
The guard’s partner, a few steps behind, had sleeve and taking half a step back. Even startled,
more time to react. He stepped up as Ambrosia he was far from out of the fight. Ducking beneath
turned and made a grab for her gun hand. She her wild swing, he barreled into Ambrosia. The
jerked her arm out of the way, so he only caught momentum drove them both into the wall right
the sleeve of her new suit. He didn’t get a lock on beside Mitch. Plaster cracked with their impact,
her wrist. Still, he held tight, yanking her in close splitting the damask wallpaper.
so she couldn’t control her shot. Mitch might’ve felt bad about the cost of re-
The guard swung with his free hand, going pairs they were sticking Lonergan with, but the
for a jab to the kidneys. Ambrosia grunted with jian in his hand and the stolen treasures in the bil-
the impact, but it wasn’t enough to make her lionaire’s trophy room scattered his guilt pretty
drop her weapon. In fact, all it seemed to do was handily.
piss her off. She clobbered at his head with her The guard pulled back just enough to slam
Ambrosia into the wall again. She grunted,

8 SCION: DRAGON
but it’d take more than that to knock her out. “What’s your name?” Ambrosia asked the
Ambrosia stomped the hard sole of her shoe guard.
down his inner calf. The big man yelped, and she “Jones,” he said.
used the distraction to shove him backward.
He sounded sincere enough to Mitch, but
With several feet between them, they took Ambrosia sniffed out falsehoods as part of her
aim at each other. day job. “Lying is a bad idea. I don’t think you
“Drop the gun,” the guard said. “Drop it and want to find out what happens if you’re trying to
keep your hands where I can see them.” trick me, so we’ll tip off your captain.”
“No.” Ambrosia wasn’t a tall woman; the His shoulders sagged. “Byers.”
security guard had at least a foot on her. Yet as Mitch toggled the mic and matched his tone
she spoke, Mitch had the sudden impression that to the guard’s. “Byers,” he said. “East wing, third
she filled the corridor. The air around her grew floor is clear. Just more system glitches, looks
hazy with heat. The flashing red lights from the like.”
fire alarm glinted in her eyes, and made them
glow like hot coals. “You drop yours,” she said. “Acknowledged,” came the reply.
She spoke quietly, but the roar of a blazing fire “I’d say I’m sorry about this,” Ambrosia said
filled her voice. to Byers, “but I’m not.” She clocked him hard and
The guard’s eyes widened. His gun wavered. laid him neatly beside his unconscious partner.
“I’ll shoot. I will.” She straightened up and smoothed out her suit,
paying special attention to the sleeve. It was a
Ambrosia took a step toward him. Just one. little wrinkled, but otherwise fine: Mitch’s tailor
The ground trembled with her footfall. crafted them to withstand plenty of abuse. “Okay,
The big man dropped his gun. A low groan Kiran. Lead the way.”
sounded from his throat, but he didn’t flee. He Kiran called out their escape route, sending
couldn’t seem to unlock his gaze from Ambrosia’s. them down back stairways and through vast
Mitch moved at last, revealing his position. connected suites in Lonergan’s manor. Mitch
The guard’s eyes widened as Mitch strolled up couldn’t help but catalog other pieces of art on
to him and plucked the earpiece from his ear and display as they passed. It’d be a long time before
the mic from his collar. “I’m just going to tell your he came back here, but a long time wasn’t never.
commander everything’s fine here, if you don’t They spilled out into the night, well away
mind.” He admired the two-way system a mo- from the main driveway. Red and blue lights
ment as he looked for the mic’s controls. “Oooh. wound their way up the hill, but the tree line was
This is a fancy one. Lonergan didn’t skimp on close. “You’ve got a bit of a hike ahead of you,”
equipment, that’s for sure.” Kiran said. “Keep heading west and you’ll hit a
“Dibs,” Kiran said, still monitoring. “I can get road in about a mile. I’ll have a ride waiting for
you two a clear shot out of there, but you have you.”
to get moving. The fire department’s on the way, “Hey. Thanks, both of you,” said Mitch. The
and the police are sending a unit.” coins were a reassuring weight in his breast pock-
“I thought you had everything locked down,” et, and the jian’s pommel cool in his hand. “This
said Ambrosia. means a lot.”
“Yeah, well, turns out when you overload the “Sure thing,” said Ambrosia. She glanced
system, you find a few bugs. I’ll fix it in the next at the sky, where heavy clouds were rolling in.
build.” “Let’s get out of here before it rains. I want my
partner to see how good I look in my new suit.”

RETRIEVAL 9
 “I desired dragons with a profound desire. Of course, I in my timid body
did not wish to have them in the neighborhood. But the world
that contained even the imagination of F fnir was richer
and more beautiful, at whatever the cost of peril.”
— J.R.R. Tolkien

I f Scion is a game about mortals, the divine, and everything

in between, Scion: Dragon is a game about the in-between
spaces kept dark as the bright light of divinity shines
mythologies on their own. From Fáfnir hungrily devouring
his hoard, to the hydra Heracles slays as his second labor,
to Yamata-no-Orochi from whose tail Susano-O pulled
elsewhere. It is a game about playing both sides against the his grass cutting sword, dragons have played a part in and
middle as you desperately try to find a foothold in The World, around mythology. Sometimes Dragons come into being
all the while discovering who you are and what you want. not from a true source at all, but through popular culture or
Play as long-lost descendants of Dragons, called Heirs, stories made up in more modern times. If it’s a big reptile
who act as agents and operatives enacting their ancestors’ with a sufficiently cool story, it’s a Dragon.
will as they delve into draconic history and memory. The In Scion: Dragon, we move these legendary creatures
World knows Dragons primarily through the mytholo- into the foreground, giving them an exalted place beside
gy told to them by pantheons. Some of this is true; some the divinity of The World, making them as powerful and
is what Dragons would call propaganda. An Heir may potent as the Gods and Titans themselves. In doing so,
descend from Dragons, but she knows just as little about dragons become capable of wearing divine Mantles, being
dragon kind as any other mortal. The truth about Dragons both Gods and Dragons, or Dragons and Titans, or even all
is steeped in mystery, and they prefer it that way. Better to three at once.
keep hidden than to risk getting wrapped up in the Fate
of the pantheons. Better to wait until the Gods and Titans
wear one another down than to join the fight directly.
THEMES
Better to amass power for a decisive strike than to play your The overarching themes of Scion include relation-
hand too soon. As the Heir becomes more embroiled in her ships, faith versus reverence, and modernity versus time-
Dragon patron’s schemes, she learns more of the truth, and lessness. It is an action game, filled with legendary beings,
must choose if she wants to be a player in their game, or grand struggles, and epic battles. Scion: Dragon can also be
forge her own path. all those things, but at its heart, it is a spy game, chock-full
of clandestine operations, political intrigue, and shadowy

WHAT’S IN A NAME? conspiracies.

SELF-DISCOVERY
Defining what is and what is not a dragon is difficult,
as things such as legend, taxonomy, and real-world de- The primary theme of Scion: Dragon is one of self-dis-
scription all play a part in what gains that classification. covery. Heirs are the inheritors of a mythical world they
Is a rather large snake a dragon? What about an oversized barely understand, with little or no direction to guide them.
crocodile? How about dinosaurs? For the purposes of this Even if an Heir discovers their true parentage, they still
game, dragons are defined as large, reptilian creatures with must choose whether to follow their commands. Accepting
a mythology surrounding them. the power of a Dragon comes with a great deal of respon-
Dragons are legendary creatures with so much gravi- sibility; learning to wield that responsibility is a large part
tas, intrigue, and power that they inspire legends and of the game.

DRAGONS AND DIVINITY

This game positions Dragons as at odds with Gods and Titans. We did this to give Dragons a foil, and
to create complex stories from Dragons’ relationship to divinity. Many Dragons are worshipped as Gods
throughout the world, and these Dragons are indeed divine creatures. For the purposes of this game,
Dragons did not start as Gods, but instead were adopted into pantheons who they belong to. While we
position Dragons as against Gods, that is not true for all of them. The generalization helps for the telling of
stories, but several Dragons who are also Gods have no problem or beef with the pantheons they are a
part of.
When considering if you want to play the heir of a specific Dragon, think about their relationship to the
pantheons and if they hold a Godly Mantle. This will influence how that Dragon acts towards their chosen
agent and what kinds of missions they will send her on.

Themes 11
 Dragons spend a great deal of time instilling their pieces on the proverbial chessboard, Heirs move across
Heirs with memories and knowledge that they hope will be the playing field in service to their Dragon, competing
used to fulfill missions for the Dragon. Characters in Scion: against other Dragons, Titans, and Gods. From data theft,
Dragon must decide if they are going to follow the path sabotage, counter espionage, or outright assassinations,
set forward to them by those memories and allow their Heirs are clandestine agents operating in a long and very
Dragons to dictate their lives, or if they will forge their own cold war. They deal in deception, attempting to obfuscate
way forward. Characters struggle between loyalty to the their moves and misdirect their opponents. But Heirs are,
Dragon who gave them the powers they have, and loyalty at their core, still tied to their former lives. And each time
to themselves and their friends. They must also struggle they undertake a mission or use their powers on behalf of a
between becoming immersed in the world of Dragons and Dragon, more of their former life slips away.
remaining grounded in humanity. Much like Titans, many
Dragons care little for humankind, viewing them as noth- POLITICS
ing more than pawns in their games. Dragons sit alongside Gods and Titans, not as their
equals, but as a third party hoping to play kingmaker, or
SHADOW MOVES bring them both low. They operate from the shadows, and
Dragons choose their Heirs with purpose. Heirs are it is still unclear for which side they fight. Sometimes they
proxies for the Dragon and part of a larger cold war operat- seem to align with the Gods, and other times they appear to
ing primarily in the shadows. Dragons have learned the hard help the Titans. Thus, Dragons serve as a strange interme-
way to be cautious, using their minions to achieve a specific diary between the Gods and Titans, slowly accumulating
end secretly, rather than out in the open for The World to power for their secret agendas. Dragons benefit from the
see. An Heir may function as an assassin, a spy, or as a sab- balkanization of The World, and from individual panthe-
oteur without ever fully understanding why. To be an Heir ons warring with one another. This means Heirs may be
in service to a Dragon is to operate in the dark, committing brokering deals, acting as mediators, or assassinating those
crimes of various size with only a partial view of the board in position of authority all in the name of their draconic
on which they play. As time goes on, that view expands and patron.
offers opportunities for rebellion or recommitment. Heirs must navigate the political landscape between
Characters can choose to enact their own plots and Dragons, Gods, and Titans with little to no instruction on
shadow moves as they navigate through The World. These how to do so. They may find themselves at odds with Scions
plots and schemes might not match that of a Dragon, but and their parents one month, and then need that same
they come close. Heirs hold their own power and might Scion’s help the next. Heirs walk a fine line between having
rope their followers and friends into their schemes as they a purely antagonistic role towards the pantheons and need-
go. ing their help. They need to keep up on the politics of the
pantheons to do their job well, and stay on the good side of
DECODING THE MYTH those they may need as allies on one side of the God/Titan
Dragons are creatures of myth and legend clouded divide or the other.
in mystery. No one can find the truth regarding Dragons
easily with a simple Internet search. Their stories have
been changed by Fate, and they themselves twist public
HOW TO USE THIS
perception and obscure the truth to keep themselves hid-
den. Part of playing an Heir is separating facts from fiction
BOOK
and slowly learning the truth of their own ancestry. In so Scion: Dragon is a game within The World of Scion
doing, the Heir becomes more embroiled in the politics told from the perspective of Dragons and their agents. This
of their Dragon patron, straying further and further from book uses the core rules found in Scion: Origin, which
their former life. is required to play this game. Dragon adds new elements
to The World presented in Hero, Demigod, and God, al-
Everything about a Dragon is shrouded in mystery, lowing you to tell stories alongside those of the children of
from its past to its motives. Heirs have the unenviable task Gods, or separate stories without them.
of working for these living mysteries and trying to piece to-
gether what they want through half-remembered instruc- Scion: Dragon expands the mythic structure of The
tions and dreams. Heirs may attempt to learn the truth World and introduces a third player in between Gods
behind their shadowy masters, seeking out the why behind and Titans: the Dragons. Where in Hero and Demigod
their missions. Dragons rarely let an Heir know her exact dragons are parts of the mythological fabric, as Legendary
plans, so finding that out and deciding what to do with the Creatures featuring in various mythologies and lore, in
information is a part of being an Heir. Dragon, we’ve reclassified them as entirely different from
the mythologies that feature them. Instead, Dragons are
PULP SPY the heroes of the story, and their children are their agents
in The World. Dragons organize themselves into Flights,
To serve a Dragon is to participate in an intricate
groups of likeminded individual Dragons.
game without fully understanding the rules. As high-value

12 INTRODUCTION
 This book presents six Dragon Flights, explaining how • Lindwurms – Considered the first Flight by many,
they formed, what they do, and who they choose to join these Dragons have grouped together based on the
them. It walks you through creating Heirs, the Dragon’s desire to share knowledge and stories long before
agents in The World, who are not yet full Dragons them- the advent of humanity. They seek knowledge and
selves. It gives you tools for playing Heirs, including their power in lieu of lost memories.
very own Callings and magic born from their draconic na-
• Lóng – Easily the largest and most disparate Flight,
tures. It also gives you advice on how to run spy stories to
these Dragons are the most at peace with the Gods.
work espionage and heists into your Scion games.
They do not fear or hate them, though they do seek

THE FLIGHTS their own fame and glory, and wouldn’t mind replac-
ing the pantheons in humanity’s worship.
Flights are loosely defined groups of Dragons. Dragons • Naga – Dragons with many heads born through
created Flights in direct response to Gods creating panthe- conceptual relationships with the world, Naga are
ons. Before that time, they were singular and autonomous split between those trapped in The World, and those
creatures, but as Gods gained prevalence in The World, trapped in their special Terra Incognita. Those in
their Fates changed The World around them and that of the The World seek knowledge, and a way to reopen
Dragon’s as well. Some Dragons were hunted and killed, their home safely.
other pulled into those very same pantheons. In response,
• Serpents – A group of Dragons who care about the
they grouped together to take shelter. These groups are
natural world and are the most connected to hu-
loosely based on the region of The World the formative
manity. They seek to teach and uplift humanity in
Dragons were located when the groups formed, but solidi-
hopes that together they can cleanse The World.
fied around shared goals and ideologies. Not every Dragon
in every Flight is from the same cultural mythology, nor
from the same World region. Dragons seeking a place to
hide, or allies in the face of an onslaught found shelter with
MEDIA
Much of media shows Dragons as large mythical be-
anyone who would take them. Some Dragons fit into more ings who serve as enemies or monsters for heroes to kill.
than one Flight and claim allegiance to both. Yamata-no- Unfortunately, few movies depict Dragons as secret agents,
Orochi is clearly a Naga, though the Lóng lay claim to him. much to our dismay. These media suggestions then are to
Despite being dead, both Flights tap his memories, and his help you with inspiration for the kinds of stories to tell
Heirs join both Flights with equal frequency. (mostly crime and spy) and some inspiration on playing as
With the formation of the Flights, many Dragons slow- a Dragon.
ly conformed in temperament to others in their groups.
They grew comfortable with one another, and their goals PROCEDURALS
slowly aligned over time. Dragons found common ground 24, TV 2001-2010
within their Flights not from what humans thought of them,
or what their mythologies said about them, but instead by 24 follows Jack Bauer and a team of counter-terrorist
their common goals. While each Dragon still considers agents who attempt to thwart terrorist attempts in the
themselves an independent sovereignty fully capable on US. While the structure of the show is a single day in Jack
their own, like in the old days, they realize that their Flights Bauer’s life each episode, the kinds of actions he takes and
exist to back them up in the case a hero comes knocking at moral ambiguity in the show is perfect for encapsulating
their lair. And why not use that drive for mutual survival to what an Heir might go through when attempting to per-
enact some mutually beneficial plans at the same time? All form a mission for her draconic ancestor.
Dragons have their own goals and schemes, but those goals Burn Notice, TV 2007-2013
seem to align around Flight lines and often coincide with
their counterparts. Burn Notice follows ex-CIA agent Michael Westen as
he attempts to figure out how and why he was let go from
The 6 Flight featured in Dragon are: the agency, and who wanted him out. Westen works as a
• Draqs – A Flight of Dragons primarily formed of private investigator solving crimes while also attempting to
those descended from Tiamat, the mother of drag- find out as much as he can about why he was burned. This
ons. They accept any who seek vengeance against duality of performing missions to keep going but also trying
the Gods, specifically for the death of their “Mother to find out about himself perfectly encapsulates our Heir’s
of Dragons.” push and pull of performing missions and finding out who
and what she is doing the missions for.
• Joka – Immense Dragons who are more in tune with
draconic memories than any other. They are known Leverage, TV 2008-2012
for their intense hunger which has driven them to- This show follows a team of con artists who perform
ward ambitions, and a return to a time before Gods. elaborate cons to take down rich, greedy, and often vil-
lainous targets for people who have been wronged. The

Media 13
structure of the show includes flashbacks to show how or side. Besides the romance angle, this movie treats dragons
why a seeming complication or difficult situation was dealt as a mixed bag. When Arman first takes on his dragon form,
with. There’s a lot of hyper competence in this show, but it he gains all the memories of his ancestors, filling him with
gives a good perspective on committing crimes for a wor- the full knowledge of all draconic history. He knows them
thy cause, taking on missions for a client, and working as a as monsters, and fights against his own nature. Just as our
team. Heirs must come to terms with their own draconic nature,
and attempt to embrace or reject it, so too does Arman.
Patriot, TV 2015-2018
This show follows John Tavner, who must take on a OTHER READING
non-official cover in an effort to deal with Iranian political The following suggestions are historical and mytho-
issues. John must balance his family life with his life as a logical books on dragons. These give a sampling of dragon
spy and gets into dangerous and sometimes darkly funny myths from across the world.
situations.
Dragons, Serpents, and Slayers in the Classical and
DRAGON STORIES Early Christian Worlds: A Sourcebook, by Daniel Ogden

Age of Fire series, by E. E. Knight Dragons, the Myths, Legends, and Lore, by Douglas
Niles
This series follows three young dragons from hatching
to adulthood. Each book focuses on a different dragon and
their travels as well as the people they meet and the life LEXICON
they make for themselves. The story is told completely • Bequeathal: The moment when a Dragon taps an
from each dragon’s perspective and gives a good insight Heir into service. This usually comes with a direc-
into the way that dragons may feel about humanity, how tive to take some kind of action, and an influx of
they navigate being monsters people might want to kill, and memories designed to help achieve that goal.
how they make friends anyway.
• Brood: A group of Heirs, whether from a single
Flight of the Dragons (1982 film) Flight or multiple.
This movie follows Peter Dickinson, a scientist turned • Dragon: An immortal Legendary Creature, usu-
board game maker who loves dragons. He is pulled into an- ally tied to the creation of The World, though not
cient times to help fulfill a quest to stop an evil wizard from always. Dragons claim they once ruled The World
turning humanity to greed and self-destruction and also to until humanity arrived with their Gods, at which
save magic. Peter finds himself merged with a dragon when time Dragons lost a great deal of power. Dragons
they get to the past and must learn about being a dragon. hid themselves but are now coming out of hiding to
The story itself is one of viewing science as a kind of mag- meddle once more in The World.
ic, which isn’t as topical to Scion: Dragon as some other
• Dragon Magic: The physical magic Dragons and
plots. Peter’s self-discovery of how to be a dragon though
their Heirs harness through the use of spells.
is spot on for the kinds of situations our Heirs might find
Individual spells learned are determined by the kind
themselves in.
of Dragon Magic an Heir knows.
Dragon Wars: D-War (2007 film) • Flight: A grouping of Dragons loosely based on
This Korean action film follows two people in Los physical similarities and location, but also around
Angeles, Ethan, a resurrected warrior of heaven, and Sarah, like goals.
a resurrected source of power which allows dragons on • Heir: A person who bears some draconic ancestry,
Earth (imugi) to turn into celestial dragons. Buraki, a bad or the memory of a Dragon, and has draconic pow-
imugi, wants the power for himself. The film itself is not ers. Dragons activate Heirs to act as agents in The
a masterpiece of cinema, but it shows dragons and their World.
stories from a non-Western perspective even though a lot
of the action is set in LA. Ethan must face a hard truth in • hoard: The entirety of a Dragon or Heir’s wealth is
Sarah’s sacrifice to create a new celestial dragon, which considered their hoard. Dragons and Heirs generally
shows some of the dilemmas our Heirs might encounter. keep their hoards in their lairs, not trusting human
means of keeping such treasures safe.
I Am Dragon (2017 film)
• Inheritance: A measure of draconic power and
This Russian romance follows Miraslava, a young bride knowledge about dragon kind. The Inheritance
who is kidnapped by a dragon on her wedding day. While score determines the progression of an Heir’s pow-
in the dragon’s lair, a remote island that is actually the er, the general outcomes of rolls, how much of the
skeleton of a dead dragon, she meets Arman, a young man Heir’s draconic form she can access at will, and
who is secretly her dragon captor who struggles with his Inheritance points which she can use to activate her
human and dragon side. During her time there, she falls in Dragon Magic.
love with him, and teaches him how to control his draconic

14 INTRODUCTION
• lair: A location in which a Dragon or Heir lives and rejects the Flight and brings an Heir closer to her
keeps their hoard. Lairs can be in any realm or any humanity and personal goals.
shape, but are magical in nature.
• Spell: An individual ability within a Dragon Magic.
• Lesser Wyrm: An Heir who has an Inheritance Characters imbue or spend Inheritance to create
rating of 5 or more. Lesser Wyrms embody more of Spell effects.
their draconic side than their human side. • visitation: The moment an Heir first meets her
• Remembrance: A set of polar opposite goals dictat- draconic ancestor. Usually this happens after the
ed by a Flight to which an Heir belongs. One side, the Heir has already been working with the Dragon for a
Cipher, brings an Heir closer to her draconic nature while and may never happen for Reincarnated Heirs.
and the Flight’s goals. The other side, Defection, A visitation usually marks the change between an
Heir’s early life and her life as a Lesser Wyrm.

Lexicon 15
 “History is hereditary only in this way: we, all of us, inherit everything,
and then we choose what to cherish, what to disavow, and what to do next,
which is why it’s worth trying to know where things come from.”
— Jill Lepore

D ragons existed on earth long before the first cry echoed

into the stratosphere, long before the skies cried and
created the first oceans, and long before the first belches of
sacrifice echoes his own and propels him forward. Thus,
you understand why Dragons need Heirs.
Dragons did not start out in a unified manner, but
volcanic gases created island and mountain. They have lived have learned to work together through strife. Some are
in The World for as long as it has existed, though their tales dangerous creatures, but others are scholars, lovers, and
are tumultuous and storied. They roamed the earth with politicians. All are planners, which they have learned to
ancient Dragon-worshipping civilizations who eventually plan over the long-term through necessity. For they all but
made way for humanity. They watched as Gods rose from lost a war with the Pantheons, one they didn’t ask for, but
humanity’s faith and remember all too well when those Gods one they plan to win in the future.
formed Pantheons and rewrote history to match. These giant,
ancient creatures have always existed, and they remember
a multitude of histories, all singularly true, and none quite DRACONIC
right. They think in the long-term, enacting centuries-old
goals through their Heirs, draconic descendants walking
their own path toward greatness.
HISTORY
Leviathan was born into the chaos of war, when hu-
mans hunted Dragons. Her parents hid her deep beneath
D raconic history is neither linear nor all encompassing.
It spirals through time, folding in upon itself when
necessary and mixes the truth as remembered with realities
the ocean’s waves and went to hunt the mortals. The hu- created by Fate. Before the universe understood divinity,
mans struck them down and Leviathan was left alone. In there were Dragons, immortal beings who existed outside any
her lonely rage, she thrashed and struggled, churning the concept of Pantheons or Fate. Their history reads differently
oceans and creating waves. When the Gods discovered the from that told by the Pantheons, for they remember all truths.
child, impressed by her immense power, they wound Fate
around the fledgling and told her she came from the God THE YOUTH OF CREATION
Yamm. Leviathan transformed and, in her confusion, her Ask any Dragon, and she will tell you that she was
tumultuous love for chaos grew. For causing chaos around born into The World as it was first forming. They all tell the
her soothed the chaos raging within her. Thus, you see how same story, even the ones who didn’t come until long after.
the Gods twisted the great Dragons. They remember the beginning and all that came after, and
Ladon was a small wyrm who protected a tree of gold- so it is truth.
en apples. His spent his days manifesting new songs The Born into the cosmos, the new earth took its first des-
World had never heard before. He fell in love with a great perate gasps and with every breath bore a new Dragon into
golden lion and the two were happy living in the cradle existence. The call to life from the void screamed louder
of creation. When the lion left the cradle, Ladon waited than all else in the dark stretch of eternity for the young
patiently for his lover’s return. Return the lion did, but wyrmlings. So it was that Dragons inhabited The World
not alive and instead worn as a pelt by the hero Heracles long before fin took to water, claw to land, and wing to sky.
who came to steal Ladon’s apples. For the first time, Ladon
Dragons spent short millennia amongst only them-
learned a song of sorrow for the deep pain sunken into
selves — before The World changed around them, and
his heart. Thus, you see how bitterly the mortals hunted
changed them as it did. In those early days, Dragons
Dragons.
explored their surroundings, uncovering secrets buried
K’uk’ulkan accepted his new role of God and Dragon, deep within mountains, plumbing the deepest depths of
working within his Pantheon to carry the sun across the the ocean, and hearing the soft music of breezes through
sky. No Dragon had a greater capacity to care for The World ancient foliage.
and the mortals in it. Year after year, K’uk’ulkan watched
Before they knew it, they were no longer alone. The
the mortals grow and performed his duties. He saw them
World changed and grew at a rapid pace compared to the
learn of industrialization and pollute his home, yet he still
Dragons’ immortal lifespans. Tiny microscopic organisms
cares. He saw them burn forests and decimate species, yet
gave way to larger and larger life in the blink of a scaled eye.
he still cares. So great is this creatures’ capacity for caring,
Dragons marveled at the rapidity of change, the miracle of
his Heirs now carry others from one locale to the next,
new growth, and the brevity of mortal life. Soon, creation
no matter the cause or trouble. They keep the Serpent
perfected its formulae and birthed children of scale and
grounded and stop hate from consuming the beast, for their
claw to The World.

Draconic History 17
 in the children’s mouths. They formed societies and cults
CHILDREN OF dedicated to blood worship which persist to this day. Many
CLAW AND TOOTH of these cults forgot their draconic parentage, and members
So similar were these creatures to Dragons, the ancient addicted to the taste of draconic blood hunt Dragons in
ones called them children and in the mess of living within hopes to taste even a single drop of their sweet life force.
all time at once, some Dragons forgot they did not create
these children. Life in this blossoming world was peaceful. FATE’S BIRTH
Amidst the draconic children’s cultural revolution
At first, Dragons lived alongside their children, their
new beings sprung into existence. These beings were
influence near imperceptible to the young creatures who
unique and unlike anything that came before them. Their
wanted nothing more than to hunt and eat. However, slow-
form was strange to the Dragons: two arms, two legs, and
ly, generation by generation, the Dragon’s children became
no scales nor fangs. While the Dragons’ children appeared
more aware of their presence. The first great cultures grew
somewhat like their parents, these new beings did not, and
from this newfound awareness modeled after the titanic
so they did not understand or care much for the Dragons
Dragons watching over everything.
or their children. The advent of humanity brought with it a
Each culture was unique and based off the Dragon it course of something Dragons still do not fully understand
worshipped. The largest of them followed the Sleeping to this day.
Mother, a Dragon who fell asleep deep within the ocean’s
Humans had imagination, belief in the unseen,
waters. In a time before naming things was important, her
and told stories of their Gods. They saw divinity within
raw power birthed a thousand dreams for her followers to
themselves, and their Gods looked and acted as they did.
revel in. Each child who worshipped her swam down to see
Dragons cannot say if Gods came before humanity, or vice
her gargantuan figure and sleep next to the Dragon for a
versa, as that part of history is probably the most muddled
time. As a reward, she gifted them with one of her dreams,
to their minds. With humanity came the concept of Fate,
a new idea to bring to the surface and act upon.
and with Fate came the trappings of divinity, and with
Not all these new creatures were peaceful, for some those trappings came the ability to bend truth and reality
Dragons taught them the art of war. Bašmu, child of Tiamat, to fit mythology.
warped the draconic children’s natural sense of the hunt to
In the early days, Dragons accepted Gods and their
follow him into battle against his mother’s enemies. For each
people, as they accepted all changes to the earth. Dragons
enemy they killed and consumed, they saw a glimpse of dra-
understood little of the God’s abilities, for reality was never
conic memory stretching into time immemorial. His forces
so frozen there could be a single truth, but they enjoyed the
eventually lost their fight, but the taste of blood was sweet

18 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS

newness of the Gods and lived beside them in peace. While had always been, and one created by the Gods. They lived
some Gods saw fit to meddle in the lives of the Dragons’ accepting both realities as truth, because the ancient crea-
children, most of the children paid little attention to the tures always understood the truth behind multiplicity.
God’s attempts, yet the Gods persisted growing jealous of The Dragons who spent the most time with Gods got
the Dragons’ dominion over their own children. caught up in their Fates. These Dragons became Gods who
EGO OF THE SKIN were also Dragons, but could not explain why it was so. The
worst thing Gods ever did to Dragons wasn’t hunt them
It is this point in history that is the most debated. down and kill them, but embroil them in the gods’ reality
What happened between Dragons and humanity, be- so tightly that they started to question their own memories.
tween their children and the Gods? Each Dragon has a Fáfnir’s form was confined to the word dwarf, which then
different version of the story, and each pantheon has one transformed into a Dragon. Fáfnir keenly remembers a time
completely contrary. Dragons were fascinated with hu- before Gods rewrote history, but also understands he was
manity and their Gods. They welcomed them, gave them born into The World as a dwarf. Both realities are equally
space to roam, for The World was a big place. They kept as true to him.
their children separate, but they did not remain separate
With pantheons came politics, and with politics came
from humanity.
war. Unsatisfied with dominion over humanity, the Gods
Most were indifferent to humans, allowing the Gods slapped labels on one another from Primordial to Titan,
their domain over humans’ lives, but a few took a keen in- casting aspersions as to each one’s ability to shepherd hu-
terest in the fleshy creatures. These Dragons wanted to be manity. And Dragons? Well, if they weren’t wholly for the
as the Gods. They mingled with humanity — sometimes us- growth and prosperity of humanity, they were just as bad
ing magic to take their forms — as they tried to understand as titans.
them. They reveled in the human’s creations and some bred
with the humans creating a new form of life born into two IMMORTAL CONFLICT
worlds — neither draconic nor human. This fundamental shift in The World’s realities, while
Some Dragons were completely uncaring to the peo- accepted by Dragons, did not go unnoticed. The wisest of
ple, acting in ways that lead to destruction and death. Some the ancient ones were always wary of the Gods, for they
were only interested in humans as animals to hunt, delight- were too unlike them to be trustworthy. They knew that the
ing in their crafty ways, but ultimately devouring them all moment the Gods arrived in The World, a game had started.
the same. This angered the humans, and some Gods, but This game would wind through mortal history steeped in
the Dragons ignored their outcry. The cycle of life, death, tragedy and loss, dancing in violence, and singing through
and the mutability of time was all part of coexistence and screams. It was a game that would cost the Dragons much,
there was little point lamenting over a creature who died but it was one they planned to win.
now, but still existed in the past. If all myths are true, and Gods created The World in a
REWRITING HISTORY hundred different ways, then Dragons will end The World
in a hundred different acts of vengeance. It wasn’t enough
As human culture grew, so too did their Gods. They for the mythology of the pantheons to rewrite Dragons’
went from a few settlements worshipping one or two Gods place in The World. They also put humanity above all else,
to civilizations worshipping several. The Gods formed causing those Dragons who wanted nothing more than to
pantheons, and in doing so, used Fate to rewrite their own simply exist to become enemies. Dragons are large and
histories. Dragons remember this part well, for they can dangerous, and their acts rarely consider human life. So,
remember branching realities and truths as Gods came to- the Gods rallied their followers and children against them,
gether and described how they created The World, a World to hunt them to extinction. They made a few distinctions,
they had already been existing in for some time. A World but they barely mattered. Gods only accepted Dragons who
that Dragons had seen grow without them, and suddenly accepted a role as a God within their pantheons. All else
they too remember those Gods who created it. were Titans and beasts to hunt and kill.
Dragons can’t remember when their own children dis- Some Dragons did not make things easy for them to
appeared from collective consciousness of The World. Or negotiate any sort of peace. For instance, the Joka, Isa Bere,
truer to the point, they remember them being there, and then had little taste for mortal flesh, though he craved the sweet
they remember them not ever existing. Their children were refreshment of running water. In one day, he drank the
not as resistant to Fate as the Dragons, and so their existence entire Niger River causing a massive drought. Numb to the
was written into pantheons, or overwritten completely. That cares of mortals, he then went on his way without a second
doesn’t mean the Gods killed them necessarily, but those thought to why they were so angry. When humans finally
overwritten were suddenly living outside of the reality the hunted down and killed Isa Bere, he still understood little
Gods had created, making it difficult for them to continue. of why they were so angry at him.
And the Dragons were far too different to be truly The Gods and their followers waged bloody war against
changed by the God’s actions. Rather, most Dragons un- Dragons to great efficiency. Stuck as they were in this new
derstood The World now had two truths, one truth which

Taking on a Mantle 19
 they hid from humanity and remain safe to this day without
the protection of a Flight.
THE TRUTH THE FLIGHTS
DRAGONS KNOW The Draq Flight is comprised of those who rallied
Every statement of true and unblemished behind the great Tiamat, a giant and glorious Dragon who
fact in this section represents the perception claimed to be first among them all. They called the great
and opinion of dragonkind: no more, no less. queen Mother and followed her lead into battle against the
History according to Dragons is exactly that: Gods who sought to bring them low. Tiamat led each battle
history according to Dragons. The truth Dragons the Draq waged against the Gods herself, relentless in her
know is likewise the truth Dragons know. We fury against the young Fate-benders who threatened her
use a lot of generalities throughout this section, children. It took Marduk, a young God seeking ultimate
because Dragons like to lump the pantheons all power, to kill her. Her remaining children went into hiding,
together, even when they absolutely know that
collecting other Dragons who were as bent on revenge as
some individual Gods are actually trustworthy
allies and friends. Taken as a whole, Dragons they were to fill in the Flight over time. Now they seek to
rarely care to separate the damages caused by emulate Tiamat’s chaotic nature to bring much needed
Æsir Heroes. And all pantheons get
Theoi and Æsir change to the world.
looked at with suspicion due to the most brutal The ever-hungry Joka formed along the lines of yearn-
acts, even as the many Dragons continue to ing for the past in a way that manifests as deep unabating
treat with the pantheons they are most familiar hunger. Ammut was a great prophet who could swim
with.
through memory into the future. There she saw the Gods
The stories presented here are a type of truth. changing The World and saw the downfall of her lover,
A truth that Dragons remember, despite Fate’s Apep. Heeding her warning, Apep chased the sun across
touch on The World around them. These stories the sky to consume it and stop the Gods. In response, the
fit into The World mythology as a counterpoint
to the legends that grow around Gods and Egyptian Pantheon rewrote the history of the Joka’s found-
pantheons. ers — Apep became Apophis the dread Titan and Ammut
became a pawn of the Gods. Not only did they fail to stop
it, but they also brought on the doom they tried to prevent.
They lost everything, and what’s worse, is that they re-
reality shaped by the pantheons, their immortality was no membered what they once had. A deep relentless hunger
longer guaranteed. They lived only within the memory of crept into their beings — an emptiness haunting them for
other Dragons, and could hope at reincarnation rather than eternity until the two reunite. Raina, who also felt the loss
it being a given. Some fought against the onslaught, only of her future sight, called together a Great Feast inviting all
bringing more ire, others tried to hide. But even those who Dragons who hungered. Those who responded became the
were Gods could see that being a Dragon would eventually Joka, and she fed them all the esoteric things that would
end in death, and were forced to either abdicate the pan- sate their existential needs.
theon or their draconic mantle. Lindwurms have always been hoarders. They once
collected songs and stories, now they collect whatever
FORMATION OF FLIGHTS helps them remember. These Dragons hoarded knowl-
Grouping Dragons into Flights, or groups of like-mind- edge, collecting stories and retelling them with perfection.
ed individuals, is a newer invention — a convention created Lindwurms were overall a peaceful bunch — allowing them
out of necessity. Before Gods and humanity, the Dragons to work together, form friendships, and enjoy the intoxi-
had no need for such things as Flights. The idea of group- cating experience of shared memory. Vishap died first, and
ing together to enact plans as a cohesive unit was ridicu- when she did she let out a death curse that sent her memo-
lous; how could such unique beings ever truly act as one? ry flooding into those of her fellows. Her shattered memory
Age does not always gift wisdom, and when far too many wreaked havoc, and those she had been closest to started to
Dragons had already fallen, they finally understood how lose their memories. Jörmungandr was the first to realize
naive their past views were. In order to survive, they would and he gathered others to try to preserve what they could.
have to band together. Any who sought knowledge, memory, or truth flocked to
One united draconic front against all of humankind the Flight. Now they are marked by greed and avarice, and
would never work — Dragons’ individual egos and ancient a desire for more to replace what they lost.
rivalries would never allow for it. Instead, Dragons orga- Among the Flights, the Lóng was the only one to
nized themselves into Flights based on similar ideologies. take a strategic step back from The World. Forming due
Not every Dragon would come to join a Flight, but those to geographic proximity, when the Gods rewrote history,
who did not disappeared from draconic memory. Most as- many of their numbers were relegated to roles with a sec-
sume they perished at the hand of some hero or another, but ondary importance to mortals. Gods stole their forms and
some stories still circulate of ancient wyrms so powerful created insulting stories of Dragons, many of which deeply

20 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS

disrespected the culture the Lóng created over many years The Lindwurms seek power and knowledge, appear-
living in The World. The Gods began to minimize the ing grasping and greedy. While they may not completely
Dragons’ existences, with each act of selfishness or vile at- recognize it themselves, the Lindwurms seek to repair
tack a thousand cuts against the draconic way of life. With the shattered memory they once shared. They each lost so
each conflict, the Dragons understood it would not be long much when the Gods rewrote history and Vishap’s memo-
before the Gods took more extreme measures to minimize ries shattered that they barely remember their own imper-
their existence. Dominion isn’t enough for those hungry atives. They seek to be whole again, and to gain whatever
for power unless it is absolute. Shaking off the falsehoods knowledge they can.
placed upon them by Fate, the Lóng organized themselves Where the Lindwurms focus internally, the Serpents
and vowed to take vengeance on the Gods, taking back over seek external wholeness by fixing the World. The Serpents
The World they are destined to rule. are wholly motivated by the need to protect the planet and
The Naga were once curators of a Terra Incognita its inhabitants from themselves. Pollution, climate change,
called the Divine Realm. Here they collated and gathered and species extinction are all hastened by human activity,
all the concepts of The World for examination and contem- and Serpents see this spelling doom. If the Serpents could
plation. From the realm, the Dragons grew connected to only help them curtail that activity, they could all live in a
The World’s concepts and began to embody the ones they clean and safe World. Of course, no one can agree on how
felt closest to, even growing new heads to better encompass to best help humanity.
all the concept’s parts. With humanity came confusion, and For the most part, the Joka don’t blame humanity for
the Dragons were forced to close off the Divine Realm to their faults, but instead turn their eyes to the pantheons.
protect it from those who wished to hunt them. Those who Many of the Joka were deeply twisted by the rewriting of
remained in The World became the Naga, and those who history and thus their goals are trapped within the new
were trapped inside remain to this day. Now, the only thing concepts. They hunger and yearn, often for power, some-
that holds them together is their desire to return to the times just for sustenance. Their ambitions know no bounds.
Divine Realm. Any who remember it, or seek it are consid-
ered brethren. The Lóng have more disparate goals based on factions:
Sea, River, Shallows, or Heaven Lóng. Unlike other Flights,
Those who became the Serpents loved The World the Lóng’s strategic retreat gave them an upper hand in
above all others. For every new wonder birthed into the retaining their original reality and capabilities. Many of
vibrant haze of life, the Serpents fell more deeply in love the Lóng’s goals focus on the pursuit of glory, fame, or
with the tiny planet of blue and green. And when humans knowledge, though deep down they hope to eventually
finally evolved, the Serpents were the first, even before the supplant the pantheons as the true rulers of The World and
Gods, to love them desperately and deeply. When humanity humanity.
exploited the earth, the Gods didn’t care so long as wor-
ship came to them. The Serpents though tried to correct Finally, the Naga have one of the most unifying goals
humans, teach them to treat The World better. Some hu- enacted by individualistic members, each with their own
mans seemed to respond well, but the others needed hard- schemes on how to achieve it. Nearly every Naga works
er lessons. The Gods took notice, but only to chastise the to gain access to the Divine Realm they closed from The
Dragons for harming humans. So to prevent a war with the World so many years ago.
Gods, the Dragons faded into the background and became
the Serpent Flight. From the shadows, they still try to teach
humanity, and kill those who refuse to learn their lessons,
DRAGONS TODAY
all in the name of saving The World.
FLIGHT GOALS
T oday Dragons act in secret, laying low and using a variety
of intermediaries and pass-through entities to enact
goals. The Gods may have scrubbed Dragons from humanity’s
Dragons have not forgotten what happen to their kind collective consciousness, giving them new roles or killing
in the past and each Flight formed based on a unifying goal. them off, but Dragons have not forgotten everything that
How much everyone wants this goal is down to the individ- has happened. Their goals are not new, and they have been
ual Dragon. Likewise, what this goal looks like also differs working on them since the Gods first arrived and started
between Dragons. Some may find individual pursuits more meddling with reality.
important than the party line, and others may obsess over a While Flights formed along common goals and mutual
minutia of the goal for centuries. protection, everyone has a different idea on how to achieve
The Draq have a deep vendetta against a specific pan- those goals. Dragons often work individually, enacting plots
theon. It’s true, they spend a lot of their time embroiled and plans that end up intersecting those of their Flightmates
in a millennia long war, but their ultimate goal is to bring as they try to get at the same goals from different angles.
new growth from the seeds of destruction. While many of While they do communicate with each other, each believes
their members seek this in unique ways, the overall goal of their plots to be superior, and many are unwilling to aban-
destroying the pantheons and allowing something new and don something they have invested resources in. Especially
vibrant to grow in their place drives them ever forward. if they view the working as inherently inferior to their own.

Dragons Today 21
 Draconic inability, or better put, unwillingness to work Dragon is the key for the Heir to break free from the claws
with one another en mass means their plans are often slow slowly wrapping around her and come into her own.
working and contingent on many different factors. For any Dragons cannot just leave their truth lying around
creature other than a Dragon they’d be completely unmanage- for their Heirs to find. Mortal dragon hunters search out
able, luckily Dragons have all of memory to work with and an their secrets as well, to better know their quarry. The same
infinite amount of time. For dealing with pesky matters need- hoops an Heir must go through becomes an impediment to
ing immediate attention, Dragons make use of Heirs, humans a would-be hunter. Though hunters who dig deep enough
who are related to or are reincarnations of themselves. Heirs find more than just a Dragon at the end of their hunt. The
enact a Dragon’s will in The World and most strive to carry desire for truth, knowledge, and power is intoxicating.
out these plans, or at least understand them. Dragons find any mortals who seek them intriguing. More
SAFETY IN SECRETS than one hunter has ascended to Agent Heir after impress-
ing a Dragon with their tenacity.
In order to survive, a Dragon keeps secrets. Even their
Heirs never know the full truth of their plans. A single truth HOARDS AND SECRETS
may lay folded in a hundred lies, given to the Dragon’s fol- Many of the stories and legends people know about
lowers to decode and enact to prove they are worthy of the Dragons come not from Dragons themselves, but instead
Dragon’s patronage. from the pantheons. Because of this, most of their stories
Birthed in millennia of plotting, waiting, and schem- are wrong, often seriously so. However, one important
ing, completing a Dragon’s goals is never straight forward. feature of many stories about Dragons is that they are crea-
Any person, or creature, who follows a Dragon’s designs is a tures given to avarice, and those stories are entirely correct.
pawn on an exceptionally large chessboard and likely never Most Dragons or at least most Dragons who are not hiding
knows more than what is required of them. Save perhaps and in immediate fear of their lives, have collections that
Heirs, who Dragons see not as pawns, but as knights who they refer to as their hoard. Dragons hope that part of the
protect their carefully constructed goals. Those who seek a process of regaining their place in The World will be the
greater part to play in their Dragon’s schemes must prove ability to return to collecting and tending their hoards,
themselves repeatedly. And if they are lucky, they gain rather than having to constantly struggle to avoid notice or
insight into a greater piece of the puzzle as they go. Even battle deadly threats.
then, they may not get a clear picture, or only learn half- While stories about Dragon hoards emphasize them
truths. Dragons understand both truth and lies as veracity collecting vast piles of gold and jewels, the reality is far
after all. more complex. Most Dragons possess hoards, but what
A loyal Heir follows her Dragon ancestor’s orders any individual Dragon hoards is a deeply personal, and
without question. If her Dragon tells her to kill, she kills. often highly idiosyncratic choice. Wealth is exceedingly
If he tells her to steal, she steals. This sort of unquestioning common, and obviously quite useful. However, even this
loyalty is likely to gain an Heir a comfortable, if not unspec- can take many forms, from piles of gold bars and bags of
tacular, life. In contrast, a smart Heir finds the truth behind gemstones to digital “wallets” filled with cryptocurren-
the orders given to him by his ancestor. He sifts through cy. In addition, wealth is far from the only option. Some
conflicting accounts and cryptic messages to understand Dragons hoard knowledge, often in the form of books,
what his Dragon genuinely wants — and performs that others collect various divine or semi-divine Relics, and
deed instead. The Heirs who do this rise to true greatness the range of options for hoards also includes land, weap-
… or are eaten by their Dragons, great reward comes with ons, and in some cases, humans, particularly as retainers,
great risk after all. servants, and allies. However, some Dragons instead
When not utilizing Heirs, Dragons hide their secrets in choose more ephemeral hoards, like secrets or favors.
inanimate objects to enact their plans all over The World. In the modern age, those who hoard secrets or favors
Dragons mean for humans to find and engage with them, have done especially well. As a result, this practice has spread
so they make them as enticing as possible. The secrets among most Flights. Increasingly, Dragons have let Gods,
held within are often encoded messages which lead peo- Titans, Scions, and humans who possess wealth, power, or
ple to perform tasks for the Dragons. Intelligent planners, simply uncommon amounts of knowledge about the super-
Dragons know people won’t lust after something simply natural, know that they can offer useful services, for a price.
given to them and so Dragons make a game of finding their Most Dragons who trade in secrets use the same
secrets. Trunks full of lost treasure, forgotten languages system — if you want to learn one of the Dragon’s secrets,
scrawled on cave walls, a song only heard on a single hill you must offer to share one of at least equal value that the
under a blood moon are all examples of where Dragons Dragon does not already know. Naturally, the only one who
hide their secrets. can determine whether secrets have an equivalent value is
Some Heirs hunt down the secrets left behind by their the Dragon, but most Dragons are ruthlessly fair in their
Dragons in hope of undoing their plans. The Heir collects evaluations, and those that aren’t soon find their reputation
these information drops in hopes to reveal a greater plan drives prospective clients to seek out someone else. As a
her Dragon has. Deciphering that plan unbeknownst to her result, most Dragons who deal in secrets endeavor to keep

22 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS

their clients at least minimally satisfied, because doing so them. The result is someone who has asked a favor of a
means that they can obtain more clients and thus obtain a Dragon finding that they now owe this favor to a Dragon
steady supply of new and better secrets. they have never met and know nothing about. Some indi-
The trade in favors is more complex and can become viduals who deal with Dragons have begun insisting that
quite convoluted. In its simplest form, the Dragon offers to the Dragon cannot trade their favors. While most Dragons
do something for someone else, in return for that individu- agree to this condition, in return they expect the individual
al owing the Dragon a favor that she can call in later. Often to perform a notably more difficult and demanding service
the Dragon making the deal specifies the favor in advance, than they otherwise would.
and if she doesn’t, she usually provides a general outline Today, a growing number of Dragons who collect all
of the magnitude of what she’ll ask in return. Dragons also types of hoards use both secrets and favors as currency. A
have a multitude of ways to ensure that others perform the Dragon who collects rare jewels may have little intrinsic
services they agree to. interest in secrets or favors, but is willing to deal in them as
In addition to the fact that some Dragons who deal in a means to acquire additional rare jewels.
favors possess the ability to bind others to keep their oaths,
everyone with sense knows that getting on the bad side of a
POWERBROKERS
Dragon is a terrible idea. Not only does that individual risk When the Titanomachy started, Dragons learned an
the Dragon’s wrath, but some other Dragons refuse to deal important lesson: The Gods cared not if they wanted to be
with them, and may also attempt to capture the oath-break- involved. The price of complacency was to be cast in the
er and hand them over to the Dragon who is owed the favor. drama the pantheons were playing out. When the Flights
A few Dragons have attempted to cheat those who perform formed, and Dragons took measures to protect themselves,
services for them, but most understand that such behavior they also decided that they couldn’t just stay out of things.
is bad for business, and risks turning prospective clients They would be hunted regardless of their involvement, and
into embittered would-be Dragon slayers. Gods would retell their histories without their approval.
This exchange of favors can become even more compli- The Flights made plans not only for survival, but for
cated because many Dragons use favors as currency. If two revenge, restitution, and to reclaim their rightful place as
or more Dragons are owed favors that they each consider the rulers of The World. They can’t beat Fate outright, even
to be of equivalent value, then they sometimes exchange if they can skirt its effects and retain their memories of a

Dragons Today 23
past before Fate’s touch. So, they plot against the panthe- are purposely kept secret, and Heirs slowly understand
ons, and hope to use their Fate and turn it against them. only enough to find their place in The World.
They work both ends, helping a God here or a Titan there Each memory an Heir gains grants them more access
to stoke the fires of a cold war and hope the two will burn to their Dragon. They connect to their ancestor emotionally
each other out and Dragons can simply pick up the pieces. and spiritually through the memories which reveal bits and
They aren’t above tipping the scales one direction or an- pieces of who the Dragon is. The more an Heir remembers,
other if it suits their needs, but pantheons at war with one the more secrets they unlock within the memories and thus
another, and their Titans are pantheons who are too busy to the more powerful they become. Dragons do all of this by
notice a Dragon meddling in deeper affairs. design, the more powerful their Heirs, the more dominion
This makes Dragons a bit of power brokers. While they they have on earth and the better they can carry out their
avoid acting overtly within The World, their Heirs are in short-term goals.
demand amongst Scions, known to work for both sides if
the price is right. And while many Heirs are happy to adopt
PLANS FROM THE PAST
a mercenary outlook, most keep their Dragon’s plots in Just because Dragons have a memory of everything,
mind before accepting any kind of job, either to help or hurt doesn’t mean they remember every fact every moment of
those draconic plans as needed. the day. In fact, many things are so insignificant to the great
beasts they instantly forget them. When a Dragon wants to
MEMORIES remember something exactly as it was, they go through the
Dragons have long memories stretching back to the Knowing, literally traveling back through their memories to
youth of The World. Part of the memory is their own, col- experience exact details they may have forgotten.
lected from the various experiences they’ve had through During the Knowing, many Dragons travel to mem-
their life and the other part of their memory is the truth ories fitting the problems they currently face. Applying
all Dragons share with one another — a memory stretching past models to new situations allows the Dragon to plan
between all beings and linking reality together. The Gods’ out for nearly all eventualities, because they’ve already ex-
changed realities pollutes this shared collective memory perienced something before. Rather than hindsight being
and Vishap’s memories which flooded into them when she something causing them to look back at past actions with
died muddies it even further. Despite those things, Dragons shame, Dragons turn it into a weapon to use against their
depend on their ability to remember all instances of reality enemies.
as their greatest asset. Dragons who spend too long Knowing are in danger
Because Dragons know and accept many realities in of casting their thoughts into the past in perpetuity. They
one, their schemes are based on obtaining information, may meet a foe in the past that they always underestimate,
planning for all outcomes and enacting a long game with or they may find the past too intoxicating to extricate their
many different contingencies. Before Gods and their plots, mind from. For many, the past is a dedicated time before
there was little for Dragons to do than play at besting one anyone hunted their kind, and when The World still held
another. Setting their might against other creatures of pro- wonder and mysteries. The Knowing is a seductive place,
found sight honed Draconic skill into a keen edge they now but can also be dangerous. Vishap’s memories float through
use to whittle away their enemies. the collective draconic memory as shards of information.
One of the most powerful abilities a Dragon has is to If one is not careful, she may find herself pulled into one of
pore over memories and apply what happened in the past Vishap’s memories with no way to escape.
to a current situation. Everything happening now has hap- Nehebkau is one such Dragon caught within the
pened before and so Dragons can see the end of a situation Knowing and unable to escape. When judging whether or
before it occurs. Rarely is a Dragon genuinely surprised, not souls should be allowed into the Underworld, he often
and if they are it is normally because their Heirs have done traveled into the Knowing for wisdom. Nehebkau had long
something extraordinarily novel to warrant their atten- forgot he was ever only a Dragon and not only a God, so
tion. Of course, that takes time, and reacting to immediate each travel into the Knowing confused and enthralled him.
stimulus or threats requires a faster sort of response than He met familiar faces he’d forgotten and experienced deep
sifting through all the memories of The World entails. This magic he could barely remember. Each trip drew him deep-
is where Heirs come in. er and deeper within living memory. Then, at the barrier
Dragons pass their memories to their Heirs through between The World and the Underworld he met a familiar
Bequeathal. Dragons show their Heirs memories to grant a face, a lesser wyrm who called him father, who he could
deeper understanding of the Dragon’s position on a certain not remember forgetting. So Nehebkau once more dove
topic or to manipulate an Heir into doing what the Dragon into the Knowing and swam the waters of time to find the
wants. Seeing a Draq’s broodmates murdered one by one face he’d forgotten. Since then Nehebkau has not been seen
by blood-thirsty Scions is enough to turn the stomach of in The World and many assume he still swims within the
even the most hardened Heir. Heirs never know everything Knowing to this day.
their Dragons knows, some parts of a Dragon’s memories If a Dragon so wishes she may share the Knowing with
one of her Heirs. Normally, an Heir experiences a Dragon’s

24 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS

memories as he would any other memory of thought. They them correctly, and enacts them with little mistakes rises
can be intrusive and all encompassing, but they are not quickly in her Dragon’s eyes — learning more secrets and
literal traveling into the past. If an Heir is given the expe- unlocking untold powers.
rience of Knowing, it is likely his Dragon has big plans for Some Dragons have difficulty showing appreciation
him, because living through something, truly knowing it, is for their Heirs. Either because the concept is foreign to
much different than only remembering. However danger- them, or because of a nasty temperament, it is easy for an
ous the Knowing is for Dragons it is doubly as dangerous heir to assume his Dragon hates him. This is rarely the case,
for Heirs who have much less talents at their disposal than and it is far more likely his Dragon is indifferent to him.
their draconic ancestors. Many older Dragons existed in a time before things like
The Cult of Vishap, a group of humans who trace their compassion and kindness were terms ascribed meaning by
ancestry back to the great Dragon, seeks entrance into the mortals. The idea that one needs to exhibit them in order
Knowing through their draconic blood. Through delving to co-exist is unfamiliar. Instead, these Dragons reward
through ancient tomes for forgotten rituals they’ve found their Heirs with something far more meaningful — power.
whispers of a portal created by draining a person’s blood Younger Dragons, on the other hand, understand the terms
of all memories and ingesting them as your own. The cult quite well and ensure they keep their Heirs happy. If they
plans to use this knowledge to delve into the Knowing, col- happen to be overly judgmental or cruel to their Heirs, it is
lect the pieces of Vishap’s shattered memories, and imbue only to teach them a lesson or down to genuine hatred (in
them into a living vessel to revive the dead Dragon. which case the Heirs doesn’t last long).

CHILDREN’S GAMES This balance between the ancient foresight of a Dragon

and the quick reactions of their Heirs makes them a deadly
Dragons create complex and convoluted plans. combination.
Partially because they have all the memories of their time
on earth and those of their brethren to pull from, and DRACONIC LINEAGES
partially because they have had far too long to make those When humans first walked the earth, Dragons were
plans. These carefully thought out plans, laid out and en- fascinated by them and considered them equals. Yes, they
acted over several years require not just one action at the were different, but the concepts of better or worse meant
right moment to pull off, but a series of events, played out little to them. All things could be better or worse depending
over several years to come to fruition. This takes a team of on their position within reality. Some Dragons used their
actors, people on the ground to ensure everything moves magic to assume their forms, walking amongst them, learn-
smoothly and built in redundancies in case someone fails ing from them, and falling in love with them. Eventually,
to perform. those who did created offspring with these humans. These
Heirs are a Dragon’s top actors, the people in The children, completely human by human standards, carried
World who know the Dragon and her plans the best, if im- the magic of their draconic parent within them. They were
perfectly. He isn’t just an agent, he is an extension of the the first Heirs, before Heirs were a necessity or even called
Dragon, either sharing her draconic ancestry or a reincar- Heirs. They became Dragons if they wanted, or remained
nation of the Dragon herself. He is entrusted not just with human if they desired.
one part of a plan, but is often the linchpin in ensuring a As Dragons, Gods, and mortal all became separate, dis-
millennia old goal comes to fruition. The Dragon depends tinct things, the thought of breeding with humans became
so much on her Heir because he understands how The taboo. First, humans were seen as weak, lesser things. How
World works in a way which she never can. Even the most could something as great as a Dragon lower herself to a
aloof Heir still has a mortal foundation he uses to interact mortal’s level? Then, humans became enemies. How could
with The World giving him the ability to react to changes one breed with a people who would see him extinct? By the
far faster and more efficiently than any Dragon could. time written history was embraced by most cultures, the
As good as Dragons are at long-term goals, understand- practice of intermingling with humans was non-existent
ing situations, and delving the past for answers, they are and those Dragons with draconic lineages rarely mentioned
equally bad at quick responses and dealing with unexpect- the dozens of mortal children who still gave them homage.
ed situations. Thinking fast and making quick decisions is Today, very few Dragons would dare dream of creating
terribly lacking, and even the youngest Dragons have issues offspring with a mortal. Those who do, the rare few, either
thinking quick on their feet. Dragons rarely act in the heat have a greater scheme under their scales or they genuine-
of the moment when it comes to their overriding goals and ly care for the mortal. Humans who find themselves in a
if they do, they spend years puzzling out the consequences Dragon’s favor and understand the centuries long game the
of their actions. creatures play never truly know if the beast loves them or is
To this end Dragons need and deeply cherish their using them. Some Dragons would argue it doesn’t matter, if
Heirs. Only a fool would do otherwise. A wise Dragon un- a person feels love, even if it is false, isn’t that enough? Isn’t
derstands his own shortcomings and knows how to utilize that in itself a form of truth?
his assets wisely using an Heir’s unique skills to complete
his goals. A smart Heir, one who gets her orders, interprets

Heirs 25
 The Dragon’s children remained though, and the memories unlock the power within an Heir, she must keep
magic running through them never once weakened as they her Dragon close enough to gather more power, while also
propagated throughout The World. Each generation giving working in secret to foil the Dragon without him knowing. If
rise to more of those touched by dragon magic, and today a Dragon were to ever discover his Heir’s betrayal, it would
many people all over The World carry the draconic lineage mean a fate worse than death, centuries in the making.
within them. Some lucky few grow up in a family who re-
members their lineage and teaches them the truth about BEQUEATHAL
Dragons. But many more end up in a Dragon’s sights with Heirs refer to the process of learning about their
no knowledge of the magic they carry. draconic heritage as Bequeathal, in which the Dragon
Bequeaths to them what knowledge he wishes the Heir
HEIRS to have about his plans, about her abilities, and about her
place within the greater World. They call it this because it

H eirs are a Dragon’s greatest asset on earth. They are

mortal, born of the mortal world, but have access to
a Dragon’s magic and power. They dance in the web of
comes in flashes of memories and visions, and with these
visions comes the first taste of draconic magic and the pow-
er to become a dragon.
mysteries woven by their Dragon ancestor and draconic
enemies, bobbing, weaving, and dodging through schemes AGENT BEQUEATHALS
in order to grab more power for themselves or foil whatever Dragons generally pick agents based on their perceived
plans they can. There are two types of Heirs — Agents and usefulness. A Dragon inevitably watches an individual for
Reincarnated. Both are equally as important as the other but a long time before deciding to lay their mark on them and
take two different roads to come into their powers. sometimes this involves small nudges drawing the person
Agents are Heirs chosen and activated by a living to them. Even without prior knowledge of dragonkind, the
Dragon. An agent always has a draconic lineage, even if he is groundwork prepares the individual somewhat. Níðhöggr
completely unaware of it, and even if the Dragon who acti- once chose an ambitious CEO, hungry for power, and laid in
vates him is not his direct ancestor. The Dragon activates her her path an item bestowed with Memory: when she picked up
Heir by passing memories to the agent, giving him flashes of the item, she gained a flood of his memories. Her hunger grew
her life. Through exploring the memories, the agent gathers as her mind flooded with images of the World Tree and her
information on the Dragon and receives cryptic orders he father curled around its roots. Ryūjin’s most recently activat-
must follow in order to learn more about himself. The path ed agent made great strides in renewable energy before the
of an agent is one of light and dark, uncovering memories Dragon King chose him. He invented a new collector which
while being plunged deeper into a Dragon’s control. makes ocean wave energy much more attractive to investors.

Reincarnated Heirs are literally the reincarnation Dragons choose agents from among people who carry
of a dead Dragon. She too has a tie to a draconic lineage, within them a draconic lineage. The agent doesn’t need to
which the dead Dragon’s memories used to latch onto her. be a true descendant of the Dragon, just having the latent
Unlike agents, a reincarnated Heir has no living Dragon to magic within her is enough. Sometimes, a Dragon finds he’s
guide her steps. She must unlock the Dragon’s memories created an Heir in someone else’s lost lineage — no wonder
herself. With each memory the reincarnated unlocks, she he found that person so attractive! Conflict flares when
unveils a game she has been playing for centuries. Every Flights battle over promising Heirs.
time she remembers, she understands more of her place in REINCARNATED BEQUEATHALS
The World as a Dragon and realizes how muddy the truth
Dead Dragons pick reincarnations through some plan-
of her position is. The path of the reincarnated is one of
ning and random chance. Unlike when picking an agent, a
impossible gray; Heirs who risk losing their identity to a
dead Dragon cannot ease his Heir into her new life. Instead,
Dragon’s plots or overcoming their ancestor and taking
the Dragon’s memories flood the reincarnated Heir’s mind
power for themselves.
at Bequeathal, with little to no warning. Dead Dragons are
Due to an Heir’s importance it may feel as if she must still active in the draconic memory and try, if possible, to
agree with her Dragon’s plans and play along with whatever find direct descendants to reincarnate through. If that isn’t
centuries old game he is playing. This is far from true; in fact, possible, then they look for someone who is already open
many Heirs vehemently disagree with their Dragon’s end to the mythical or with knowledge of Dragons. Even so, re-
goal or specific orders. Heirs learn quickly to sift through incarnated Heirs often stumble through finding their place
missions, twisting goals and sidestepping plots in an attempt in The World with relation to their dead parent’s Flight
to balance their humanity with their new draconic nature. and other Heirs. Without a draconic parent to actively
The value of Heirs is that they can act autonomously and guide them through their Bequeathal, many make terrible
with authority. If all goes well, she acts to benefit her Dragon, messes of their Inheritance before other Heirs find them.
which benefits her. But she may wish to claim the Dragon’s While some Reincarnated Heirs manage to piece together
power for herself or rebuke the power and return to her life the puzzle of their memories on their own, others need
as a normal mortal. An Heir who tries to destroy her Dragon the help of other Heirs. Without assistance, some Heirs
or foil his plans plays a deadly game. Because a Dragon’s become dragonkind’s most tragic tale: lost reincarnations.

26 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS

Imbued with powers beyond their control or understand- embrace her Dragon fully or push against him and become
ing, driven by urges and toward hoards they can’t really un- her own wyrm. All her interactions with her Dragon have
derstand, overwhelmed by fragmented memories flooding been through visions and glimpsed memories, though by
their brains, the minds of some lost reincarnations fracture now she has probably uncovered enough information to
beyond repair. have a decent idea of who and what that Dragon was. She
Rampaging wildly in their confusion, reincarnated may even have a chance to speak with the Dragon in her
Heirs have the potential to cause tremendous damage. memories, as she tries to grapple with her existence as a
Those who do receive interventions from their peers often Dragon lost in the folds of time, and an Heir becoming a
hear the cautionary tale of that one rather nasty Heir play- new Dragon. She doesn’t have to make a final decision as
ing out his love-hate relationship with Tokyo — probably a she becomes a Lesser Wyrm, but it becomes harder and
reincarnation of some long-lost ryu of water. harder to separate herself from the Dragon she once was
as she grows into her power, meaning if she doesn’t rebuke
HANDLER him, she may end up becoming him despite her best efforts.
When an Heir has proved their worth and is ready to Lost reincarnations suffer the worst from never meet-
ascend to the ranks of Lesser Wyrm it is time for them to ing their Dragons. If they don’t sink into a wallowing pit of
meet their Dragon. Only agents get this chance of course, despair they warp into terrible creatures. Without other
because reincarnated Heirs embody all their Dragon was. Heirs to guide them, many lost reincarnations internalize the
From here on out agents often refer to their Dragon as a memories of their Dragons into meaning they are some sort
Handler, further obfuscating their exact mission around of great beast, though they do not know who. These violently
those who are not in the know. alien memories wrap a person’s sense of self. With a fractured
mind, these Heirs work to understand this beast and trans-
The exact shape meeting with a Handler takes de-
form into a monstrous person with terrible goals. Unable to
pends on the Dragon and what Flight they hail from,
make real sense of their memory, they apply their own terrible
however there are a few commonalities. First, a first true
logic to what they see and become menaces that other Heirs
meeting is always in private. A Dragon may meet her Heir
(or hunters) must deal with, lest they wreak havoc on The
a hundred times before this true meeting, but always in
World.
disguise or within dreams with her presence wrapped in
some subtle subterfuge so she can gauge the Heir’s wor-
thiness. Handlers consider the first time they truly reveal
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
themselves to be the first true meeting, because it is free Dragons give their Heirs missions, sometimes through
from pretense. It is the first time her agent is allowed to visions and memories, and sometimes through more mun-
take in the Dragon in all her glory. dane means such as sending an agent or a message through
a dead drop. Some orders are specific — go to the East Side,
Second, Handlers enjoy no small amount of ceremony kill Freya’s Scion who is hunting Heirs. These orders are
when meeting their agent. Whether it is the agent having clear, and a Dragon is unhappy if his Heir doesn’t follow
to survive a deadly maze on the way to the Dragon’s Lair them explicitly. Other orders leave room for the individual
or finding out the items they collected in various dead agent to use their creativity — deal with Freya’s Scion hunt-
drops were to complete a ritual to summon the Dragon — ing down Heirs. In this case, Dragons expect their Heirs to
Handlers make a show out of revealing themselves. Many find the best possible solution to the problem — one that
Dragons see the first meeting as yet another test the Heir even the Dragon may not have thought of.
must pass, and design convoluted games so he can prove his
worth. The first true enemy an Heir may come across could No matter the orders, specific or vague, every Heir
be the Dragon, and only by finally besting the foe does the takes the utmost care on their missions lest they fall prey to
Handler reveal herself. unseen dangers. Dragons trust their Heirs to carry out the
mission, giving them leeway to decide how to best achieve
Sometimes a Dragon must meet her agent for the first the end goal. The Heir might not fully understand why
time out of sheer necessity. These first meetings are less she has these particular orders, and she dare not ask the
spectacular and often involve a hurried meeting and rushed Dragon himself — and in the case of reincarnated Heirs, she
instructions. Usually because a Dragon is facing a problem just can’t — and so uses her time performing the mission to
they cannot solve without direct contact with their Heir, gather as much secondary information as she can.
or if the Heir is on the verge of completely ruining the
Dragon’s plans. Most Dragons loathe doing this, because Understanding the Dragon’s ultimate goal allows an
it means the schemes they’ve set in place, sometimes even Heir to better serve her Handler or gives her an edge if she
before the Heir was born, are foiled in one way or another. is trying to work against him. The more she knows about
Even if it is not the Heir’s fault, they are likely to catch some her Dragon Handler, the better she can understand her
of the blame for this. role, and the more power she can harness for herself. She
must keep such information secret though, unless it falls
REINCARNATIONS into the wrong hands and ends her life early, either at the
By the time a reincarnated Heir would be meeting hands of an enemy or her draconic ancestor.
a Handler, she is instead making the hard decision to

Heirs 27
 Being an Heir is a life lived on a razor’s edge. She must form, a brood bond lasts for life, and to betray a brood-mate
balance life threatening missions and dangerous games with is the worst act an Heir can perform.
being her own person. The moment she steps into the web Broods often form as Heirs meet and they share com-
of a Dragon’s plots, she is trapped. She must work her way mon goals or interests. Heirs rarely trust anyone other than
through them and hope to come out the other side whole. their mortal family, and sometimes their Dragon ancestor,
Even if she wants nothing to do with her draconic ancestor, so gaining the trust of other Heirs is a game of give and
she cannot fully ignore his intrusions into her life. One way take. When first meeting, they often adopt carefully craft-
or another, she must learn about her Inheritance if she wants ed personas, only dropping their guards when they have
a life of her own making. Otherwise, she will become a pawn proven themselves to one another. Just like any other kind
in the Dragon’s game, and pawns rarely last long. of relationship, broods take time and energy to form and
It isn’t that an Heir can’t trust her Handler. She simply maintain. It is easy for Heirs to fall in with one another,
knows that she never has the full truth, and this leads her though, as these are the only other people in their lives who
to question everything. Just as her Handler likes it. How an understand what else they are going through.
Heir navigates the duplicitous nature of her Handler, and Many Broods chose to live together combining assets
the world of gray she lives in, is at the core of remaining such as their Lairs and Hoards into one large pool everyone
sane. Most Heirs find others to commiserate with and to can access and utilize. For some Broods this means investing
share the burden of acting through centuries old plots with in a well-stocked library of forgotten tomes and for others it
only half the script. means amassing literal wealth so everyone can live in a top-
BROODS floor penthouse. Each brood-mate works in their own way to
contribute to the Lair and competition is rife among Broods to
Broods are groups of Heirs who come together for what- see who can bring the most glorious treasure to their group.
ever reason. Broods form for various reasons, such as shared
Heirs maintain friendships with one another, even if
goals or shared Flight and are often bonds lasting a lifetime.
the bond isn’t as tight as a brood. Heirs may be paired by
Heirs often join one another for one-off missions or because
Handlers, or Heirs of the same Flight might compare notes
their Handlers paired them together, but this is different
and enjoy one another’s company. They don’t necessarily
from forming a brood. Broods are deep connections between
trust one another, but they have friendly working relation-
Heirs who trust one another implicitly. These bonds can
ships unless someone has done something taboo enough to
form instantly or over many shared missions. However they

28 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS

put them on the outs with other Heirs. Betraying a brood is breeding with humanity as taboo, and even those who did so in
often a good way to get you shunned by all other Heirs. the past refuse to admit it now. It’s one of those topics no one
Heirs in a brood trust one another completely, but discusses, even though a large swath of humanity carries dra-
that doesn’t mean they share everything all the time. Heirs conic magic in their blood. Few Dragons who use cults admit its
expect one another to keep some secrets — after all, it members might be their descendants, even if they are.
comes naturally to each of them. Major secrets can cause Families who claim a draconic ancestor have well doc-
problems, but brood-mates are quick to forgive one another umented genealogies that point to the Dragon with tales
white lies and small omissions made to protect one anoth- and lore built up century upon century. These cults often
er. Of course, an Heir who hides too much too often will discourage marrying outside their extended family in order
gain suspicion from her brood-mates, which could lead to to keep their blood pure. While no amount of human blood
devastating consequences. can dilute the Dragon within, no one ever understands the
fire in your blood quite like family.
HEIRS AND SCIONS Other cults have fewer concrete ties to a Dragon. If cult
Some Heirs interact freely with Scions, forming alle- membership does require a person to have draconic blood,
giances and working alongside the children of Titans and there is often an archaic ritual a person must go through or
Gods. They don’t necessarily form the same kind of last- sign of physical proof they must have. The Cult of the Obsidian
ing bonds with Scions the way they do with other Heirs. Scale for example requires each of its members have a Dragon
A Scion’s relationship with her divine parent is so far mark — each new member must show one or more birthmarks
removed from an Heir’s that they often have a hard time signaling their draconic heritage such as black eyes, a patch of
understanding one another. But that doesn’t mean they scales, or clawed toes. Rituals to prove a person’s heritage can
can’t team up every now and then when their goals align. be anything from walking over hot coals unscathed to a ritu-
It may seem counterproductive for Heirs to spend their alistic dream-quest. Many of these methods are fraught with
time with Scions. Dragons ultimately want to eliminate the doubt as to whether they prove a person has Dragon blood.
pantheons and their goals and plots tend toward undermining Finally, Dragons form some cults themselves. Taking a
the Gods and restarting the Titanomachy. Just because that is page out of the Gods’ playbook, Dragons appear to humans
their end goal, doesn’t mean they don’t treat with the enemy in in a vision telling them they are meant for something great-
the meantime to jockey for position. Heirs may find themselves er. Opening their eyes for the first time to the true wonders
on a mission to help a Scion of a God or Titan for a purpose they of The World these people find one another and work to-
have yet to understand. And maybe they will find themselves gether to achieve a Dragon’s goals. The Dragon often views
pitted against those very same Scions at a later date. these cults as disposable pawns, but this doesn’t lessen
Some Heirs may find companionship amongst Scions, their fever to serve. Once the cult has served its purpose the
feeling a kinship with these divine heroes and demigods de- Dragon either disposes of it or leaves it to its own devices.
spite their other differences. They certainly have a lot more The Order of the Silver Daughter, one of the oldest cults
in common with one another than with mortals. Scions and in existence, is one such cult whose draconic patron aban-
Heirs do not have a defined relationship, though they rarely doned it more than a thousand years ago. Unbeknownst to
trust one another when first meeting. Smart Heirs navigate the imugi (members of the Lóng flight) they serve, they’ve
relationships with Scions carefully, knowing that at the very worked in secret for years trying to achieve what their
least the interaction is a learning opportunity if nothing else. Dragon told their founders many years ago — to find the
silver haired girl who opens the cave to memory.

DRAGON CULTS Often, cults are largely comprised of people who are
not true draconic descendants, but who are unfailingly loy-

T here are far more people living in The World carrying

the blood of Dragons inside them than there are active
Heirs, or even Dragons to activate them. Some of these
al, and this suits Dragons just fine. History is riddled with
numerous tales of children turning against their parents
and Dragons aren’t so ignorant to believe they are above
people are members of long lines of draconic lineages who such betrayal. It’s better to have a follower who would die
remember their draconic ancestor and worship them. These for you than a daughter who would see you dead.
groups who remember their draconic ancestry form Dragon
Those who join cults and start to question their place
Cults venerating the draconic progenitor who gifted them
within them find themselves at the end of a fanatic’s blade
with her blood.
rather quickly. There is no room for doubt when worship-
Most cults are made up of fanatics who would do any- ping a Dragon, at least according to a Dragon’s followers,
thing for the Dragon they worship. Dragons pull operatives and at the first sign of doubt, cult members are struck down.
from cults for mundane missions which would be a waste This is also why Heirs are rarely pulled from the ranks of a
of an Heir’s time. The cult’s unwavering loyalty means that cult. Dragons don’t need their Heirs to be unquestionably
while the orders are never as important as that of an Heir, loyal — they need them to be smart, to think on their feet,
they follow them to the Dragon’s exacting requirements. and to realize there is more than one truth at any given
Whether or not every cult has a legitimate claim to dracon- time. Most cult members, at least in their loyalty to their
ic ancestry is widely up for debate. Dragons view the practice of Dragon are too short sighted for that.

Dragon Cults 29
 “The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.”
— Tacitus

M ythologically speaking, Dragons are singular creatures,

making their lairs in remote areas and protecting
villages or terrorizing them in equal measure. The truth is
LAYING LOW
that Dragons are highly social but choose to live singularly.
The idea of community meant something completely W hen Dragons went into hiding, they used a variety
of methods to cover their tracks. Some joined
pantheons, some closed off Terra Incognitae to The World,
different to Dragons before the Gods restructured The
World, when they could gather freely without fear from some settled into Strange Places, and some used their magic
humanity or irate Gods. Now they find community and to transform into human form and lived among people.
security in Flights, in which Dragons know no matter how They stopped creating children to live in The World, but
remote their lair, or how distant their cousins, they have they didn’t stop interacting with it. Dragons just changed
a support system in place. They might not call upon their their tactics. Instead of letting people know they were
Flight for much other than transactional exchanges or gossip, around, they took on different — lesser — forms and started
but when an enterprising dragon slayer comes knocking, playing the long game. From that time forward, they have
he finds the weight of a Flight behind his supposed prey. been setting plans into motion, subtly moving pieces in The
World and consolidating what power they can get their
When the Gods created pantheons, Dragons grouped claws on. During the early years, this was just a defense
into Flights in direct response. As the Fates shaped mechanism used to keep out sight and out of the minds of
The World to accommodate pantheons and the Gods’ Gods who often lumped them in with Titans during the
Fatebindings created webs of ties that changed everything first Titanomachy. Later, it was power for power’s sake.
they touched, Dragons realized that trying to weather And now, they hope to shift the odds in their own favor,
such changes alone would meet a swift end. At that time, undermining both the Gods and the Titans in the hope
Flights formed loosely along geographical lines with that they will come out on top.
those Dragons closest to one another banding together for
safety. Of course, ego and mindset also played a role, with
Dragons finding those of like mind to call friend. Some
MANTLES OF DIVINITY
Dragons are not inherently divine, though some are
of the earliest Flights formed well before anyone called a
certainly divine beings. When the Gods were making
Dragon a monster, but not before the first few died.
pantheons, Fate played its hand and Dragons got caught
Flights do not follow a cultural zeitgeist of belief up in it. Gods ascribed divinity to their draconic friends,
systems the way Gods have patterned belief in pantheons. and their divine nature allowed Fate to grant this divin-
Instead, Dragons share methodologies and goals with ity to those Dragons willing to accept it. Such Dragons
their Flightmates, and while they may be wildly different became Gods and Titans on their own, their stories
in every other aspect, they certainly have one another’s rewritten to fit a new narrative. The Feathered Serpent
backs. was reborn to K’uk’ulkan and Ryūjin reinvented himself
Protection isn’t the only reason Flights formed, but as Áo Gu ng. They still remembered a time before, when
it is the foremost. Dragons may have become paranoid
creatures living in hiding, but they are still curious by na-
ture. Flights also offer an interesting distraction, a group
of likeminded individuals with which to brainstorm, and FLIGHT OR DRAGON
a list of powerful allies all working toward similar goals.
That doesn’t stop some notoriously vicious Dragons from Unlike Scions, Heirs have little information
sacrificing their Flightmates in the name of personal on Dragons when they set out on their journey.
goals. Most agree such activity is counter-productive, This game focuses on self-discovery, and part
even as they put measures in place to protect themselves of that can certainly be learning who your
from their brethren. draconic ancestor is as you go. When choosing
a draconic ancestor, it’s perfectly okay to only
Any atmosphere of camaraderie disappears between select the Flight you like the best and leave
Flights. While ostensibly all Dragons seek to bring down discovering the Dragon patron to gameplay.
the pantheons and restore The World to their rule, the Likewise, it’s perfectly okay to select a Dragon
details of how and when to go about such an endeavor has you want to be your character’s Dragon, and
no agreement. Indeed, some Flights don’t even want that then learn about them more through play. Either
as an end goal. Each Flight has a different idea for their way, the actions you take in game and the
end goals, and those often come to cross purposes with mysteries you uncover define your character’s
one another. While the loss of any Dragon in this day and Handler more than anything we print in this
age is a sad affair, sometimes people just get in your way. book.

Laying Low 31
 INCARNATIONS MEMORY
AND FATE? AND DEED
When Gods want to interact with The World
without their full divinity wreaking havoc, they
create incarnations. These pieces of the God are
D ragons share a collective memory, a web of thoughts,
experiences, and stories from the beginning of time
that all Dragons and their Heirs can access. Flights collate
mortal shells that buffer their divinity, though the memories of their members, giving greater emphasis in the
very act of creating one still warps The World collective memory to their own Flightmates than to other
as Fate bends and flows to accommodate it. Dragons. That isn’t to say that Witz’ can’t tap into Bašmu’s
Dragons do not succumb to Fate’s rules in memories, but more that he’s unlikely to want to when he
the same way. It may touch them briefly, and can tap K’uk’ulkan’s memories.
define a story for their arrival, but because Remembering everything that has ever happened
Dragons remember all aspects of themselves
is a big task, and few Dragons rarely care to tap into the
equally well, Fate doesn’t stick. A Dragon can’t
rewrite the history of The World the way a God whole of the collective memory at once. This selective-
can, so it isn’t that she can choose her Fate or ness means that their Heirs end up with a biased view of
manipulate it, but she is a mercurial being, and the memories as well. Flight by far defines the collective
even Fate knows when to give up. memory that an Heir experiences over anything else.
Where the Gods have been rewriting the history While an Heir may experience her particular Handler’s
of The World for millennia to accommodate their memories, she is going to be influenced by the Flight’s
divinity, Dragons have been watching all histories drives and memories regularly. These hold the roadmap
at once which gives them a much better sense of to their ultimate goals, plans, and drives, and these are the
The World. Their passing is subtle and distinctly not most important memories that any Dragon shares with
divine. When they show up in The World, they do his Heir.
so either in all their draconic glory, or physically
transformed into another shape via magic. These Individual memories are the meat of how Dragons
aren’t incarnations of the Dragon wandering The communicate with their Heirs. Memory Deeds are how an
World, but instead the Dragon herself. Heir pursues the specific agenda her Handler has set her

they were just a Dragon, but they were willing to accept

these new divine mantles from their friends. When OTHER DRAGONS
Flights formed, some of these Dragons left their Godly AND FLIGHTS
mantles behind, while other clung to them for safety.
Other Dragons, seeing the writing on the wall, asked
The Dragons listed here are certainly not the
only ones out there in The World. We have put
to join pantheons, and the Gods granted them mantles, a strong emphasis on describing each Flight
but only if they agreed to fill specific roles. Dragons can- more than describing the individual Dragons
not make or adopt divine mantles on their own, meaning found therein. You might not find some of your
they are at the mercy of the Gods if they want to reach favorite Dragons listed, such as Azi Dahaka,
divinity. A few are willing to accept whatever role a pan- Yamata-no-Orochi, or Con Rit or even groups
theon wants to put them in, though many wonder what of Dragon mythologies such as the zmey or
benefit a Titan mantle gives them if they are being treat- wyverns. They do exist in The World, but space
ed the same anyway. Jörmungandr chafes at his Titan constraints prevent us from including literally
mantle, but accepts it if it means the Æsir underestimate every Dragon in mythology in this book.
him. No matter if a Dragon has a divine mantle and Instead, we hope you pull the Dragons that
spends all her time there, she is still a Dragon. Which
interest you the most and incorporate them into
a Flight to use in your own games, or create
leads to situations in which a Dragon may find herself new ones. You can even use our community
fulfilling both the role of a Dragon within her Flight, and content program, the Storypath Nexus, to
as a member of a pantheon, either as a God or a Titan — share them with others.
in rare cases both.
Additionally, the Flights we present aren’t
Dragons do not have mantles of Dragonhood. Once the only ones in The World, nor are they the
a Dragon dies, she does not leave a mantle behind for only groupings that you could possibly go
someone to step into. Instead, her memories and expe- with when attempting to classify Dragons. Feel
riences enter the collective memory that all Dragons free to regroup Flights based on smaller myth
share to await reincarnation. No one will become that groupings, or including Dragons in Flights if it
Dragon unless one of her reincarnated Heirs accepts all
would otherwise make sense.
her memories and is reborn as the Dragon once more.

32 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

on and how she fulfills the Flight’s desires. Each Dragon Within each Flight, you’ll find a description of the
has a set of memory triggers, events or actions that may kinds of memories an Heir may have associated with the
occur that will trigger an intense memory in her Heir. It’s Flight itself. You’ll also find specific memory triggers for
how she knows her Heir is on the right track, and how an each individual Dragon. Read these as prompts, or sugges-
Heir knows what her Handler wants of her. tions of the kinds of things that could trigger a Memory
Condition (p. 125) to start a character on a Memory Deed.

Memory and Deed 33

 “Life is nothing without a little chaos to make it interesting.”
— Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

S trength comes from change, change through chaos, and

only through chaos is anything possible. It is through
crucible and cutting out weakness that makes one strong
war against a pantheon, at once defiant and belligerent,
become the first true Flight. Though the Joka and Naga
may try to claim such a distinction, everyone knows it was
enough to claim your destiny and birthright as the guardian the Draq who first rallied against the pantheons.
of this World; or so it is with the Draq. During a period of At the end of the conflict, Marduk slew Tiamat, who
upheaval when the primordial salt and sweet seas of creation gloated his victory over the dragoness before dismember-
ran through The World, Tiamat and Abzu united as one. ing her body, casting her remains across the land, taking
These forces begat creatures rivaling even the stars in her youngest born Mušḫuššu as a hostage, and sending
number, who then begat their own progeny, who rose those who still lived into hiding all across the globe.
up against their progenitors in a struggle Believing that slaying Tiamat had cowed
for supremacy over the cosmos. the others, who were no longer a con-
In the ensuing chaos, Tiamat cern to him, Marduk largely ignored
shed her skin and took her true the remaining Draq, which suited
form: the first Draq, The Glistening the still-nascent Flight recovering
One. She was also the first of all from near destruction. If you don’t
dragonkind, a Dragon worthy think a bunch of Dragons who
of deep, reverent awe. Other just watched you murder their
Flights argue against Tiamat mother are anything to worry
as the mother of all Dragons, about, then who are they to
but it doesn’t matter; the correct you? It certainly isn’t
Draq know. They have al- their fault if some Scions
ways known and will be- end up at the bottom of the
lieve until the day they all Marianas Trench in a freak
die. It is only a matter of storm as payback.
time until the others fall in In the years since, the
line and realize this simple survivors of Tiamat’s first
truth as well. And if they and only clutch scoured
don’t, it doesn’t really mat- creation for those like
ter to the rest of the Draq, for them: those who had, for one
they know who the true mother reason or another, been driven
of Dragons is. to ground by the Gods and their
Enki, one of the many chil- Scions and hunted to near ex-
dren birthed by the union of Abzu tinction by would-be dragon slayers
and Tiamat, slew Abzu. Tiamat, in seeking to make a name for themselves.
her rage and anger at her children’s Their numbers swelled, pulling in the likes
betrayal, birthed eleven monsters: Bašmu the Venomous, of Illuyanka, Brosnya, Ḫedammu, and Leviathan among
Ušumgallu the Great, Mušmaḫḫū the Exalted, Mušḫuššu others to the banner of the Draq. They all joined for the
the Splendid, Laḫmu the Hairy, Ugallu the Weathered, sole purpose of gaining vengeance for the deaths of their
Uridimmu the Mad, Girtablullû the Stinging, Umūdabrūtu brethren, sowing chaos along the way, though those goals
the Violent, Kulullû the Piscean, and Kusarikku the have grown since.
Aurochs. They all fought alongside the Glistening One The Draq’s shadow war as led by Bašmu has not gone
against her wayward children, the Anunna. This act of well and has led to more than a few members whispering

34 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

against his leadership, fearing he has lost his senses. They
only need point to the butcher’s bill: the first to perish
was Illuyanka. Illuyanka stole the eyes and heart from the THE DRAQ AND
Hurrian God, Teshub. Afterward, his Scion Sarruma took
Illuyanka’s Heir, Yara, to wed under the false pretense of
TRAUMA
peace. Teshub promptly slew Illuyanka after the nuptials. The entire Draq Flight is filled with Dragons
Rife with grief knowing they had played an unwitting part who have undergone a great deal of trauma.
in the death, both Sarruma and Yara drank of Illuyanka’s Moreso than any Flight, except maybe the
venom and died together — refusing to be pawns in the Naga, the Draq have lost a great deal of its
game of Gods and Dragons. This incident has played members to attack, matricide, patricide, and
harshly against Bašmu’s bid for leadership despite at- familial trauma. Many of the Draq are half
tempts to spin it as part of his grand design. In a cold war siblings with the Anunna who they hate so
against cruel Gods who seek to destroy what they do not much.
understand and cannot control, you may need to sacrifice The desire for chaos may seem strange to
a few Dragons for the greater good. But more than a few outsiders. The Draq are bent on revenge, but
Dragons have fallen to Bašmu’s ill-conceived plans, and they do so in such a way as to want to create
the Flight grows restless under his rule.
something new and beautiful. How they go
about gaining that is by giving into entropy. The
Many view the Draq as being too disparate for its own trauma that the Draq have undergone informs
good; what good is chaos in the long term? Their conflict- this more than anything else. The Draq don’t
ing desires, their penchant for chaos, and obvious lack of want anyone else to go through what they’ve
self-preservation will eventually lead to tearing them- gone through, and they are trying their best to
selves up from the inside. The belief that the Draq are a prevent that for all other Dragons.
fractious and self-destructive bunch is one they foster, Draq stories are filled with trauma, and
and it works to their advantage. Gods underestimate the Storyguides should be careful about how they
Draq’s ability to plot on the long-term, and easily believe present that kind of trauma in game. Players
their members are fickle and disloyal — such is the way who have Draq Handlers may find that their
of chaos and self-destruction. Ḫedammu, the natural born memories of betrayal, and familial trauma are
offspring of the God Kumarbi and the sea, has ingratiated
close to home, so please talk with your players
before bringing up anything that could be
himself with Ishtar making her believe she has charmed triggering for them.
him away from the Flight as her newest pet. In truth,
Ḫedammu keeps his ear to the ground and merely feigns
loyalty to keep information flowing to the Draq.
Writhing, twisting embodiments of chaos and change,
So, what drives the Draq? Other Flights attest they
the Draq run the gamut as to what each care about. At
seek revenge for Tiamat and all the other dead Dragons,
their core, each recognizes and acknowledges the need
but that’s not the whole of it. The Draq have believed since
for disruptive change to cause growth, but how each one
the days of Tiamat they are a necessary force. You gain
pursues their goal varies individually. Both Tiamat and
nothing through stagnation, change is the core of life, and
Leviathan worked through their primal elements, wash-
it is only through the disruption of order that can change
ing whole ships, cities, and civilizations away at whim,
transpire. Revenge may drive the vehicle for change for
allowing for even greater cities and civilizations to rise up.
the Draq, but they all know that their chaos will bring
Some still follow this trend, creating natural disasters as a
about lasting change.
means to spark change and growth.
CHARACTERISTICS Of the Draq, Bašmu has the largest ego and undoubt-
The first Draq hail from the Middle East with their edly the most entitled outlook. He was the first Dragon
roots coming from deep within Mesopotamian and born of Tiamat, and who better to guide the Draq and
Sumerian civilizations of yore. The core members of the be the successor to her legacy? His losing battle against
Flight were born from Tiamat, the Mother of Dragons and Marduk notwithstanding, Bašmu believes defeating the
self-proclaimed first among Dragons, and as such most Anunna is still possible and gladly sacrifices Heirs and
follow her in appearance, if not also temperament. The Dragons toward that end. The ends justify the means, and
rest come from across The World: the cast offs, mistreat- the ensuing chaos would be a feat only he could claim. It is
ed, and vengeful. The archetypal depiction of dragons is not lost on the rest of the Flight that he alone would smug-
derived primarily from the Draq — four legs, long body ly be willing to do what it took to right the cosmic scales.
and tail, with or without wings — but not all Draq look Many members of the Draq prefer solitude and care
like this, even if it is the most associated appearance. Bolla little for Bašmu’s plots. Bolla’s one earnest desire is to
and Mušḫuššu are the stand-out differences, though there hoard knowledge in hopes that they can find a way to ex-
are others. act lasting revenge for the Draq. They dream of powerful
magic and a single blow to end all conflict, not a long and

THE DRAQ 35
bloody war. This only leads the other Draq to view them can make it to the hard-to-reach lairs. If she can endure
as lazy, though one would never say so to their face, espe- the challenge, then she deserves an audience. Heirs of
cially when she goes begging Bolla for information only Leviathan have an even greater challenge finding their
they hold. draconic ancestor, as she has been spotted everywhere
Mušḫuššu acts as a counterbalance to Bolla’s lazi- from the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, and even
ness and Bašmu’s fanatical determination, adding some Loch Ness on the rare occasion. As Leviathan moves, so
much-needed neutrality to a Flight pulling at the seams does her lair, leaving some to speculate this ancient crea-
as it casts itself in different directions. It isn’t easy, as ture possesses a unique magic which allows her haven to
Marduk still calls on him to be his eyes and ears, which move at will, or it is located outside of the physical realm
he obliges if only for the wealth of information it gains for all together.
the Flight. Mušḫuššu has earned Marduk’s trust by always RIVERS AND LAKES
being at the ready, but Marduk hasn’t forgotten he holds
Land-dwelling Draq make their lairs in or around
Tiamat’s youngest in captivity. Even if Marduk doesn’t
rivers and lakes. Many live in the water itself, finding the
seem to suspect the Dragon’s duplicity, it’s a dangerous
deepest point to settle, while others stay in nearby caves
game to play. But the Splendid One does whatever it takes
or abandoned cities. There are three rivers which all
to atone for his past mistakes — even if it means going toe
Draq feel a deep kinship with: the Tigris, the Euphrates,
to toe with an entire pantheon.
and the Litani. The Tigris and Euphrates formed from
LAIRS Tiamat’s weeping eyes in her dying moments, imbuing
them with her essence and spirit of creation. The point
The Draq is the most reclusive Flight. Tiamat’s death where the two rivers intersect serves as a gateway to what
has led them to near paranoid levels of seclusion, and they has become the collective meeting ground of the Flight —
fear the Anunna as much as they hate them. While it’s a Midrealm in the form of a shimmering paradise among
been many years since an Anunna Scion has graced a Draq the milky sea of stars.
Lair, they believe their war with the pantheon is too overt
to risk anything other than complete secrecy. The Draq The entire length of the Litani River is a Strange Place.
have an innate ability to blend in with their surroundings, Stories say it is the resting place of one of Leviathan’s
which makes their seclusion only natural. many forms. Some rumors pronounce it is Leviathan her-
self, hiding in plain sight and tricking the eyes to believe
Draq hide in all manner of dark corners, hidden areas, she is a river. Either way, the closer one gets to the river,
or caverns. While some stories have them sleeping in dark the stranger the land becomes, where lush and fertile land
caverns or under crushing waves for centuries on end, grows in vibrant unnatural colors and the animals grow
the truth is less dramatic. The Draq prefer to be nomads, larger and more vicious.
moving from hiding place to hiding place, keeping their
location unpredictable and untraceable. No one can catch FORESTS
you if they never know where you are, or where you’re Other land-dwelling Draq, such as Bolla, Tugarin, and
going to be. Due to constant movement, their hoards are Zilant prefer more reclusive lairs nestled deep in forests,
unusually small for Dragons — what they can’t take with favoring those with small lakes, tributaries, and winding
them they might discard or bury to come back for later. creeks. It allows for some semblance of anonymity while
Sometimes a Dragon dumps a portion of their hoard on being able to keep eyes, ears, and claws alert to threats.
an unsuspecting Heir, telling her to guard it with her life, Of these three, Bolla takes greater care to find deep, dark
or else. caves to slumber for the majority of the year, and woe be
OCEANS AND SEAS unto anyone who stumbles into Bolla’s domain for risk
of losing a limb. On more than one occasion other Draq
A majority of Draq feel most secure in the depths of have nearly lost limbs when seeking out the devourer of
The World’s salt oceans or brackish in-land seas, as it re- knowledge. Tugarin prefers to nest in trees, blending in
minds them of the all-encompassing presence of Tiamat. among the leaves and playing pranks on hikers. He steals
It affords them with a feeling of security, as they remain small trinkets from them to barter with Dragons of other
safely out of range of most land-dwelling creatures, in- Flights. The trees also help him scout out intelligence,
cluding humans. The Draq can range from oceans to seas, which he then brings back to Zilant, who carries it to
including estuaries leading to larger bodies of water, and Mušḫuššu, who then shares it with the Flight.
even some long lengths of particularly large rivers. Even
those who hide in oceans tend to move from location to TERRA INCOGNITA
location, never staying in one part of The World for too Some Draq keep their homes under the pantheon’s
long. noses, as is the case with Mušḫuššu and Ḫedammu. Both
Those who dwell in oceans typically make their are able to come and go as they please between The
homes in underwater caves and grottos; places which World and the land where the Anunna reside and stalk
are notoriously difficult to reach should Heirs come the ancient ruins of old Babylon itself. Mušḫuššu has been
calling. Dragons test an Heir’s worthiness based on if she guarding the gateway into this sacred space since Tiamat’s

36 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

death, and due to his proximity with Marduk, became im- treat their Heirs as expendable by any means, but they
mortalized in mosaics on the Ishtar Gate. Granted, how he won’t go out of their way to prevent a death if it serves a
looks in those mosaics differs somewhat to how he looks greater purpose. The ends justify the means, even if the
now, but it is just an added layer of operational security. desired results take a millennium to come to fruition. The
At least for now, both can enter the realm of the Anunna outcome will be worth it.
without suspicion, but Bašmu hopes his brother will one Many Heirs are hard pressed to reconcile the knowl-
day use his position to allow the Draq to invade and take edge that they might become a sacrifice to a greater goal
the land for themselves. with the drive to create positive change through danger-
MYSTERIES ous acts. Many acknowledge the need for deconstructing
institutions to make space for new growth. The fact that
All Flights are secretive, but the Draq protect their when the Draq are involved no large changes can truly
secrets with a ferocity derived from a chaotic lifestyle come without bloodshed is not lost on them. The rumors
mixed with a healthy dose of paranoia. They have never of self-destruction aren’t true, but all rumors hold a ker-
truly stopped being at war with the pantheons, though nel of truth. The war the Draq wage has gone on for mil-
that war is now simply a background element for their lennia, and their belief that whatever doesn’t kill you only
more pressing need to renew the world through chaos. makes you stronger leads to some rather dark endings for
Myths paint the Draq as nothing more than chaos for the Heirs. More than one Heir has opted to wash their hands
sake of pure chaos, and nothing drives them but abject of the whole affair. Some have completely disowned their
destruction. While these stories aren’t true, they serve as draconic nature and instead chosen to throw in with a
cover for their true intentions. The Draq know their own pantheon to work against their former patron.
truth, and the less time they must spend weaving stories
to hide themselves, the more time they have to organize MEMORIES OF DEATH
and plot their enemies’ downfall. If these rumors weren’t hard to swallow on their
Contrary to the widespread belief that the Draq seek own, every single Draq Heir is plagued with memories of
to destroy order, the Draq seek to utilize chaos as a means being part of a dying kind, the Gods seeking their absolute
of disruption and eventual change. Through disruption destruction and stopping at nothing to achieve it. This is
and challenge comes new growth, and a strength of char- especially true of Heirs of Tiamat, Bašmu, and Mušḫuššu,
acter. Those forged in the crucible of fire are stronger than whose dreams are violent recollections of the Anunna
those who never face adversity. The concept of the cycle taking up arms against them. They experience visions of
of destruction and rebirth is not lost on the pantheons, but ensnaring nets, limbs bound in ropes, forced servitude,
they certainly don’t credit the Draq for the idea. The Draq and constant uncertainty and fear as they flee for their
remember a time when Dragons alone were responsible lives. It’s a restless feeling, and one that causes a linger-
for destruction and the new growth that came after. It ing need to look over one’s shoulder. For some Heirs, this
might not have originally been the Draq’s duty, but they burden is too much to bear and drives them to vice while
have eagerly adopted it as a way of life. others do whatever it takes to get through the day.

The Draq’s paranoid secrecy isn’t unfounded. Gods Not all Draq Heir memories are of war, pain, and loss.
and their Scions have hunted and killed them for their They also experience memories filled with chaos and tur-
acts of destruction. Emboldened Scions still search them moil and the need to create with devastation. This creates
out for legend and glory looking to save an unknowing destructive urges that they must always temper. They
World from the machinations of these enigmatic crea- remember setting fires to burn away old vegetation and
tures. A few, like Bašmu, live unapologetically out in the make way for new growth. They remember flooding rivers
open. He sees his actions as bold and brave, goading and to lay silt for new crops. They remember stirring hurri-
harrying the Gods and daring them to fight him. Others canes to break unworthy trees and bend and strengthen
quietly question if his grip on reality is slipping. This only the worthy. They remember shaking the earth to build
perpetuates the rumor that the Draq are prone to bouts mountains and level land. They remember destroying en-
of madness and therefore they are too chaotic and must tire civilizations to make way for new ones. The destruc-
be hunted. It was Marduk’s excuse for slaying Tiamat, tion always comes with a hopeful element, the cleansing
so why wouldn’t the same apply to those who descended of a land or the new growth that comes after.
from them? If that was the case, however, it would also
implicate the Anunna as they were the pair’s first progeny
RELATIONSHIPS
— it’s a double-edged sword that both have come to utilize The Draq are tied forever to the Anunna of
in their back and forth cold war. Mesopotamia and were under the aegis and protection of
that pantheon for a brief period. Tiamat herself was one
THE GREATER GOOD of the primordial beings who helped birth many of these
You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few Gods before they even knew what to do with themselves.
eggs, and the Draq do not shy away from destroying their Of course, when Abzu grew paranoid and war raged,
own kind, or their Heirs, to fulfill a goal. The Draq do not relations soured. Marduk likes to remind everyone that

THE DRAQ 37
he slew the Mother of Dragons and where he stands in The Lindwurms have acknowledged a distant rela-
regard to them, much to the chagrin of Mušḫuššu who tion between Leviathan and Jörmungandr, though they
has had to hear about it for centuries while in service to a fear the Draq’s direct approach while they still seek their
thundering, murderous braggart. own truths. They have been trying to temper the Draq’s
The Draq consider Titans less threat to their exis- approach, which only ensures that Bašmu discredits them
tence than the Anunna. Due to the Titan’s own propensity as a useful ally. The Joka are warming up to the proposal
for disrupting the natural order of things, the Draq look but have yet to make a definitive move one way or another.
to them as a sort of counterbalance to the Gods. They
know the Titans don’t care for humanity, but they see a
NOTABLE DRAGONS
kinship in their purpose of destruction for the purposes The Draq have lost many of their members through
of creation. They also know the Titans make a good dis- war. From Tiamat and her many children to those sacri-
traction. If the Gods set their focus on fighting the Titans, ficed on the altar of Bašmu’s war. The following are the
it means they leave the Draq alone. The Draq realize that most prominent and best remembered.
the Anunna are not indicative of all other pantheons and BA MU, THE VENOMOUS ONE
Gods, but they are reticent to trust anyone with a Godly
mantle. Aliases: Mussatur

In recent centuries, the Draq have sought out ties Among the Draq, few are as violent as Bašmu, and it
with other Flights to forge a stronger, more unified front is not without good reason. When Tiamat lamented the
against any who would seek to hunt them down. While murder of Abzu, she birthed her champions — firstborn
getting disparate groups of Dragons to work together is and foremost among them being Bašmu, the Venomous
easier than herding cats, it still requires trust. Yet, they One — who quickly rose to the challenge of defending
are making reasonable headway, having grown particular- the Mother of Dragons and bringing down those who
ly close with the Naga on account of the kinship between stood against her. As valiantly as Bašmu and his ten fellow
Bolla and Kulshedra. The Naga enjoy how the Draq em- broodmates fought, these newborn Dragons could not
body chaos, and some commend their solid stance against compete with the might of fully realized Gods. They scat-
the pantheons. Those who seek to destroy humanity see tered upon hearing Tiamat’s dying cries, but not before
kindred spirits within the Draq. Bašmu vowed he would wreak vengeance upon those who

38 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

had turned against his mother by spilling his venomous These days Bašmu keeps a low profile. Despite fre-
blood into the ground of the desert, forever cursing it quent changes to his appearance, he is simply the most
against fecundity. recognizable Draq. Something about him sets people on
While the Bašmu does not cut nearly as impressive a edge and pings him as being “not normal,” so he tries to
figure as other dragons, lacking wings and the ability to keep to sparsely populated areas. He isn’t hiding, but he
fly, he makes up with lighting speed, boney spines down has had a number of run-ins where the police pick him
the length of his back, and poisonous blood which he uses up as a “person of interest” in local brawls. Bašmu’s Heirs
to coat his claws to affect even greater damage upon its share their ancestor’s quick temper but have found ways
foes. Stories abound of whole skiffs of fishermen cap- to hone it like a blade: military officers, prize-fighters,
sizing and drowning in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers resistance members fighting against corrupt governments
to satiate his appetite for destruction, but sometimes he in developing countries, to name a few.
spares a single survivor who makes it to shore to tell the Callings: Destroyer, Judge, Predator
story of the great river monster which lurks beneath the Memory: Losing your temper, indulging in wanton
surface. It is simply Bašmu’s way of showing the Gods, destruction, a second wind in a fight
Titans, and would-be Dragon slayers where he is, daring
them to come and challenge him to go another round for Dragon Magic: Decay, Fear, Transformation,
the sake of Tiamat’s memory. Weather Control

Since Tiamat’s death and the diaspora, Bašmu has BOLLA, THE BLINDED ONE
effectively taken on a nominal leadership role within the Aliases: Bullar
Flight, ensuring those wishing to remain safely hidden
In the time before Gods, Bolla was not one being, but
in relative obscurity find succor. The cowardice of those
many. They remember a multitude of themselves existing,
who choose to hide irks him somewhat, but Bašmu does
but when Gods came and redefined The World, there was
not make it a sticking point; sometimes being the firstborn
only the one left. They can remember their other selves,
means having to watch over the others and protecting
but all those disparate memories sit trapped within the
them until such a time when they are ready to stand and
same body. Such a collection of memories makes Bolla
make themselves known.
wise, but also slow to act as they try to reconcile their
clashing thoughts.

THE DRAQ 39
 Perhaps the least frequently seen member of the similar in their pursuit of knowledge, whether it be in
Draq, Bolla joined the Flight later than all the rest when learning it, gathering it, or dedicating themselves to a par-
Mušḫuššu discovered them while patrolling across ticular subject as librarians, graduate students, teachers,
Marduk’s domain. When he found the small water ser- and researchers.
pent, Bolla was small and timid. He took pity on them and Callings: Collector, Destroyer, Predator
hid them far away from the favored mountainous terrain
of the Gods (where else could they gaze down upon cre- Memory: Fight or flight situations, protecting what
ation?), deep within the forests where they could live is yours, the temptation of unknown knowledge
undisturbed and largely unseen. In return for saving their Dragon Magic: Flight, Illusions, Luck, Understanding
life, Bolla gifted Mušḫuššu with the wisdom that he was
not a servant. Until that time, Mušḫuššu had lost himself MU U U, THE SPLENDID ONE
in Marduk’s lies, but Bolla reminded him of his original Aliases: Musrussu, Sirrušu, Sirrush
purpose, and that his servitude was not lasting. If Bašmu is the angry one and Bolla is the lethargic
In those early days, Bolla spent much of their time one, Mušḫuššu fills the middle gaps and is perhaps the
sleeping and dreaming of a multitude of different lives. most even keeled and responsible known Dragon among
When they did awaken, they glutted themself on whatev- the Draq. The last-born of Tiamat’s grief-ridden creations,
er they could find; including any humans who happened Mušḫuššu is best described as “creation’s leftovers” on ac-
upon their lair. On occasion, a would-be Dragon slayer count of how awkward he looks in comparison to the rest
would stumble upon Bolla’s sleeping form and wake them. of the brood. He has scales just like any other Dragon, but
The slayer either escaped quickly, or Bolla devoured him. his talons are like that of an eagle, legs that of a feline, a
As much as Bolla would like to admit that no Dragon slay- long giraffe neck, and a tongue like a serpent’s. Despite its
er has ever bested them, only one has. Sometime in the strange appearance, Mušḫuššu a formidable force to reck-
11th century while off demanding a sacrifice from a nearby on with, and the most conniving and shadowy of the Draq.
village, a rider by the name of George surreptitiously en- After Marduk slew Tiamat, the thunderer quickly
tered the Bolla’s dominion to save a local maiden from the turned upon the Glistening One’s newly begotten brood
Dragon. While the Dragon slayer did not kill the creature, and demanded their subservience lest he kill them as well.
he did curse Bolla with blindness on all days except the Marduk claims he kidnapped Mušḫuššu, making him
anniversary of their battle. a servant to teach the others a lesson. In reality, Bašmu
That act sent Bolla into hiding, but also solidified wanted to make a final stand, but Mušḫuššu convinced
their need for vengeance. Instead of sleeping all the time, his brother that it was now time to play a long game.
they now act more overtly in The World, having taken Mušḫuššu offered himself to Marduk, who took him as
up Mušḫuššu’s idea of plotting and planning for a war to a prize. He assured his brothers that he would do all he
come. Bolla treasures knowledge above all else and many could to help them from within. He hoped doing so would
view them as an unlikely member of the Draq, though give the rest time to scatter and appease the Gods enough
their desire for revenge against the Gods and their cham- to forget about them.
pions for their current state has given them drive to act Marduk immediately set Mušḫuššu to hunting and
in accordance with the rest of the Flight. Their reactions killing his brethren. Ever the pragmatist, he did so, hoping
to those who would hunt them are drastic, which pleases they would forgive him for the apparent betrayal. His plan
Bašmu, though he wishes the serpent would act more required Marduk to trust him implicitly, which required
often. While Bolla may be more active now than ever be- drastic deeds. Of all the Draq, Mušḫuššu feels he has the
fore, they were never active to begin with, and they prefer most to prove. Unlike Bašmu who wanted to make a final
long-term plots over brash action. stand immediately upon Tiamat’s defeat, he instead chose
Bolla’s collection of information and knowledge appeasing the Anunna — a decision he deeply regrets.
is vast, which give them a position of power within the Many Draq find Mušḫuššu unnerving to be around.
Flight. Dragons and Heirs alike visit the serpent in search He perpetuated violence against their kind, and no matter
of their wisdom. Those who happen upon the sleeping that Marduk ordered it, the Dragon followed through.
Dragon appease them with sacrifices or bits of informa- And even if some do forgive him, he cannot ever forgive
tion in exchange for their knowledge. Knowledge seekers himself for doing so. He throws himself into furthering
beware; a substandard offering may result in a drought the Flight’s goals, hoping to ensure he did not make his
plaguing the land where Bolla resides, or they just might decision in vain, and that he can use the intelligence he
eat you. There really is no in-between with Bolla. gathers as Marduk’s pet to bring the Anunna low. As of
When forced to leave their lair in order to interact yet, Marduk does not suspect Mušḫuššu’s split loyalties,
with The World, Bolla cuts a rather ambiguous figure, but it is only a matter of time until he does.
wearing clothes purely out of necessity and function rath- Although named as Tiamat’s “Splendid One”,
er than to make a statement, and can be found stalking Mušḫuššu appears as less than memorable when he takes
university libraries or niche bookstores in search of a human form, easily blending in with indigent popula-
knowledge they’ve not yet attained. All Bolla’s Heirs are tions to keep an eye to the sky and an ear to the ground,

40 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

with the dead giveaway being his bright, unnaturally red LEVIATHAN, THE WRITHING ONE
hair. Mušḫuššu chooses his Heirs from those he dwells
Aliases: Livyatan, Lotan, Ouroboros, Rahab, Têmtum
amongst, as they have all experienced circumstances
that have brought them low and are working on bringing The great sea serpent Leviathan remembers a time
themselves back up —something he knows all too well. before the Ugaritic sea-god Yamm created the truth that
They have their fingers on the pulse of the streets, and she was merely a manifestation of his will, and forced to
while they might not wield great power or hold prestige, serve him. She was the great serpent with eight heads who
they are nevertheless intrepid, clever, and wanting to existed as the concept of chaos. But she also remembers
prove themselves as being more than what they are. her life as Yamm’s servant, and the satisfaction it brought
her to break away and disappear into the deep waters of
Callings: Guardian, Judge, Watcher
the Mediterranean.
Memory: Adapting to an impossible situation, nar-
When the Draq began looking for allies, they sought
rowly escaping life of death situations, a lone survivor’s
out Leviathan first, as the physical embodiment of chaos.
guilt
She joined them readily enough, hoping that their in-
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental fluence would be enough to keep her safe. Survival had
Manipulation (Fire), Transformation, Luck not always been her driving goal, but after dying and

FLIGHT PATH OF THE DRAQ

Asset Skills: Subterfuge, Survival
Favored Draconic Knacks: Devastating Dragon’s Presence, Poison Blood
Draq Heirs, much like their draconic parents, are often those misbegotten, having gone through life not
knowing anything but a constant stream of disruption. While others fall victim and spiral into despair, these
Heirs instead thrive; little unnerves them, and it takes a great feat to render them flat-footed in situations.
It’s a quasi-sixth sense which alerts them to rapid changes in a situation and gives them the opportunity to
act before others.
Remembrances: Chaos (Cipher) vs. Order (Defection). Chaos is often portrayed as a solely destructive
force, but the Draq use chaos to disrupt the natural order of things for something new to come forth. The
cycle of destruction and rebirth played out through Tiamat and Abzu and the creation of all The World. In
order to achieve the goals of their draconian parent, Draq Heirs must disrupt the natural order of things to
give rise to a new way of thinking, action, or being. Sometimes it is self-destructive, brought about by not
thinking the act or its repercussions through. Other times it can be conveniently forgetting to share some
manner of knowledge which leads others to make choices that create pandemonium. Giving into this act of
disruption is difficult for some Heirs, regardless of being inherent to their nature.
When an Heir wants to push against her draconic nature, she focuses on Order. Those moments of lucid
stability where she takes refuge in measured action as opposed to the erratic. These actions can be as
simple as showing up on time, keeping to a daily routine, or as complex as spending hours in meditation
attempting to ascertain the cosmic patterns of the universe. Often, it is simply doing what one believes is the
objectively correct thing to do. For them, while chaos adds a certain spice to life, moderation is key, and
it’s only through the stability of an orderly existence can one resist the tempest call.
Humanity tends to try to organize the disorderly and put chaos to order, no matter how futile such
attempts turn out to be. So, too, does an Heir’s humanity call upon this desire for order versus disruption.
While some Heirs may manage to strike a healthy balance between passionate chaos and sedated order,
all too often they may find themselves swinging wildly like a pendulum between the two. The wilder they
swing one way, or another may lead them down a path of abject destruction or toward a total rejection of
their Dragon nature.
Signature Draq Dragon Magic: Pandemonium Wherever the Heirs of the Draq go, some
manner of chaos is sure to follow. This propensity to be the cause of or epicenter of some manner of uproar
or change to the status quo is a distinct form of Chaos Magic specific to the Draq and takes the form of
Pandemonium. By invoking the nature of the Draq, they can find a way to slip out of situations by causing
distractions, disrupting order, anything to get out of a moment that may compromise the goals the Heir, or
the Flight as a whole, may have. However, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and
the Heir should be prepared for their twist of fate to come back and haunt them, if not outright hinder, their
future plans. When one meddles with universal chaos, it’s reasonable to assume the universe will meddle
back — likely when an Heir least needs it to..

THE DRAQ 41
reincarnating at least once before, she had no illusions who begat Anshar and Kishar, who begat Anu and Ki.
about how dangerous it was to be a lone Dragon in The From Tiamat and Abzu did all the Anunna descend, and
World. they formed the foundation of the cosmos.
In nature, Leviathan is not dissimilar to Tiamat. All was in order and in balance, that is, until Abzu
Indeed, the two have been mistaken for the other on more believed his children were conspiring against him and he
than one occasion due to their penchant for chaos and rose up to strike them down. Even with assurances from
deep, swirling waters, but that is where the similarities the duplicitous Mummu who by all accounts is a spirit of
end. Leviathan is the embodiment of chaos; her chaos pure chaos who rivaled Tiamat, tricked Abzu into a false
doesn’t need to have a purpose, so much as it just ex- sense of security and aided in his capture. This betrayal
ists. The tenuous similarities are not lost upon Tiamat’s sent the Glistening One into a rage, whereupon she turned
surviving brood, who tend to look up to Leviathan as a into a dragon and birthed eleven monsters — Bašmu and
mother figure, regardless of her unstable nature. They Mušḫuššu the only two to survive as Dragons — to serve as
may see in her a glimpse of what Tiamat could be if she her champions. The eventual death of Abzu at the hands
were to reincarnate today, and Leviathan’s own multiple of her grandchildren drove Tiamat into a madness and
reincarnations gives them hope. she sought to drown The World and rebuild it — even if
Despite being an adoptee into the Draq, Leviathan it meant killing her own children and creation to achieve
is perhaps the most well-known among them. Many cul- her goal.
tures have all claimed, at one point or another, to have When faced with an enraged, draconic embodiment
defeated or killed Leviathan or some form she took; be of the chaotic primordial seas, the burgeoning Anunna
it as Lotan, Rahab, or Têmtum. To this day, Hadad-Ba’al faced a terrible dilemma: who was going to take on the
still brags about it, much as Marduk does about Tiamat. Mother of Dragons? In the end, it didn’t matter who did
Those deaths are merely an inconvenience to Leviathan, the deed so long as she stopped rampaging across creation.
who has reincarnated so many times everyone but her has So Marduk, with the blessing of Anu, took up a net, a club,
lost track. These setbacks have made her more paranoid and an invincible spear to bring down the Glistening One.
than the rest of the Draq, leaving her to writhe in the Slicing her in half with a single blow, the sheer size of her
deep oceans and cause the great churning of seas. Woe be ribs formed the heavens and the earth. As she lay dying,
to those who profane her sacred waters. When one has her tears for Abzu and all her slain children became the
died a multitude of times, you begin to devise creative source of the Tigiris and Euphrates rivers. Lastly, her
punishments. tail became a stream of stars in the sky which formed the
More enigmatic than the rest of the Flight — and Milky Way.
certainly the least sociable of the bunch — Leviathan is a Tiamat’s Heirs carry vivid memories of the Glistening
giant serpent who lives at the bottom of the ocean. Which One; her dark hair piled atop her head like a crown,
one? Take your pick, as she’s always moving around. If her eyes as bright as stars and a noble bearing that belies a
Heirs do meet her, she appears as a sharp-dressed wom- mournful sorrow. All of those who have awoke to her
an of indiscernible descent who speaks curtly like she’s memories have a deep understanding of what it means to
running out of time. Leviathan chooses her Heirs with lose everything, but still fight to maintain what remains.
reincarnation always on her mind, picking those who She has not yet reincarnated, and she chooses Heirs who
share her same frenetic, always on-the-go energy: travel would be most sympathetic to her. Parents torn away from
writers, foreign correspondents for international news their children, social workers protecting those unable to
outlets, and diplomatic aids all around the globe. protect themselves, and survivors of unjust wars are just
Callings: Destroyer, Nomad, Primeval a sampling of those who have been blessed (or cursed) by
Tiamat’s memories.
Memory: Breaking away from those who would seek
to manipulate, storms on the horizon, being mistaken for Callings: Ruler, Primeval, Watcher
someone else Memory: Devotion to one’s partner, defending those
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Fire, you love to the death, going mad with grief
Water), Luck, Weather Manipulation (Storms) Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Fire),
Flight, Fear, Understanding
TIAMAT, THE GLISTENING ONE
Aliases: Bis-Bis, Mammu-Tiamat, Thaláttē, Thalassa, COMMON DRAQ
Ummukhubar BIRTHRIGHTS
While most Flights might balk at placing one of The Draq might use their Heirs as soldiers in a war,
their number above all, the Draq have no qualms raising but they don’t treat them as expendable. The Flight pro-
Tiamat above all others as the Mother of All Dragons, the vides their Heirs with assistance, information, and all the
Glistening One. She rose from the chaotic and primeval equipment they could ever want, so long as they keep on
salt seas, and along with Abzu of the sweet waters, created good terms with their Dragons.
several Gods from their commingling: Lahmu and Lahamu

42 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

GUIDE PAWNS
• Aqrabuamelu: When Tiamat gave birth to her • Black Hats: Some people just want to watch the
eleven children, they too gave birth to their own world burn, while others just want to foment chaos
children. Girtablullû’s children, the scorpion-men to see what happens. For some reason, Black Hat
were some of the fiercest warriors. These scor- types from hacktivists to social agitators flock to
pion-bodied foot soldiers waged war against the the Flight’s banner and eagerly welcome their new,
Gods, and when Tiamat fell, they remained in draconian would-be overlords. These ready-to-
various Terra Incognitae as Legendary Creatures, please minions, for the lack of a better word, are
often in service to the very Gods they fought. All ready and able to act at a moment’s notice: taking
Aqrabuamelu remember their true brethren, and down websites, creating social media campaigns,
the Draq use them discreetly to guide their Heirs. and releasing incriminating documents to hurt the
reputations (and possibly even Legend) of Scions.
LAIR Whatever causes the most havoc, they are willing
• Grotto: A Draq’s grotto, while not a Terra to do.
Incognita, acts as a Strange Place. Usually built into • The Crypt: In an age where information is in-
a rocky area such as the underside of a promontory creasingly available at one’s fingertips and few
overlooking a body of water, a cloistered tidal pool, encryptions work perfectly, having secure access
or a cave or outcropping of rocks in a forest. This is is paramount. The brainchild of one of Bolla’s
a place for an Heir to escape to for safety from ad- tech-savvy Heir-turned-Lesser Wyrm by the name
versaries and where they can commune with their of Andreas Ogden, the Crypt is a play on the system
Flight. This Lair also serves a secondary purpose in of measures for apprehending criminals as well as
that it allows an Heir to stash any relics or artifacts a network for Dragon information. Its purpose is to
they might have acquired through nefarious means collect, analyze, and secure information and make
and protects against magical means of tracking it readily available for Heirs to use to the forward
them. advancement of the Draq’s goals.

THE DRAQ 43
 “One could not have everything. Not even Nicol Bolas. He was not greedy.
Greed implies wanting something you didn’t deserve. Everything Nicol Bolas
wanted was entirely deserved.”
— Ken Troop, “Hour of Devastation”

B efore the Netjer were a pantheon, Ammut and Apophis

were seers and lovers. They both swam the collective
memories of dragonkind better than any other, and could
Now all those who feel this hunger are called Joka.
Dragons all over The World hunger, but none like those of
the Joka Flight. It isn’t a physical hunger for food so much
pass backward and forward in time to see all. It was Ammut as a metaphysical hunger for more power and an existential
who saw the Gods form pantheons, and the death of her lover, desire for what they have lost. They may consume physical
Apophis, at the hands of Re. When the sun arose in the sky, objects, but they just as much consume knowledge, power,
Apophis began to chase him down, hoping to stop the future and lives in the hopes of regaining a modicum of their care-
Ammut saw from happening. But time knows better than a free lives slipping through time.
Dragon, and soon the Netjer renamed Apophis as Apep, and The Joka view The World in simplistic terms. There
he accepted the mantle willingly as he lost sight of all else but are predators and prey, and if you want to remain a
his desire to destroy Re. The Gods changed The predator, you must stay sharp. Consumption,
World around them, and in the changing, predation, and ambition are all words
Ammut and Apophis forgot their love that bring power. Not all Joka are so
for one another, though the memory militant about their hungers, but
of such persisted. those who aren’t find that the
The loss of their love game doesn’t care what they
sent ripples amongst other want. Some Joka are simply
Dragons, reminding them of selfish, drinking deep of a
all the Gods had taken from major river without a care
them when they changed about how that would affect
The World. They began to those who live on it. Others
yearn so deeply for the time channel their appetites
that came before, they sought to be beneficial, consum-
for anything to fill that void. In ing hazardous materials or
the first few days, Raina called corpses to prevent the spread
all those who remembered and of disease. Some try for benev-
yearned as much as she did to her olence, like Adebiyi was for those
lair and held a great feast. She offered suffering from a drought and Belgian
not food with which to gorge, but all the oppression, opening his farm-like lair in
esoteric things in the world that would bring a Midrealm to those in need. Alas, in doing
power in the hope the Dragons could recover their so, he incurred the notice and then wrath of Leopold
past. Everyone who attended ate their fill of her offerings, II’s forces and hasn’t been heard from since. Many Joka
finding only more desire and ambition, and a deeper yearn- see this as a cautionary tale about helping humanity, and
ing for what they had lost. Kazim-Azizi devoured as much others assume that Adebiyi was just weak and got what he
knowledge as he could, including the knowledge of where deserved.
Raina made her lair, which she fed him happily as she still While all the Joka are united in their bone-deep hun-
held the memory safe in her mind. Raina fed them all that ger, that isn’t what truly keeps the Flight together. When
day, and put out a call to those who would seek power and they first joined, Raina promised the group power, and a
a return to draconic domination. return to that time when they could all swim through the
memories of time itself. Her first act was to remind Apep

44 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

and Ammut that they were once Dragons, restoring them
to the Flight. She then told the Flight that power was the
only way they would ever wrest their lives back from the POWER THROUGH
pantheons, and that all should strive for something great- CONSUMPTION
er. Now, the Joka collaborate to help one another achieve
greater power, and accept any who can prove their worth The Joka Flight are connoisseurs of everything
and their unbridled ambition. from physical objects to more esoteric and
ephemeral things to gain their power. Eating
Many Joka readily form pacts and agreements with
something like an idea or concept is hard to
others, be they Scions, Gods, Titans, or even just local hu- conceptualize for most people. But the Dragons
mans. If it can bring them power, or sate their hunger, they hunger for more than just a physical bite to eat.
have no qualms in making a deal. Ouagadou-Bida made
In play, a character may find that her Joka
such a pact with a local king, though it eventually lead to
Handler wants her to devour something as part
her doom, but Ammut has sat at the foot of the scales of of a scheme or plan. For the Dragon, anything
Ma’at which decide who goes on to Duat for time imme- is edible, from gold to the concept of crime. For
morial, so much so that the Hall of Two Truths functions the player, the character does not literally need
as her lair. Others use human networks and cat’s-paws to to eat gold (though she can if she has the right
acquire what it takes to maintain themselves. Draconic Knack) to fulfill this request. If a Joka
The Joka gain power from consumption. While
Heir wants to eat something ephemeral as a
way to gain power or fulfill a memory deed,
nothing they eat fills the emptiness of a life lost, they have then have them eat some small representation
learned to turn that hunger into rage, and their consump- of the idea as a way to physically devour the
tion fuels that rage into their magics. But Joka must under- concept.
stand when to indulge and when to fast. Gaining too much
The character doesn’t have to literally eat
power all at once brings unwanted attention and endangers gold, or nuclear weapons to fulfill the Dragon’s
the whole Flight. The greatest cautionary tale is Nahla, needs and goals, she just has to eat something
who was devoured by the entire Flight in a rare show of that could represent that kind of power. She
self-regulation. A group of her Heirs, led by one overcome could eat a battery, a lottery ticket, a secret
with ambition and hunger for power that he ignored rea- written in invisible ink, the last known copy of a
son, tried to wrest control of Nahla’s lair and power. She Wu Tang Clan album, or the deed to a house.
caught them, and in her rage, she consumed them as they The key is the narrative idea of the consumption,
would have her. She amplified her power many-fold from not the physicality of the thing. Anything and
this, which attracted the attention of the Òrìshà. Before the everything works if it can be justified.
Gods could locate her, the Joka Flight rooted her out and
killed her, consuming her and all evidence of her existence,
including finding her children and Heirs throughout The is bound to come up short. Few alive can say they have ever
World and destroying them. Some say they even fed her cheated a Joka out of a promised prize.
memory to Kazim-Azizi so that she may never reincarnate, The Joka remember the dawn of humanity, they
but if that were true, no one would be able to tell her story. remember a time when they could know all with just a
short swim through the time stream. They know what The
CHARACTERISTICS World could look like if humanity had never risen, and they
The Joka are a disparate group of dragons originally remember a time when all truths were still a possibility.
from all over Africa. These Dragons are large, and often They remember when humanity was nothing more than an
described as having two legs and no wings, or else four amuse-bouche, and shudder to think that The World that
legs and wings, and their hunger. The Dragons of Africa, was theirs is now in the hands of humanity and their Gods.
from the near prehistoric time of the Netjer to the more And for this, the Joka hunger for a return to what they have
modern and diasporic era of the Òrìshà, are renowned in lost. They despise living in hiding, or in service to the Gods,
myth for their near gluttonous nature. The mythology of and they haven’t forgotten their former place. Joka tempt
the continent concerns itself with dragons who consume their Heirs with their memories of a past and future that
nearly impossible things, from all the waters of the Niger never and always were. An Heir must always be on her toes,
River, the hearts (and thus, the souls as well) of the unjust as each mission is a test of her ambition and a push to make
dead, to order itself. her greater. At the end of the journey is a vast reward if she
Joka are, primarily, pragmatic to a fault. They con- can but prove herself.
stantly seek a way to sate their hungers and care about little As the saying goes, you are what you eat, and the Joka
else than that and power. They side with anyone who can are no different. When you spend several hundred years
promise them power and are often viewed as mercenary for collecting military stratagems, you become a wise and
it. Those who work with a Joka long-term ensure that they perhaps bloodthirsty general, and when dinner time comes
pay in whatever counts as sustenance, or else their contract around, the secrets of how to build a weapon of legend
makes just as good a meal as anything else. According to

The Joka 45
the historian Yao, the last time anyone remembered how to who is quite private and never lets those masterpieces see
make Greek Fire was when Kazim-Azizi decided he want- the light of day.
ed to eat Mediterranean.
IN MIDREALMS
Joka are particular in what they eat. While they can eat
This matters less for those who live in Midrealms,
nearly anything — mystically so — and gain some benefit
whose lairs still are accessible from Africa, and elsewhere.
from it, each member of the Flight tends to only like a cer-
One of the eldest Joka, Raina, has such a lair, remaining
tain kind of thing to consume. This could be anything from
far removed from the affairs of The World since her feast
the physical, such as precious metals, stones, weapons, or
began centuries ago. Water spills from her table and flows
technology, or more metaphysical concepts, such as cher-
from the Midrealm through subterranean aquifers. These
ished icons of love, information, or memories. Whatever
are the much sought-after source of the Nile. Meanwhile
it is depends on the Dragon, but it is a taste curated from
Apophis, the would-be end of the Netjer, waits plotting
millennia of trying to fill a deep hole, leading to an epicu-
deep in a vault in Egypt, an offshoot near Duat, consuming
rean desire.
any and all Netjer relics his servants, Heirs included, bring
LAIRS him.

Joka lairs are specific to the Dragon, her ambitions, Within these lairs, everything has a place, orderly and
and her hunger. They are as different from one another as neat, not unlike a doomsday prepper’s pantry. There is
each of their diets, as the lair must serve as both home and always a method to the organizational pattern of a Joka’s
larder. One Dragon may call a cavern filled with copper lair, even if it is not readily apparent to anyone but them.
veins or crystal outcroppings home and another may live in Collections of their food item, whatever it is, lay readily
a warehouse full of bolts of cloth. available. This is for two reasons: first, when hunger strikes,
it is best for all involved that the Dragon sate it with all pos-
While the Joka’s lairs may be different to accommodate sible haste, and second, as a defensive measure. If someone
their various appetites, they all share some commonalities. were to attack the Dragon’s lair, he can ensure he’s at maxi-
IN THE WORLD mum power with a snack from anywhere in the liar.
In urban locales, Joka live in places where people THE UNDERWORLD
store objects in vast amounts. Warehouse districts might As it is common for Dragons of the Joka Flight to
have a subterranean section connecting a few buildings, consume the living to feed their hungers, some choose to
each owned by different shell companies that all can be, make their lairs close to entrances to various Underworlds.
eventually, traced to one holding company. In the more Doing so prevents their lair from becoming cluttered with
metropolitan parts of town, a Joka lives in the archives be- ghosts, while those looking for said lair might notice it as a
low a museum, sometimes snacking on a piece of art once source of spirits that would otherwise make no sense. Joka
a year as she places a forgery in the gallery above. Others whose hunger features death — but not so much the dead’s
live in or around massive factories where if anyone looked spirits or corpses — find their ways into the Underworld
closely at, they would see that the factory ships out a lot proper. Some find empty spaces to set up shop, while others
fewer products than it produces. Some live in labs where make deals with unscrupulous Gods.
breakthroughs are reportedly discovered near monthly, but
the startup never seems to get off the ground. THE RITUAL OF VISITS
Whatever the thing the Joka in question eats, to Should a Joka Heir wish to find any of these lairs, she
maintain its secret existence, the thing it consumes must must understand the hunger that lives within herself. What
be hidden from prying eyes. Perhaps there’s a family who does she long for, crave more than anything? Is there some-
has been blessed by a Dragon for generations, who started thing from her time before becoming an Heir that she saw
as simple shepherds and are now the leaders of one of the weirdly often? It is difficult, but not impossible, for her to
largest cattle ranches in Texas. They use otherwise rare discover the trail of evidence from purely external sources
southern African Nguni cattle, but the herd takes massive that leads to a Joka’s physical lair, and if it is metaphysical,
losses every other year in what looks, from the outside, like myth and legend should serve as better guides. An Heir of
a string of bad luck. Another way to hide a Joka’s consump- Ammut probably has some connection to the Netjer, and
tion is through exclusivity. A small company makes the best has heard stories about the creature whose form sounds
whiskey in the entire world, but only releases 300 bottles draconic in nature, and who eats the souls of the unwor-
of their twenty-five-year-old liquor each year. Often, those thy dead. It wouldn’t take a far leap to assume visiting her
bottles are sold legitimately in the lottery created for that mother would involve a journey to Duat and a test of her
purpose. Sometimes, through payments made to loyal col- morality. Meanwhile, an Heir of Kazim-Azizi would look
laborators, many of them are sold, but are all delivered to for any place where a great loss of information and culture
the same place: a cave on the distillery’s land. In less mod- might have taken place, like the site of the lost Roanoke
ern times, it wouldn’t be unheard of for an artist of great colony in the American state of Virgina or the burned out
skill and acclaim to work exclusively for a noble family, residence of Soga no Emishi in Nara, Japan, where both the
Tennōki and Kokki were lost.

46 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

 As a Flight, it is customary to bring an offering of food pile of such discarded items in the dragon’s lair. Perhaps a
when visiting a Joka lair, and to not consume more than child of Isa Bere recalls the short lived and unique sensa-
you require while there. Similarly, it is customary to offer tion of satiety when he drank the Niger, and a descendant
the visitor to fill themselves to their heart’s content, as both of Raina dreams of tempting European explorers with hid-
a matter of honor and a show of wealth. What the food in den knowledge they could claim, before taking their lives.
question is, the gifted or the offered, is up to the guest and Depending on how often the Dragon moves, by choice or
host respectively, and it is not common to find a lair with a force, they might see glimmers of their lairs as the Dragon
corner of untouched food that doesn’t fit with the motif of last saw it before fleeing: Stocked richly with food or
the rest. The best guests bring food in offering that the host wrecked and in shambles.
enjoys, and the most hospitable hosts take the trouble to
find not just suitable substance for their guests, but their
IN MODERN TIMES
favored food as well. Filtering through the memories of a time before the
rise of the Gods and pantheons, more recent ones cloud the
For those Heirs who receive memories about dead
shared mind of the Joka as well. They see resorting to eat-
Dragons in the Flight, legends abound about what remains
ing human power sources such as nuclear energy or coal,
in their now-vacant lairs. Many Heirs search for the lost
seeking temporal power through government structures,
lairs of renowned dead Dragons whose Hoards are likely
and building lairs in places made by human hands and still
full of rare and valuable treasures. It also means that trea-
guarded as such.
sure hunters of all stripes are also on the same hunt.
While they are seldom to move as one united Flight,
MYSTERIES the Joka all crave one thing: to live in a World without their
Due to the nature of a Joka’s hunger — made worse yawning hunger, as they once did. Those who do work
when confronted with evidence of their past lives — they together often act as go-betweens for Gods and Titans,
are unlikely to interact with one another if they don’t have playing both sides against the middle as much as they can.
to. Those with the wherewithal to interact with servants They use their Heirs to bolster whichever side might need
and perhaps even their own Heirs, can use them as emis- the advantage and keep them busy with one another rather
saries when interacting with one another. There is no love than turning their attention to the rest of the Flight. Joka
lost between Flightmates, and further still some disavow Heirs know that their Dragons find any secret fulfilling,
one another entirely, like the bitterness that lives between but ones associated with the Gods seem to be all the better.
Apophis and Ammut, artificially instilled by the Netjer. Regardless of the side they serve, the Joka want the cold
Heirs of either of these Dragons have memories of the war of the Titanomachy to flare hot once more in hopes
other. The traitorous Ammut working in league with the they will kill one another off, or at least weaken themselves
Netjer Gods, acting as their lapdog so she has easy access to the point where the Dragons can end it once and for all.
to souls and feed without ever having to work. The duplici- Where the other Flights might pull strings here or
tous villain of ages, Apophis, who should be cast down and there trying to influence another Titanomachy, the Joka
torn asunder, lest he release his hunger for all that is or- are all in. They push and pull, happily adopting various
dered and cast The World back into the chaos from whence mantles in hopes of pushing one side or another into a con-
it was wrought. flict before it’s too late for them to realize they have been
played. In this, the Joka wait, cold calculation and a hungry
FLICKERS OF THE PAST belly giving them an edge against foes who do not know
Myths swirl around the Joka, and many of them their true nature and consider them allies. With both sides
involve them being a menace to humanity. Isa Bere who wounded and weakened, the Joka would swallow them
drank the Niger, prompting King Samba to track him down both whole and reclaim all that is and always was rightfully
to end the drought the Dragon caused. All the explorers theirs.
who looked for the source of the Nile at Raina’s lair who
never returned. Those who did find it on her table, as their CASCADING MEMORIES
cooling blood mixed with the water. Apophis notwithstanding, the Joka Flight’s pragma-
Rumors abound that the Joka’s stomach’s utterly tism makes them more prone to vague and cryptic truths
controls them, and they would eat you a few moments af- than misinformation and lies. The impressions and stories
ter meeting you if given the chance. This is true for some, Heirs glean from their memories and dreams come hidden
but the Flight is loath to allow those Dragons to survive in riddles, flashes, and base instincts. Whatever the Joka
in earnest, as it threatens their security to draw too much preferred to consume weaves itself through the memory,
attention. always present. A Dragon whose palate craves innovations
and ideas might activate Heirs who go into the arts or sci-
Memories of past glories of conquest, vast feasts, ences, while one who hungers for rare antiques may acti-
and devouring foes filter down to the Heirs of this Flight. vate an archaeologist or someone employed at a museum.
Perhaps an Heir’s draconic ancestor once defeated a myth-
ical knight in single combat, and once they completed their Each Heir, regardless of their patronage, feels the
meal, the knight’s magical weapons and armor added to a compulsion to feed their hunger; to go forth and feast.
This exists as such a core part of what it is to be Joka, that

The Joka 47
Dragons cannot hide it from their shared memories, how- in return, he allows them to store waste from the Koeberg
ever much it draws attention to both themselves and their nuclear power station.
Heirs. Handlers vary greatly in how they expect their Heirs Ammut, perhaps the most well-known member of
to deal with these invasive urges. Ammut demands that her the Flight, works so closely with the Netjer Gods of the
Heirs feed their hungers with the unworthy, hunting down Underworld that some believe her to be merely a Chthonian
those whose souls would be heavier than the Feather of of Duat. This serves her purposes well. If the other Gods
Ma’at, and dealing with them before they cause any more and Titans of The World have forgotten her draconic na-
harm. Raina drives her Heirs to find somewhere under ture, she has less to worry about as she bides her time.
threat of invasion and spoilage, and consume any would-be
interlopers. Apophis offers aid to anyone who would help him loos-
en the chains that bind the Netjer Titans. He doles out his
These kinds of memories are the most prevalent that pawns and Heirs in service to the Netjer Titans, and acts
Heirs receive, but they also hide what the Handler wants as a weapons dealer to any who might help him. He only
her Heir to accomplish. In a way, they direct their Heirs genuinely cares about freeing his Titan mantle, Apep, from
with these base urges, and as long as the Heir performs Duat so that he may finally consume Re. The Netjer Titans
her other duties, indulging herself is a treat. The Dragon might also benefit from his actions, and he’s fine with that
benefits from her strong Heir, and if the Heir shares some for now. He’ll deal with them later, once all his aspects are
of her meal, all the better. free.
An Heir of Kazim-Azizi finds he holds the one and Other Joka all over The World work with Sònpònná,
only copy of important documents that would reveal a using their iron constitution to consume the infectious
grand cover up, but instead of publishing them online for dead to prevent the spread of various illnesses. The Joka do
all to see, he stores them away, keeping this information for not only work with the Gods of Africa. Oormatige travels,
himself. That night, in his dreams, he finds himself walking whenever possible, in the retinue of Dionysus, and is one
among the stones of Tenōchtitlan, watching a Spaniard of the God’s best friends, for his hedonism and appetite for
agent feed Mēxihcah codices into a fire, claiming to be de- overindulgence is rivaled only by the Theoi God’s own.
stroying them for their pagan imagery, but in fact sending
them to the lair of his draconic father. NOTABLE DRAGONS
Elsewhere, an Heir of Oormatige revels in booze and The Joka hail all over The World. The following are
other substances at a nightclub, electing to party and fuck only a few of their better-known members.
her evening away rather than take care of the matter of
importance that her comrades had entrusted to her. In her AMMUT, DEVOURER OF THE DEAD
near delirious altered state, she sees flashes of a similar Aliases: Ammit, Ahemait
night of debauchery during a revel with Dionysus, where
Seated at the foot of Anpu in the Hall of Two Truths,
she often is not able to tell where Dragon, God, or other
Ammut dutifully consumes the ibs, or hearts, of the Netjer
being’s bodies end and where her own begins.
dead, giving them the second death of oblivion. Her hunger
RELATIONSHIPS demands justice and the punishment of the sinful, and she
gets her fill with her collaboration with the Netjer. Her
Joka tend to be particularly mercenary, always willing temperament is more stringent than the feather, believing
to throw their weight behind whichever side of a conflict that most mortals live lives not worthy of continuing onto
has the most to offer them, particularly when this means the next life. All but the purest would fill her gullet, so she
payment can be whatever they require to satiate their hun- demands this of all her Heirs, both through her memories,
ger. Because of their seclusion, in many ways these Dragons and directly to any who make the journey to the hall. She
are dependent on these connections, though it would be would never leave the Hall of Two Truths herself; the line
less than ideal to draw attention to that fact — at least not of the Netjer dead never halts, and her duty is never done.
to one’s face. It is a grave insult to the Joka to infer that
Some of the Joka view her as a traitor, having aban-
their actions are coming from their stomachs, rather than
doned them and forgotten them. Only she and a select few
their mind.
know that her dual role is in service to the Joka alone. Let
In the modern world, many Joka have infiltrated major them think what they want, but when the time comes, she
powers, governments, and corporations in the areas they will be there beside her brethren ready to devour those
live. The Dragon makes pawns and Heirs from these pow- who would keep them down.
erful groups, ensuring that she can live in relative peace.
Before Dragons went into hiding, and before the estab-
The humans in the area might not even know what they
lishment of Flights, Ammut was a great warrior and lover.
are protecting, only that they have a powerful benefactor
She cared about justice and what was right. She believes
who lets them do as they please as long as they leave an
as the Gods do that Titans are a danger to the natural or-
esoteric offering. Deep under the earth near Cape Town in
der, and remembers an age-old vision of a future in which
South Africa, lay Yokutya’s lair. He’s created a top-secret
Titans ran rampant, which nearly destroyed The World. She
alliance with the African Union. They protect his lair, and
believes that Gods must keep the Titans at bay to maintain

48 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

the order of the universe, even as those Gods seated her in To this end, Apophis’ web of pawns, cat’s-paws, and
the Hall of Two Truths and bade her to eat the hearts of the hired guns seek to undermine the Gods wherever they can.
unworthy. A lowly task, meant to consume all her time and A victory against any one of them, regardless of pantheon,
force her to forget her draconic nature. However, the Gods is a victory against them all as an institution. He seeks dis-
have, thus far, worked in half measures. If Ammut had her cord, and often schemes to pit Gods against one another,
way, she would consume all the Titans and the Gods, and whenever he can. This can be attributed to the Greek flavor
use their powers to correct other injustices in The World. to his mantle, and he delights in tormenting the Theoi as
Ammut’s Heirs tend to be impassioned about protect- well as the Netjer.
ing the innocent and righting injustice, though how they go His Heirs can commonly be as self-serving and duplic-
about doing it is deeply personal. Some become members itous as their father, though that doesn’t mean they are as
of law enforcement, while others lead revolutionary or malevolent as he. Some use their talents at manipulation
political movements. However, they channel their need to and deceit to find their way into work as actors, marketers,
punish the sinful, they do so often with a ferocity that gets or lawyers. As they open themselves to their draconic na-
them in trouble. Many are hotheaded, impulsive, and quick ture, they all receive an invitation to visit and kneel at the
to judge, often inheriting their mother’s misanthropy and coils of Apophis. Their first memories are always of how his
pessimism. Titan form was the most victimized of the Netjer, and how
Callings: Destroyer, Guardian, Judge much he has to teach any who would kowtow to him.

Memory: Witnessing an act of cruelty or true evil, Callings: Destroyer, Mystic, Primeval
meting out justice to those who are unworthy, the souls of Memory: Titanspawn of Apep wreaking havoc, lying
the dead and the weight of truth. in wait for the right moment to strike, the feeling of being
Dragon magic: Decay, Elemental Manipulation (Fire), bound and helpless, never-ending battles with no winner,
Flight, Understanding swimming through memories that are fragmented and
disjointed, chasing the sun across the sky and never under-
APOPHIS, SERPENT OF CHAOS standing why
Alias: Aapep, Apepi, Apoph Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental
Apep has been chasing the sun for as long as he can Manipulation (Water), Fear, Understanding
remember. Before he did so though, he was Apophis, the ISA BERE, DROUGHT BRINGER
Dragon who loved Ammut and knew all truths. When the
Netjer formed, he was already chasing Re across the sky, Alias: Ongbẹ, Nga Nelanga, Chini
and he greedily accepted divinity even knowing the conse- When The World was young, Isa Bere swam through
quences would be dire. Thus, he was knowingly responsi- all waters and called them his domain. He waded in placid
ble for his and Ammut’s fates, though few know that truth. pools and soaked up the sun without a care in The World.
He hoped he would forget his own betrayal, and for a time When the Gods came and rewrote The World, he tried to
he did, accepting that he was only Apep. remain in his watery homes, but people drove him out.
The last time the Netjer Titan got close to victory When he tried again, the Gods drove him out. He was a sim-
against Re’s boat journey through Duat, he swallowed the ple Dragon who only wanted a place to bask, and though he
sun God, and when he did, an eclipse swallowed the sun could see his heart’s desire, he could not have it.
over Egypt. When Set and the others cut open his gullet and His desire consumed him to the point where he de-
freed Re, the sun was freed. But in that moment of darkness, sired not to just be in the water, but consume it all. He made
Raina reminded Apep of who he was, and Apophis recalled his lair atop Fouta Djallon and was known for consuming
both his duty, and his own burning desire for The World whole lakes at a time. Myths tell of the Dragon taking flight
to return to the way it was. But his time as a Titan had over what would become Guinea, looking for some other
changed him, and he was no longer the pragmatic Dragon watering hole to swallow. It was not long until he lost con-
he once was. trol of his hunger and set himself on a collision course with
The Serpent of Chaos lays in a dark and dank lair deep his own doom.
under Egypt, in the ruins of a temple, though to which God His eyes turned to the Niger River, and in the course
no one could tell. All iconography is scratched and marred of a day’s drinking, the nearly 26,000-mile river was dry.
as his massive, coiled bulk grates against the walls. Piles of Despite the river ending in the Atlantic at both ends, the
relics surround his bulk — mostly Netjer — and he chews might of the Joka’s hunger made not just the waters vanish,
them with a maw filled with jet-black teeth. His hunger but the ability for it to refill as well. Soon, the Niger River
is deeper than the others, as he yearns both for a love he Delta dried, and the area’s leader and Scion of Ògún, King
lost, and to kill those who made it happen. He focuses it on Samba, faced drought and hunger. Unable to move his peo-
destroying all the Gods, which he hopes to do by freeing ple away, he took up arms and with his bard, Tarafe, who
the Titans and allowing them to run rampant. He whets his recorded the tale, and went to combat the Dragon.
appetite for such a day by feasting on any symbol of faith, or For over eight years they fought tooth and nail, the
those who are particularly faithful. king throwing over eight hundred spears and withstanding

The Joka 49
attack after attack. Isa Bere could not feed again in all that her hunger. Each year he would send one girl to the grove,
time, and eventually King Samba wore the Dragon down and she would never return.
and slew him with a final spear through the heart. The wa- Ouagadou-Bida had developed a taste for something
ters returned to the river with his death. precious: sacrifice itself. She released the women sent to
Even though he died hundreds of years ago, Isa Bere’s her, but she told them they could never return home, an
Heirs remain, and through them, his voracious hunger. His offer they invariably accepted, and these sacrifices gave
Heirs are perhaps more ravenous than other Joka, and that her additional nourishment. For generations, the Kingdom
is what his legacy passes on. Whatever it is they hunger for, flourished under the assumption that Ouagadou-Bida
they do so with a need that borders on fixation. Those with was eating their young women. That is until Amadou
a level head on their shoulders channel it into a career or Sefedokote’s fiancé, Sia, was to be the next sacrifice. His
hobby, those who do not often end up like their forebearer. divine mother, Òshun, lent him her jeweled knife, sending
Callings: Collector, Predator, Primeval him into combat to save his love with her blessing. He
entered the grove, and hid there, waiting for the so-called
Memory: Echoes of an insatiable hunger, the feel of a Guardian to leave to reclaim Sia.
decade-long battle, the hunt for the next meal, the need to
find something of importance but it being just out of reach, As Ouagadou-Bida made to leave, Amadou used the
drinking and drinking and never feeling sated goddess’ blade to slide through her serpentine neck and
severed her head, but to no avail, as another grew to replace
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Water), it. They fought, and only with the power of the blade was
Flight, Weather Control the Scion able to withstand the onslaught, decapitating
OUAGADOU-BIDA, GHANA’S GUARDIAN the Dragon another half dozen times until she finally died.
Surrounded by the heads of the Guardian of Ghana, he
Aliases: Bida, Ougadou-Bida, Wagadoo-Bida
stood victorious with his lover and they fled, leaving her
The Kingdom of Ghana’s capital was built in parallel corpse and the protection she offered to wither. Without
to a Midrealm, a sacred grove, wherein stood the lair of her, Ghana suffered from drought, and the people were
Ouagadou-Bida, a great Dragon. The first king made a pact forced to become nomads, as the Kingdom fell.
with the Joka: protect his family line, and thus all of Ghana,
Heirs of Ouagadou-Bida commonly share their
and the king would supply the Dragon with a source to feed
mother’s covetous nature, hungering for acts of service,

50 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

self-sacrifice, and sometimes simply precious items and The World and a hunger to right the wrongs against it. She
wealth. They tend to find work in ways that they can easily fled into a place that only she could remember, the rivers
sate themselves as financial advisors, organizing volunteer that birthed her.
organizations, or as bankers. Because their hungers tend to Even in the time of Ancient Greece, those from out-
be more on the esoteric side of things, they keep precious side Africa had made it their life’s mission to search for the
objects in their lairs, though they rarely feed on them. They source of the longest river in The World, the Nile. Alexander
are also known to have the largest and most lush lairs, as the Great looked, as did Cyrus from Persia, and Caesar
flaunting their precious items can serve to give them nutri- himself. The phrase in Latin, Nili caput quaerere — literally
tional value when sacrificed. “to search for the head of the Nile” — meant to attempt
Callings: Collector, Healer, Mystic something impossible, a fool’s errand. Most explorers and
Memory: Protecting those who cannot protect them- colonizers who attempted the feat vanished, never heard
selves, searching for high value items, finding something from again. Many thought the endeavor ridiculous, but few
important, learning new things of value, wanting some- knew how dangerous it truly was.
thing that does not belong to you Raina’s lair lies in the Source of the Nile, a Midrealm
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Earth), which has an access on the rivers and tributaries that
Illusions, Luck, Weather Manipulation, Understanding spring from it, and only those searching for the source
can enter. The Source of the Nile is not any one place,
RAINA, KEEPER OF THE SOURCE but a network of multiple lakes and feeder rivers in
Aliases: Skerm, Umkhuseli, Olutọju Ọkunrin southeastern Africa. Within, the serpentine Raina waits,
guarding the unspoiled wellspring of life-giving waters
Raina was born of the rivers and the water. She flowed
which made one of The World’s first empires possible.
as the river does, and existed in all rivers at all times. When
She protects it from those who want to claim it for them-
the Netjer rewrote the story of Ammut and Aphophis,
selves or their nation.
Raina lost her connection to time, and was rooted in the
world. She more than any other felt the injustice of the While her efforts are a boon to the peoples of Eastern
God’s action, and she hungered to right the wrongs she felt Africa, as well historically to the Netjer and other pan-
in The World. This did not manifest as it did with Ammut theons, that is not why she does it. She cares little for the
as a sense of human justice, but instead a desire to protect pantheons, nor for humanity, but for the natural World

The Joka 51
and protecting it from being despoiled. If it were up to her,
she’d give The World back to the Primordials who created COMMON JOKA
it and leave it at that, but she doesn’t act on that desire. BIRTHRIGHTS
She hungers to punish those who would sully a place Often a Joka Heir finds a whole system in place for their
or defile a land, she never goes without. The sheer number lairs, should they still be alive, when they come into their
of explorers who find their way into her mystical lair, along power. These fixers can get an Heir started on making a lair
with the colonizers, deforesters, polluters, and endangered and figuring out what it is that they hunger for, as well as pro-
animal hunters who her pawns capture and drag to her viding support for the effects of such experimentation. Even
table keeps her fed and happy. Heirs to dead Dragons find a support system comprised of
detailed memories and servants ready to help them.
Raina’s Heirs likewise feel drawn to nature and feel a
deep-seated need to protect it. From wildlife rangers, activ- GUIDES
ists, climate change scientists, to full blown eco-terrorists,
• Mokele-mbembe: Legendary Creatures, said to be
Heirs of this Dragon move to protect the natural World
Raina’s own children, live in Strange Places near
from the predation of humanity, and try to heal the harms
rivers and caves. Some of them find their way to
done to it already, their hungers ranging from plastics and
Midrealms, and many serve as Raina’s lair guards.
pollutants, to those who hunt merely for sport.
Callings: Guardian, Healer, Watcher PAWNS
Memory: The satisfaction of restoring justice, cleans- • Lair Concierges: Joka keep hirelings who maintain
ing a land of its taint, protecting something or someone their lairs, keeping them well stocked and provi-
from those who wish them harm, keeping a difficult secret. sioned. These concierges provide for the daily needs
of a hungry Dragon, going so far as to hunt down
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental
rare cuisine or fight alongside an Heir if it serves the
Manipulation (Water), Weather Control
Lair’s needs.

FLIGHT PATH OF THE JOKA

Path Skills: Integrity, Survival
Favored Draconic Knacks: Power Tasting Bite, Seizing Jaws
Remembrances: Indulgence (Cipher) and Moderation (Defection). A constant conflict lies within
every Heir of the Joka Flight. On the one hand, their draconic blood roars within them filling them with an
unnamed hunger that only indulgence can attempt to sate. On the other, constantly consuming does not
sate a hunger created through existential crisis, and power is temporal.
An Heir’s draconic nature calls for Indulgence as she seeks power and to control The World around her.
The more she consumes, the greater her power grows, and the hungrier she gets. Through this, she begins
to understand her Handler’s desires, and those drives become her own. With every new power she learns,
she can advance the Flight’s agenda and bring the Gods low. If only she takes one more bite, and her
power will overflow. The only problem is the more you feed such a hunger, the larger it grows.
Hunger is a harsh ally. No matter how much one feeds it, it comes back another day begging for more.
Heirs know that only through Moderation can she be sure to temper her hunger. She must eat every day,
and if she eats it all at once, she won’t have anything the next day. Power is simply a means, and there are
other ways to live her life without also tapping into a yearning so great it might drive her to rash acts.
A Joka Heir must balance her driving hunger with the knowledge that if she goes too far, she’ll lose
herself in the Flight’s constant desire for a past she never knew. She instead builds a solid lair, and keeps
a strong hoard, and when she is tempted, she remembers to moderate herself, hoping that her splurges of
indulgence can carry her until the next time.
Signature Joka Dragon Magic: Refinement: The Joka are defined by their hunger, and it is there
that their magic comes from. Over time as the Dragons developed a palate for anything that would sate
their hunger, they learned to metabolize any matter or energy, magic included. But it also taught them
how to make anything into a more palatable form. Eclectic tastes have pushed them to learn to refine
information, matter, and energy. Turning one thing into another or consuming it for power. This allows the
Joka to store more esoteric cravings, such as the sound of children laughing, or brilliant light, as material
objects which still give them satisfaction when devouring them. The Joka might have created Refinement
to help satisfy cravings, but the usefulness of converting energy or absorbing information outside of those
needs is not lost upon the Flight.

52 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

• The Ṣiṣe Tabili Group: This cabal of wealthy iconography and rituals and while she eats many of
business owners and petty royalty front as equal the real and powerful ones, her knowledge of esoter-
parts agriculture conglomerate and philanthropic ic lore is second to none. It is she who pioneered the
organization trying to end world hunger, but in ac- ritual of Hadhi. While forming a lair, Hadhi imbues
tuality, they are servants to the Joka, facilitating the it with the ability to retard spoilage or decay, as well
procurement of whatever they and their better con- as the entropic loss of energy in magical items.
nected Heirs hunger for, in return for their blessings.
HOARD
• Skylar-Garrison & Co, Limited: Known worldwide
as an auction house on the same level as a Christine’s • Fadhila’s hunger led her to consuming many wealthy
and Sotheby’s, they are open to whomever can afford people. She craved those with wealth, but not the
to bid on the wares they sell for their affluent and money itself, so her lair lays crowded with gold,
strictly anonymous clients. They are renown for set- silver, jewels, and piles of money in hundreds of cur-
ting up deals between Dragons, and facilitating sale rencies from ancient to modern.
of hard-to-find goods. They are even willing to steal • While long dead, Kazim-Azizi’s lairs, as he had
for a client, if the price is right. many, still exist somewhere, and are full of instruc-
LAIRS tions of how to make or do many things that history
has lost. Other Joka who knew him say that his main
• The abandoned Atlantic Avenue tunnel, spanning lair was the Library of Alexandria, and the fire that
from what is now Columbia Street and Boerum Place consumed it was actually his magic which sent the
in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill, lay home to repository entire building into a Midrealm that only he, and his
and lair of the Joka Arafa. Her hunger lies in rare Heirs, know how to enter.

The Joka 53
 “There comes the dark
dragon flying from beneath,
the glistening serpent,
from Nida-fells.
On his wings bears Nidh gg,
flying o’er the plain,
a corpse.”
— V lusp

I n the regions of The World that would later be called

northeastern Europe and Scandinavia, Dragons gathered
in considerable numbers. There the Dragons shared stories
In the moment of her death, Vishap stretched out her
talons and scattered her Memory across The World. When
her blood soaked into the soil, aquifers deep beneath the
with one another, and some collected information to share earth carried it to the sea. When her bones sank into the
out with all other Dragons. Some had a reputation as mud, the stones themselves took up her song. Then
living libraries, able to call forth all manner those fractured memories flooded into the
of information without needing to collective memory of every Dragon in
swim through the memory streams. The World, muddying what was once
Dragons from around the globe clear waters. Most Dragons wouldn’t
would come and share food and admit owing anything to the death
stories with these Dragons. The of a Dragon at the hands of a
most renowned of them all was Scion, but Vishap’s final death
Vishap, and they called her Magic created the network of
the Keeper of Memories. She dreams and signs that Dragons
became a repository of all use to communicate with one
that dragonkind knew, and as another and their Heirs to
long as she lived, all Dragons this day.
knew what she knew with But with that magic,
little effort. Those closest Vishap inadvertently stole
to her were the keepers of the memories of the other
sacred memory and gentle Dragons who held the col-
librarians who sang and lective memories of all drag-
swam and stomped and onkind. As they became con-
shimmered their stories. nected through her magic,
When the Gods formed their memories started flowing
pantheons and changed away from them. Jörmungandr,
The World, these Dragons thought the oldest and most knowledgeable of
nothing of it. They collected this new them realized first what was happening. In
information and stored it with the rest, falling a desperate attempt to hold on to what he was
easily into whatever roles the Gods described for losing he called all the others to him. Even as he ex-
them, because they knew these were simply more plained what Vishap’s magic was doing, he could feel that
stories for them to remember. It worked well for them, at he had lost something vitally important. The other Dragons
least for a while, until Heracles slew Vishap.

54 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

also knew deep down that they were missing something,
and so they all pledged to find it once more.
Those who joined Jörmungandr in his search became
LINDWURMS AND
the Lindwurms, and any who seek understanding, knowl- PREDESTINATION
edge, memory, or even just peace of mind found their way
to the Flight to fill its numbers. Now they seek all knowl- Fate has dictated much of what humanity
edge, memory, and story that tells of their past. They have
knows of the Lindwurms and with their lost
memories there is little they can do to fight
not forgotten it completely, but certain pieces of a puzzle
against it. Of all the Flights, the Lindwurms are
are missing, and they cannot see the whole because of it. the most touched by Fate, having forgotten
As they forgot their own stories, Fate took hold and who they truly are in the throes of Vishap’s
let the Gods weave their tales instead. Many who were death. Though Fate has dictated much of the
already following a story set forth by a pantheon forgot Lindwurm’s existence, that doesn’t mean they
they were ever Dragons to begin with. Others simply ac- can’t change their own Fates one way or
cepted these new roles in hopes that they would jar loose a
another. It just means that they have a harder
time at it than other Dragons.
memory or two. The stories Gods and their followers tell of
the Lindwurms have taken such a hold on the mythology, Predestination and the roles which are
that even the Lindwurms themselves don’t know the truth assigned to you by others (or the roles which
anymore. The pantheons and their Heroes cast Lindwurms
you assign to yourself) are large underpinnings
of the Lindwurm stories. Storyguides should
as simplistic monsters, and at first this served them well as be careful not to let predestination circumvent
their foes underestimated them, but over time the truth be- player agency at the table. Just because a
came muddied due to the Flight’s own fractured memories. Dragon has a role within the Æsir Æsir doesn’t
What’s worse is they know it. They know that the mean that the players can’t change that role for
tales told about them don’t tally with their memories, but them over time.
they can’t match up the fine points. The Lindwurms know Additionally, the changes that the Gods
what they remember about how they came into The World have made to the Lindwurms could be seen
doesn’t match the ridiculous tales written down in Greece, as magically enforced gaslighting. The Gods
Russia, or Poland, or the stories the Æsir tell their Scions have told the Lindwurms who they are and
today. They know they weren’t always Titans, or that they
what they should be doing, and the Lindwurms
have a hard time remembering anything else.
aren’t titanspawn at all. They act as monsters sometimes,
Storyguides should take care at the table
yes, but more importantly they seek a way to clear their when presenting these stories and giving Heirs
memories and regain their true identities. memories that might trigger players at the table.
Lindwurms know their history lies scattered across Talk with your players about the kinds of stories
The World hidden in the crystallized blood of Vishap they want to tell with the Lindwurms and how
turned up as rubies and sapphires the size of a person’s they want to move forward with their own part
in that story.
fist. It is wound through the deep earth in veins of gold,
and threaded through the metal the Gods beat into their For example, Jörmungandr has been
sacred weaponry. An Heir who brings home some fragment relegated to the butt of Thor and Loki’s tricks and
of missing history to his parent receives exultation and re-
breaking him out of that could be an incredibly
empowering story. It could also be incredibly
ward above all others. An Heir who untangles the truth of
triggering for someone who had dealt with
his Handler from the false myths of The World receives the being relegated to a similar role in their own
adulation not just of his parent, but the entire Flight. life. Remember, always think of the players first.
In their weakened state, Lindwurms became easy prey.
Vishap’s death was a harbinger of what was to come as the
Æsir and Theoi hunted them relentlessly. Those who didn’t disappear from the radar, and not even a wreck lies on the
die, went into hiding, hoping their memories would come ocean’s bottom.
back to them over time.
Lindwurms — with a few notable examples — don’t CHARACTERISTICS
spend a lot of time in The World, and they generally don’t To a one, the Lindwurms live up to their names:
get involved in much of anything. They haven’t left The Lindwurm means “ensnaring snake” in old Norse, and,
World; they have just retired to their chambers, so to speak. with the addition of limbs and sometimes wings, that sums
When a Lindwurm decides to interfere directly with The the Flight up exactly. They look like serpents, long with
World, however, they leave little doubt what is happening. glistening scales, with forelegs only. Morphologically, they
You think icebergs sink every ship that’s ever run afoul of resemble the Lóng Flight (see p. 65), but their tempera-
something in the North Atlantic? Sometimes Lindwurms ments and ultimately their goals separate them from the
get hungry, or sometimes submarine activities disturb other Flight.
their resting places, and then ships go missing, U-boats

The Lindwurms 55
 Once upon a time, Lindwurms had great cunning and book survives, even under the water. They might not have
a considerable intelligence. Vishap’s death robbed them the capability to read the ancient or encoded language
of their bone-deep memory, but not their cunning. They scrawled across the book’s pages, but they keep that vol-
know what they’ve lost, and they know that they can regain ume all the same. In the middle of their piles of broken
it if they just find all the pieces and put them back together. swords and magical shields, Lindwurms make nests out
The Flight does not blame their lost member for the losses, of pebbles, curling up into small, warm knots of draconic
but instead the Gods who let this happen. As a result, they flesh, surrounded by all the things they stole back from the
crave more than anything a return of their knowledge, and Gods (especially the Æsir and Theoi). As far as they’re con-
they crave revenge. Some desire one more than the other: cerned, though, anything the Gods have, they got by steal-
The Loch Ness Monster missed much of that history and ing it, so taking it from the Gods doesn’t even count as theft.
has her own very specific axe to grind, and Níðhöggr’s de- It’s appropriating the tools of the people who displaced and
sire for revenge has an awful lot more to do with the sons murdered their people.
(brothers? he can’t remember) slain before he lay trapped Even the youngest Lindwurm begins to accumulate
under Yggdrasil for so long. hoards exceedingly fast, demanding tribute from their
That desire for payback has led some Lindwurms to Heirs at every contact. Don’t bother calling your Handler
accumulate stunning piles of treasure, which they hoard unless you’ve brought something shiny. Each Dragon tends
in their various and sundry homes, and sometimes deign to focus on one thing in their Hoard over all else. The Loch
to parcel out to their Heirs, either on loan for a particular Ness Monster absolutely loves sharp things, and an Heir
purpose or on a more permanent basis. They delight in the who brings her a new magical dagger will gain special at-
treasures they’ve accumulated and stolen back. As much tention at least until she gets bored of it and wants another
as they say they want to be left alone, their ongoing desire one.
to steal from the Gods comes into conflict with that. What
better way to tweak the noses of the Æsir than to steal their
BENEATH THE WAVES
treasures, or to steal back the treasures which the Æsir Many Heirs and Lindwurms make their homes in
stole from the Lindwurms in the first place? Níðhöggr once subaquatic Lairs. For example, Jörmungandr lives at the
swore that if he could get away with stealing Odin’s other bottom of the ocean. Which ocean? A cold ocean. Any
eye, he’d do it in a heartbeat. cold ocean. Lindwurms are just that big. Jörmungandr
rests his head on the stony shores at the very north edge of
Lindwurms all carry an incredible weight of sadness,
Norway, in a subterranean cave where the ocean plays in
which permeates their mannerisms and speech. They’ve
and out. One often accesses such lairs by means of a cave
lost more of their members to dragon slayers than most
system which begins seven miles away, and which devours
other Flights. The Æsir and Theoi began killing them well
incautious intruders. Weaving their way through the cave
before any of the others, save maybe Naga. The Lindwurms
system, Heirs must pass a series of pitches, squeezes, and a
didn’t act fast enough, and by the time they fled to safer
few water hazards.
shores, they’d lost so many of their number that they have
yet to recover. As a result, they press their Heirs to embrace STRANGE PLACES
their draconic natures in hopes to refill their ranks. One might expect finding the Loch Ness Monster’s lair
LAIRS the easiest of all the Lindwurms, but due to her relatively
great power for her age, Heirs discover that finding her lair
Lindwurms prefer not to make their homes in The is more difficult even than visiting Jörmungandr, and many
World, as their generous size would force them to shape- model their lairs after hers. Nessie’s lair doesn’t even exist
shift or be too obvious. They are loath to do either, though in The World, but in a Strange Place formed down at the
some live beneath the sea, resting their heads on distant, bottom of Loch Ness. Most Lindwurms try to stay out of
untraveled rocky shores. Many live outside the physical the World as often as they can, but leave some way for their
realm, in Strange Places or Terra Incognitae created in a Heirs to find them. Nessie has so few Heirs that making
desperate effort to stay safe from the Gods. herself available to them matters less than keeping herself
To find a Lindwurm, you must travel to the end of the safe from prying hucksters and conspiracy theorists with
world, and then go a little bit farther. Heirs have sought out their newfangled digital cameras. Lindwurms and their
magical items which allowed them to dive deep into the sea children hide in Terra Incognitae and Strange Places, and
to speak with Jörmungandr. They have climbed a tree until many Lesser Wyrms create their own Strange Places as
they couldn’t climb anymore in search of memories from they grow in power.
the long-lost Vishap, who loved to swim in the clouds. And LOST AND FOUND
sometimes, if the moon is right and her mood is good, find-
ing a Lindwurm might just be as easy as driving out past Finding a dead Lindwurm’s lair takes a lot of research,
Inverness and waiting on the edge of a loch. a great deal of luck, and an even greater deal of foolhar-
diness. Many Lindwurm Heirs go on long and impressive
A Lindwurm’s home invariably contains mountains of quests, some spanning centuries and the lifetimes of mul-
weaponry, treasures, and books. Yes, even the underwater tiple Heirs, to reclaim the lost homes of their deceased
homes: when a Lindwurm adds a book to their hoard, the

56 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

Handlers. For example, Vishnap’s Heirs (who call them- until her Heir took her place in the last fifty years. He and
selves Vishapakar) have made it their mission to find their Nessie give their parents incredible hope for the future of
mother’s lost lair. Over the centuries, this has served only the Lindwurms.
to thin the numbers of Vishapakar walking the world. If
she left a lair at all, the shifting of mountains may well have
FRAUGHT SECRETS
concealed the secret ways in, or the links to Terra Incognita The Flight doesn’t rely on secrecy to keep themselves
may have disintegrated from the locations at which she en- safe, so much as secrecy comes as a side effect from for-
tered her home from The World. It doesn’t keep Heirs from getting so much of their own history. When an undeniable
trying to find lost lairs like hers, searching for clues left by truth surfaces and makes its way into the grasping talons
long-gone Dragons. of one of the Lindwurms, or into the mind of one of their
Heirs, they guard it with jealousy and fervor. And it isn’t
MYSTERIES enough just to have it, they must utilize it against their en-
An awful lot of legends about Lindwurms have no emies. Which means the Gods can’t know how much they
relation to the Flight’s actual origins but do relate closely are underestimating the Lindwurms as they slowly piece
to how the Flight’s members function today. When the together their memories.
Gods and their children rewrite your history over and over, Lindwurm Heirs experience fractured memories.
sometimes even you forget who you were and are. A disjointed flash of images rushing in all at once might
Heirs often experience dreams which begin with a herald a directive from an ancestor. They sometimes have
sense of confusion when they’re first coming into their vivid dreams of a lost truth or knowledge but wake in the
Inheritance, even before their Bequeathal. As they delve morning with only the vaguest sense of what it was. Their
into those mysteries, they find puzzle after puzzle, and memories are often tinged with sadness for knowledge lost,
a compulsion to put the pieces together. Reincarnated or the nagging sense that they are forgetting something im-
Heirs stumble through why they suddenly dream of drag- portant. Vishapakar often dream of being trapped in stone,
on-carved stelae from Eastern Europe, or why thinking or of carving stones with their own teeth and claws. In their
about gold makes their skin itch, and causes them to feel dreams, they understand exactly what they mean in those
irrationally angry, as if they’d just overheard someone in- carvings, they comprehend the deeper mystical meaning of
sulting their mother. Lindwurm Heirs find themselves par- those big rocks with lines, but in the morning, they can’t
ticularly prone to sudden fits of fury when they encounter remember any of it: meaning dangles tantalizingly out of
something which links to the altered myths surrounding reach. These memories drive an Heir to solve riddles, puz-
their draconic parent. zle out the past, and learn all they can.

So much of what an Heir might learn about his dra-

conic parent could fall under rumor, truth, or some combi-
RELATIONSHIPS
Calling the relationships between the Lindwurms and
nation of the two. Much of what the Lindwurms once were
the Æsir fraught vastly undersells the matter. The Æsir and
has become warped and changed by loss of memory, the
their Scions have hunted Lindwurms since their ascen-
multiplicity of myth, and the fact that several of the most
dance, and the Lindwurms have — by and large — returned
notable members have mantles as Titans which makes
the favor as best they can. An uneasy peace occasionally
the entire thing utterly bewildering. Add to that the fact
breaks out for a century or two, and then one side or the
that Lindwurms don’t have good memories of the truth
other starts up the cycle again. The Dragons can’t stand the
themselves, and trying to figure out which parts are rumor,
way the Æsir myths about them make them seem small, and
which are truth, and which are a mixture of the two can
weak, and the Æsir get a little annoyed that the Dragons
frustrate even the most astute Heir.
won’t just stay dead or chained up and out of the way.
PRESENT TIMES Despite their animosity, the Lindwurms mourned
Some Lindwurm stories remain lost to this day, with Baldr when Loki tricked Höðr into killing him with mis-
only words or fragments of stories threaded into human- tletoe. That part of the myth matches reality perfectly: only
ity’s mythology. Many of the zmaj, who walked more fre- Þökk refused to mourn Baldr of all creatures. Every Dragon
quently among humanity than any of the other Lindwurms, mourned the bold, brave, and generous Baldr, if only be-
and who gloried in taking human appearance and reputed- cause he treated them as cheerfully as he treated everyone
ly took people as spouses, died so long ago that they exist and everything. They couldn’t bring themselves to hate the
only as in fairy tales. The few who are left have integrated kid.
so fully into human society that they make no ripples across The Lindwurms stay largely detached from politics
the surface of the Lindwurms’ memories. between the other Flights, and don’t even indulge in poli-
The other members of the Flight mourn the Dragons tics within their own Flight. Most of them don’t count coup
they can barely remember and would pay dearly for knowl- against one another or jockey for position. Lindwurms
edge of their reincarnation or any trace of their lost lairs. might come into conflict with one another because their
Conversely, Python of Delphi’s stories centered around her Heirs come into conflict, but even that usually resolves
putative role as the chariot-puller for the Oracle of Delphi itself when the Heirs work out their issues on their own.

The Lindwurms 57
They only get riled up when a juicy bit of information is in- Fáfnir’s Heirs tell a different story. Fáfnir was a great
volved, or a long-lost secret they think could be a linchpin Dragon who claimed both the names Andvari and Fáfnir.
to a puzzle they’ve been working on for centuries. And if Andvari was a storyteller, and Fáfnir was a warrior. He rose
their Heirs can’t seem to figure out how to satiate that need out of the sea at the beginning of the world and chose the
to know, then the Dragon cuts them loose. great forests as his home. Delighted by the lands in which
Or eats them. Sometimes if their Heirs become too he and his brothers lived, they shared the land peaceably
much trouble, the Lindwurms simply eat them. They have between themselves for time untold, until the arrival of
hungers just like everyone else, and for the most part, just humanity, and the Gods they brought along with them like
want peace and quiet. Emphasis on the quiet. No jerks the midden-heaps which form outside human settlements.
fishing for them with cows on a hook, no shepherds with At first, Fáfnir attempted to share the forests with these
layers of dresses tricking them into taking off all their skins. strange new creatures. When they began to clear-cut all his
Relationships with others generally begin and end with trees and dig mines like deep wounds into the mountains
“are you bringing me knowledge? No? Then leave or I’ll eat where he and his brothers slept, he spit poison across the
you.” earth, burning the crops on which the humans relied. When
Occasionally, the Flight comes into conflict with they overhunted the deer and drove away the rest of the
themselves through the Titan mantles some have taken large game, the Dragons starved. In their hunger, they be-
on. Níðhöggr agreed to his Titanic mantle so long ago, but came desperate, and some of them gained a taste for human.
when he has it on, he forgets who he is completely. He’s This battle drew Odin’s attention, who could not abide
embarrassed that he spends so much time chewing the the Dragon burning crops and eating his worshippers. So,
roots of the world tree, but he keeps going back to it when he sent his Scion Sigurd to deal with it. Sigurd dug a pit and
he forgets why he hates it. Every so often, those Titans or hid in it, waiting for Fáfnir to come to the river to drink.
their titanspawn get into conflict with the Dragon or their When Fáfnir leaned over, he plunged his sword into the
Heirs. Many wonder why a Dragon would fight with him- Dragon’s heart. Afterward, he killed all Fáfnir’s brothers,
self, but the Lindwurm’s fractured memories have made ending the Dragon threat.
their mantles into almost entirely different and separate Both these stories are true, though the details are
personas unaware that they belong to the same entity. muddied both because Fáfnir is only present as imperfect
NOTABLE DRAGONS memory and because of the Æsir’s meddling. Loki did hand
a bag of cursed gold to Hreidmar and Fáfnir certainly had
The Lindwurm’s numbers have shrank and swollen possession of that gold. And Sigurd killed Fáfnir for breath-
over the years. They are recently on a recruitment cam- ing poison across the land. Most of his Heirs believe the
paign, hoping to draw in all Dragons who are intent on Æsir’s story is the false one, though some posit that Fáfnir
gathering knowledge, or pushing their Heirs into drag- was an Heir to some unknown Dragon, which explains his
onhood as fast as possible. The following are some of the transformation to Dragon and the disjointed memories of
oldest, or most active members of the Flight. the situation.
F FNIR, CURSED BY GOLD Fáfnir has tried desperately over the years to reincar-
nate through an Heir. Despite his efforts, none have given
Aliases: Andvari, Frænir
him control, probably because he picks strong-willed peo-
The Æsir tell a story about a dwarf named Fáfnir. Loki ple who aren’t keen on giving their life over to him in rein-
killed his brother and paid his father in gold as recompense carnation. Fáfnir’s Heirs are singularly driven individuals
for the act. Fáfnir responded poorly to the whole affair and with good heads on their shoulders and a bit of obsession
stole all the gold which Loki had given, and that gold turned keeping them on task. They are detectives, reporters, law-
him into a fearsome dragon. If that doesn’t seem to make yers, architects, and a slew of other professions that require
much sense, the context doesn’t help much: Loki and Odin dedication and drive to stay on task.
came across Fáfnir’s brother, Ótr, while he spent the day in
Callings: Destroyer, Guardian, Judge
his otter form. They slew Ótr and presented his skin to the
dwarves’ father, Hreidmar. Hreidmar ruled the dwarves as Memory: Guarding what is precious; bringing justice
King and demanded recompense for the murder. Instead to the wronged; cold, calculating revenge; a call to fight
of something proper, Loki filled Ótr’s skin with gold stolen against injustice and do good in The World; collecting
from Andvari who cursed it. So, the God of mischief rid treasures.
himself of a cursed item by giving it to the dwarves as rec- Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Decay, Elemental
ompense for his misdeeds. Great guy, that Loki. Manipulation (Earth, Fire), Flight
Driven to overwhelming greed by Andvari’s curse, J RMUNGANDR,
Fáfnir stole both gold and skin. He fled from his father THE BEGINNING OF THE END
and brothers once they discovered the theft. Owning that
gold twisted him into a dragon. Then Fáfnir as a dragon Aliases: Ouroboros
poisoned the land. Which sounds like great justification for Once Jörmungandr encircled The World and no one
Sigurd to go and murder him in the name of Odin. bothered him. Once he swam the oceans, singing the songs

58 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

of draconic glory to any who would hear. Once, he was the THE LOCH NESS MONSTER,
greatest of the wurms, oldest and wisest, sitting at Vishap’s SHE WHO RISES
tail while she told stories of his grandeur. When the Gods
Aliases: Nessie, Derbforgaill
came, they heard these stories and revered his greatness,
and so he told them all he could of dragon kind. They then Before she became Nessie, some several hundred years
made up stories about him, and he laughed and played a ago, Derbforgaill of Inverness came into her own as an Heir
part in their story to entertain them. He was Loki’s child, to Fáfnir. As she delved deeper into the Memory of her
born of a giant, and it was such a farce and a delight. lost Dragon, Derbforgaill became bitter and angry over the
wrongs the Æsir perpetuated. The more she learned, the
When Vishap died and shattered her memories,
deeper her need for vengeance grew and she cut a bloody
Jörmungandr knew immediately something wasn’t right.
and fire-edged swath across an entire generation of Scions.
But even then, he couldn’t tell exactly what it was. He was
The thought of Fáfnir’s head mounted on some Scion’s
no longer the Dragon playing a part in the Æsir’s play, but
wall led her to utter and unbelievable, inhuman levels of
instead the overgrown serpent who falls for their pranks.
depravity. Derbforgaill embraced the Dragon within her to
He called out to his friends for help, but they were also
a degree not seen for millennia among Lindwurm Heirs.
stuck in roles they thought they were only playing at.
Her bloody rampage ended the day she slew Áleifr,
The Lindwurms view Jörmungandr as the one who
a Scion of Loki, and in devouring him whole, reclaimed
brought them together, and therefore their leader. But
Fáfnir’s swords Ridill and Hrotti, as well as his Helm of
Jörmungandr has become passive with time. His descent
Terror. She belched up the swords and the helm, rubbed
into passivity happened probably the third or fourth time
the spit and acid off with the cuff of her sleeve, and placed
that Thor electrified the water in order to make him rise to
the Helm of Terror upon her head. One after the other, she
the surface, and he barely escaped with his life, or maybe
flung the swords Ridill and Hrotti into Loch Ness. Instantly
the second time that Loki tried to get him to take a cow for
regretting that emotional gesture, she dove into the crush-
bait, while Thor’s fishhook stuck out the side of the cow. As
ing waters.
if he were so stupid that he wouldn’t notice.
The Helm of Terror prevented the loch from flattening
Despite all the stories the Æsir crafted about him,
her skull as she dove deeper into the depths, desperately
Jörmungandr isn’t stupid. He’s lost his patience with the
searching for the swords. With each dive she left more of
whole charade: Gods, Titans, Flights, all of it. He’s been
what remained of her humanity in the loch’s deep waters.
stuck as the leader for millennia, and he absolutely hates
To her, each time she submerged seemed to take only a few
being looked up to by the other Dragons. In another Flight,
minutes, but in The World, years upon years passed. The
a challenger would have arisen to knock him off his peb-
loch had always held a Strange Place, and she dove right
ble-made throne, but in this Flight — so far — there’s no
into it, not even realizing how much she expanded its bor-
one both powerful and motivated enough to challenge him.
ders as she did. The last time she rose to the surface, she
He’s never forgiven the Æsir for tricking him into the left her humanity in the loch’s untrammeled depths. The
mantle of monstrous child of a trickster God, a thing he Helm of Terror fused with her skull and she fully embraced
must bear when in conflict with them. His anger burns low her draconic nature, becoming a Dragon, but not the rein-
and deep, but he’s also aware that he can’t exactly do much carnation of Fáfnir as his memories had hoped.
about it at this point: the mantle is so incredibly Fatebound
Since the day Derbforgaill died and Nessie rose, she
into these tales, and the Æsir so active, that he’s grown apa-
has reveled in her status as a creature outside of space, if
thetic, and almost content to wait for the end of The World.
not time. When humanity encroaches upon the loch too
If he could be stirred from his stupor, though…
closely, or attempts to capture some proof of her existence,
Jörmungandr chooses the cleverest and brightest of she retreats into the Deep Loch, her Strange Place in the
humanity for his Heirs to gather memory and return him- depths where no human can find her. She emerges when it
self to his former glory. He hungers for knowledge above pleases her, walking the shores in human form, and disap-
all things. As his children bring more knowledge to him, he pears into the waters once more. Nessie creates only a few
creates and chooses more Heirs with growing rapidity, and Heirs and watches them closely, keeping full control over
often sets them against one another in challenges to prove her legacy. After what happened to her father, and what the
their brilliance. His Heirs are often scientists, researchers, experience did to her, she’s not in any hurry to share her
archaeologists, and technological geniuses. power with a passel of unruly children.
Callings: Collector, Destroyer, Nomad The Loch Ness Monster spends a great deal of time
Memory: Icy cold waters and crushing depths; sun choosing Heirs, being rather fussy. She chooses people who
warmed beaches with sea birds circling overhead; the sight are highly intelligent, independent, and loyal. They come
of the world from above, as one circles it; a low burning from all levels of society, and often care for The World and
hatred fueled by embarrassment and apathy. its well-being. They are biological scientists, humanitari-
ans, doctors, and social workers.
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Frost,
Water), Flight, Understanding, Weather Control Callings: Guardian, Mystic, Predator

The Lindwurms 59
 Memory: A deep anger at filth and contamination; swearing to each that they alone were unique and his true
regret over collateral damage; a fear of harming humanity; Heir, and any others are pretenders. When the war be-
a longing for companionship; rusted helmets, swords, and tween the Æsir and the Lindwurms grows a little too chilly
armor. for his tastes, Níðhöggr is there to light the flames again,
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Water), especially if his Heirs get the opportunity to do damage to
Illusions, Luck, Weather Control Odin or his Scions.
Despite his growing separation between Níðhöggr
N H GGR, WHO GNAWS THE ROOTS the Titan and Níðhöggr the Dragon, the Lindwurm re-
Back in the dawn of time, Níðhöggr wandered free tains some of the Titan’s traits. Namely, his hunger. After
across the face of the waters and The World, with his chewing through Yggdrasil’s roots for so long, he con-
brothers Góinn and Móinn. When the Gods rose, Odin stantly craves meat. When the craving gets too strong, he
pinned Níðhöggr to the root of the World Tree, driving one sometimes returns to his Titanic mantle, but when he’s
of the roots of Yggdrasil through his tail. He tried to gnaw there, he nearly forgets all of his draconic plans. He tries
his way free, the whole time bitterly spitting curses at each to satisfy his hunger by eating the Æsir’s followers, or any
of the Æsir, and at the eagle at the top of the tree. His curs- who would dare venture into his domain. His Heirs spend a
es only ever reached the ears of Ratatosk, but perhaps one great deal of time seeking those worthy of a slow, agonizing
witness can bear the news of a curse to The World beyond death, being devoured by a Dragon to help sate him. First
the Terra Incognita. Níðhöggr’s Heirs claim that his curses on that list, those who take his name in vain or twist his
taught Ratatosk the art of laying a curse upon someone, myth to suit some sort of perverse human agenda.
and that squirrels chatter because they mimic his endless
These days, Níðhöggr creates Heirs who meet his rar-
complaining about how much it hurts to have a tree root
ified standards and exhibit exceptional drive. The hunger
through your hindquarters.
gnaws at their bones the same way their father might if
Níðhöggr might have stayed gnawing that root into given the chance: they want things. They want power, they
eternity, if one of his long-lost Heirs hadn’t brought him a want knowledge, they want everything. He crafts and spurs
memory of his life as a Dragon. With that knowledge, he on their hunger, driving them to great feats of avarice.
gained sudden freedom, and discovered that the Æsir had
Callings: Collector, Destroyer, Predator
murdered his brothers. He set about creating new Heirs,

60 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

 Memory: Vengeance wrought through violence; sink- During her sleep, vishapakar merged in equal parts
ing your teeth into fresh, warm meat; eating the Gods and with each of the three humans, making them stronger and
their children; an unshakable hunger for more hardier from the infusion of her ineffable and draconic self.
Dragon Magic: Decay, Elemental Manipulation Vishap carried them home and returned them with the
(Frost, Water), Luck rising sun. While some communities drove her Heirs out,
at least one family out of three kept them. As sea turtles lay
VISHAP, THE GREAT BROOD-MOTHER hundreds of eggs, so Vishap created her children in threes
Before humankind came, Vishap spent her time in the in hopes that at least one would survive. When multiple
clouds over eastern Europe, perched on the just-formed children from a group survived, they could feel the other
mountains or swimming in the cold, massive lakes. When portions of the vishapakar drawing them together. Soon her
exploring her uncontested dominion bored her, Vishap descendants began to refer to themselves as Vishapakar, no
invented art, carving her likeness in steles across Armenia’s longer differentiating between their human selves and the
mountains. Countless self-portraits lie half-buried where steles which created their ancestors.
Vishap left them. Humanity now claims even her art, eras- Of all the Lindwurms, Vishap suffered the most
ing her utterly. brutal fate: hunted and murdered her for sport, then her
Her Heirs claim Vishap made the first Heirs. dying curse destroyed her own brethren’s sense of self.
Humanity’s cruel legends claim that Vishap stole children Xorenac‘i, a Vishapakar alive when his mother died, wrote
from their cribs and replaced them with horrible, mutated that Heracles journeyed north to destroy Vishap, returning
beings, monstrous and terrible. She did not steal babies, home with her skin and bones as trophies. Those who have
instead choosing the strongest and most beautiful adoles- uncovered more of the Lindwurms secrets believe that
cents and young adults to become her children. Vishap Xorenac‘i only used Heracles as a meterstick to measure
carried them back to her lair three at a time and placed the strength and power of Vahagn the Dragon-slayer, who
them in her giant nest built from rotting vegetation and was truly responsible for killing her. As she died, shards of
bones. In the center of this oversized cradle, she carefully her memory landed all over the earth for anyone to find.
laid one of the stones she’d carved in her own image, called Vishapakar still appear, generation after generation.
vishapakar. Spreading her wings over her children, Vishap Vishap chooses her Heirs carefully, preferring those who
slept protectively until just before dawn. society views as minority or lesser, giving them her gifts

The Lindwurms 61
 FLIGHT PATH OF THE LINDWURMS
Path Skills: Close Combat, Survival
Favored Draconic Knacks: Fade Away, Massive Beast Shape
Remembrances: Duty (Cipher) and Consciousness (Defection).
Lindwurms play back their lives like a broken record, trying hard to find the missing pieces and tell a
full story. They know deep down that they once had a purpose, but they’ve forgotten. Their Heirs have a
duty to put those puzzle pieces back together. An Heir feels a pressing need to not just remember, but to
seek, find, and become. As she learns more about her Handler, she replays the life lived, and takes on the
purpose of the Dragons. She dutifully gathers information, bringing it back to her Handler, and goes out
again to do the same. Duty forces her to give up everything in the name of the Lindwurms, risking life and
limb for a dream.
When an Heir wants to forsake her draconic side, she acts with consciousness refusing to mindlessly
act out these timeworn narratives or follow the set of tracks set in front of her. Not true rebellion, but a life
lived for oneself rather than for the duty put forward by her Handler. An Heir who pushes back against
her heritage does so with a clear mind. She may seek out stories, but she collates them into her own
narrative, piecing them together as she sees fit, and following the path she sets for herself in a conscious
and deliberate manner.
• Signature
• Signature Lindwurm Dragon Magic: Avarice Lindwurms seek knowledge, but their quest has made
them obsessive, and they do everything in extremes. They hoard more than any other Dragon, trying to keep
every minute scrap of themselves they can favoring possessions over actions. This has formed into a kind of
magic in which just reinforces their excessive ways. No amount of whatever a Lindwurm is fixated on will
be enough, and they ensure that anyone who works with or for them has the same driving goals as they do.

of memory so that they can rise above boxes humanity HOARD

has placed around them. They are scholars, teachers, ex-
plorers, and archeologists. Vishapakar scholars await her • Ridill and Hrotti: First belonging to Fáfnir, The
reincarnation with a mixture of hope and trepidation: what Loch Ness Monster has secreted these weapons
will the Great Brood-Mother think of The World which has away in her lair. She stingily refuses to give them
risen in her absence? over to her Heirs. A good Heir might be able to
convince her to hand them over. Some believe she’s
Callings: Collector, Mystic, Ruler stingy because she still hasn’t found them in all her
Memory: Creating new things; art made for the sake of time searching the loch, and if they can return them
beauty; a deep and overwhelming sadness; disjointed and to her it would be worth a great reward.
fragmented feelings; calcified bone and crystalized blood.
• The First Vishapakar: A fragment from Vishap’s
Dragon Magic: Luck, Elemental Manipulation (Earth, first stela currently rests in the ownership of Davit
Water), Understanding Petrosyan, a Vishapakar Heir. In his early thirties,
Davit found the fragment after sleepwalking out of
COMMON LINDWURM his apartment. He woke up over sixty miles away,
BIRTHRIGHTS feet bleeding, covered with scratches which looked
Lindwurm Birthrights focus on safety, community, like claw marks but were most likely briars, holding
and information. The Lindwurms concern themselves with the stone in his hands. The fragment glows faintly
their own safety, and so offer the same to their Heirs. Their gold whenever placed on the skin of one of Vishap’s
primary focus is regaining their lost memories, and they blood, and the remaining Heirs of this dead Dragon
devote most of their resources to this endeavor, providing use it in their attempts to locate any and all possible
their Heirs with all means available to them to promote Vishapakar.
that goal. LAIR
GUIDE • Given their parents’ obsession with safety, every
Lindwurm Heir focuses on developing their own
• Arke: Arke was once a Theoi, but she has no love
Lair. In the rare case where two Lindwurm Heirs
lost for the pantheon after she put her lot in with the
trust one another enough to share a Lair, that loca-
Titans and was summarily punished. Now she’s sid-
tion becomes the envy of Fort Knox. Each Heir high-
ed with the Dragons, or at least she claims she has,
ly personalizes their Lair, reflecting all she’s learned
helping Heirs who offer her their assistance in kind.
about her Handler.

62 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

PAWNS • The Vishapakar Society: A group of academics and
treasure hunters, the Vishapakar Society focuses on
• The Living Library: The Lindwurms have collated finding the hidden meanings in Vishap’s stelae. They
the entirety of what they have rediscovered and meet bi-weekly in several cities around the world;
learned into a system they call the living library. Less their parent chapter meets in Yerevan on a weekly
alive and more ever changing, the library utilizes a basis, moving their meeting place between secret
cloud computing system and a neural network that locations. Most members believe they’re just partic-
actively seeks stories, information, and the location ipating in a fun exercise, like attempting to decode
of Lindwurm relics. Librarians are found through- the Voynich Manuscript over tea.
out The World, and are filled with knowledge, or
where to find it.

The Lindwurms 63
 “She crept about it, she crawled about it, and her green robe flowed over it.
Her green robe glittered with a thousand golden scales; long flames burst
from her lips and from her eyes; a huge and fearsome Dragon, she wound
and coiled herself about the bell of D j ji. With her Dragon’s tail, she lashed
the bell and lashed it till its bronze was red hot.”
— The Bell of D j ji

T he lóng (or lung) of China. The ryu of Japan. The mireu

and imugi of Korea. Thanks to the linguistics and draconic
diversity of Asia, the Lóng Flight goes by dozens of names and
pantheons in the area. By the Kami invasion of The World
in 600 BCE, hundreds of Asian Dragons left the Atua, Kami,
and Shén behind. The strategic move saved countless lives,
contains around two hundred still-living dragons, from the though some, such as Yamata-no-Orochi, died at the hands
r ng of Vietnam to the taniwha of Polynesia. Exact dates are of the Kami before they could all escape properly.
hard to come by, but sometime after the rise of the Huángdì Although they rarely agreed on matters, the Lóng
in 2697 BCE, the Dragons of Asia began separating from created a network of communities as part of the strategic
their nearby pantheons. retreat, ensuring none would ever face the Gods or Titans
Despite the vital role that Yīnglóng played in alone again. Debates over who should rule and
the creation of the Chinese Han state, the what to call the nascent Flight were fierce
Dragon was relegated to a minor role and extended. They eventually settled
within the Shén. Adding insult to on Lóng as a name, due to the Flight
injury, Huángdì made Yīnglóng having more lóng than any other
teach him how to shape change type of Dragon, thus more votes
into the Yellow Dragon, es- for Lóng than any other name.
sentially treating the Dragon Leadership was a more
form as a costume to wear, complicated topic, with
understanding nothing of everything from direct de-
the culture of the Lóng. mocracy to anarchism to
Huángdì’s transformation kratocracy seriously consid-
into the Yellow Dragon could ered. In the end, they did a bit
have been the bridge that con- of everything. Major policy
nected the Gods and Dragons decisions are handled through
into a strong community, but a Flight-wide vote, with irregu-
the Yellow Emperor treated lar Flight gatherings taking place
the gift of a Dragon form as a in Ryūgū, Ryūjin’s castle. Voluntary
mere plaything, souring relations. groups formed for mutual aid, creat-
Prince Nezha’s crimes against Áo Gu ing a grass-roots structure for handling
ng drove the wedge further. Across Asia, small, regional Lóng issues. And Ryūjin
similar struggles between Gods and Dragons was thrown under the whale, voted the King of
broke out: the feuds between Maui and Kuna, Gōnggōng the Flight against the wishes of the Dragon who already
and Zhuānxū, and even Wùkōng and Ryūjin. had his claws full with his kingdom.
In other areas of The World, Scions and Gods were The Lóng are the largest Flight, and probably the most
killing Dragons, and locally increasingly anthrocentrist organized. They benefit from coming together early which
policies placed humans and humanoids before all other saved a great many of their numbers, which in turn gives
species. Seeing the writing on the wall, the Dragons be- them the advantage of a multitude of minds all put toward
gan a quick exodus from the Shén, Kami, Atua, and other strategizing their goals. The Lóng remember their time

64 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

both before Gods and as Gods, and they have never felt easy
with their decision to leave that power behind. They have
the security to play a long game, which ends as them the PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
supreme rulers of The World, and all humankind.
As a widespread group, the names of the
Thanks to the more recent violent upheavals of the Lóng come from multiple languages, which
Titanomachy, the Dragons in Asia have learned that there can create some confusion. Here are some
is safety in numbers, not to mention Earth’s deepest seas, important names and terms along with their
where even Poseidon knows better than to meddle. They pronunciations. The “r” sound of all the
started accepting stragglers from all over The World, but languages is a flap, similar to the sound “tt”
only if that Dragon was happy with hiding among a dem- makes in “Seattle” or “butter.” A difficult
ocratic oligarchy. They once tried to recruit the Dragons
syllable, “ryu” has no space between the “r”
and the “y” sound, similar to how “do you” in
who would later become the Serpents, but at the time those
English can sound like “dyou.” And, while most
Dragons weren’t ready to leave their pantheons behind. of the vowels presented are somewhat close to
Despite the general desire for a sense of belonging and English vowels, the “eu” of “mireu” is similar the
unity, it still took over a thousand years to fully establish English “oo,” but made without rounding your
the Lóng, mainly because there were so many River Lóng lips.
who were too embroiled in their own struggles against Ati-a-muri “Ah-tee-ah-moo-ree”
Titans and Gods to understand that they didn’t have to Bakunawa “Bah-koo-nah-wah”
stand alone. Many of the River Lóng perished in the panic Gōnggōng “Gohng-gohng”
that preceded the unification. But now, they have a home
and a family, and they’re not going to give that up. Horomatangi “Hoh-roh-mah-tang-ee”
Imugi “Ee-moo-gee”
FACTIONS Kuna “Koo-nah”
Though mortals have tried cataloging all the Lóng, Lóng “Lohng”
their Flight can largely be broken into four cliques, based Mireu “Mee-roo”
on their preferred habitats: Sea, Shallows, Rivers, and
Mo’o “Moh’-oh”
Heavens. While the Lóng of the Sea and the Lóng the River
both think of themselves as Dragon royalty, the Sea Lóng Roko “Roh-koh”
lean into it, with all the good and bad that go along with Ryu “Ryoo”
it. The more levelheaded, like Ryūjin, cultivate entire cit- Ryūjin “Ryoo-jeen”
ies of magical beings, eager to be kind and just rulers. The Tamatebako “Tah-mah-teh-bah-koh”
more passionate, like Kiyohime, demand their tribute and
destroy those who refuse to part with it.
Taniwha “Tah-nee-whah”
Yīnglóng “Yeeng-lohng”
In contrast, the River Lóng see themselves as the
people’s leaders, desperate to aid their subjects in times of Zhúlóng “Joo-lohng”
crisis or rescue them from danger. Thanks to the nature of
rivers and human civilizations, the River Lóng have plenty
of chances to perform their self-appointed duties. They try the scars The World bears because of him are proof enough
to keep a low profile like the rest of the Lóng, but if any of that. Why the Heaven Lóng still live among the Gods is
group is likely to slip up and get spotted, it’s them. Although anyone’s guess, but subterfuge is a distinct possibility.
originally a Heavenly Shén, Yīnglóng’s passion for the peo-
ple is one of the clearest examples of a River Lóng. He put CHARACTERISTICS
away his entire life in order to save the people. Generally speaking, the Lóng have lengthy, serpentine
Shallows Lóng come in a variety of flavors, perhaps bodies, giant heads, antlers, and a set of claws or two, with
because they were born that way or possibly because many relatively minor variation from region to region. As an
of them are shapeshifters. No matter what the reason, example, Chinese lóng and Japanese ryu have a different
they’re some of the toughest Dragons around, having had number of toes, five and three, respectively. Korean imugi
to grow up fending off the predators both in the sea and on typically lack antlers and claws, at least until they mature
islands. As a result, they tend to be more aggressive, often into fully grown mireu. River Lóng tend to appear more
finding fights that could have been avoided, simply because snakelike, although they can grow claws if the need arises.
they couldn’t risk being the second to attack. Completely changing things up, Shallows Lóng are
Rarely seen in The World, Heaven Lóng define in- shapeshifters who don’t care about maintaining the status
scrutability, their behavior shrouded in an air of nobility, quo Dragon look. Instead, they adapt their bodies to suit
often pondering problems that only they can see. Their their environments. Among these are the bakunawa of the
contemplative behavior should not be seen as weakness or Philippines, the taniwha of western Polynesia, and the mo’o
an unwillingness to act, though; the dead Gōnggōng and of eastern Polynesia. Between each of these major species,
the Shallows Lóng can look like pretty much anything

The Lóng 65
aquatic or reptilian, with the bakunawa preferring to look their homes, choosing to make their homes in The World,
like sharks, turtles, and crocodiles. Taniwha and mo’o are atop mountains and clouds.
closely related, generally appearing in a reptilian form, liz-
ards, eels, and such. Taniwha are nearly always in the form
FEATURES
of a large predator, while mo’o have more flexibility in their Because River Lóng love being at the center of atten-
size, becoming as large or small as a they want to be, even tion, their lairs are nearly always community centers of
things as small as geckos. sorts. Amphitheaters and temples are especially popular,
with many acting troupes, monastic orders, and even a few
With a lifespan far older than most everything in The
internet café-based e-sports teams being directly spon-
World, Gods included, the Lóng have developed two traits
sored by River Lóng, who enjoy plays, concerts, religious
that are nearly universal throughout the Flight: patience
ceremonies, and competitions even more than humans.
and a stubborn attitude. They generally shrug off human
Such events are well-shrouded, not naming the patron,
stupidity and spontaneity, assuming time and a draconic
though the Dragon almost always shows up in disguise to
nudge or two will set things right. This is generally a good
watch his masterpiece play out.
thing for Heirs going through a rough time of transition,
although some might wish their Dragon had more of a Although you might expect the castles of the Sea Lóng
hands-on approach when they come face first against a to be massive and immobile, that’s only half true; their
violent Scion or God. castles routinely go missing from The World, cropping up
in various Terra Incognitae like Takamagahara. When they
While they know that time causes all things to shake
return to The World, they don’t always return to the same
out for the best, many Lóng can’t help but put a claw on
spot. It’s even possible for them to appear in other oceans,
the scales to make things work out a little better and a little
although that’s risky for a variety of reasons. Anyone seek-
faster. The River Lóng are especially guilty of this, arrang-
ing out a Sea Lóng would be better off getting a guide, since
ing circumstances so that a human can’t help but make bet-
the odds of finding the lair on their own are practically zero.
ter choices. To be fair, their lairs are surrounded by people
at all times, so it’s not like they don’t have a personal stake The “lairs” of the Shallows Lóng are less of a place and
in humanity getting things right. more of a state of mind; the simple act of going on watch,
looking after the people and places of the territory, serves
LAIRS to center the Shallows Lóng, like a primal, militant form
Starting in East Asia and encompassing the Pacific of meditation. As such, these patrols are essential elements
Ocean, the Lóng span to all corners of The World. As such, of the Shallows Lóng, meaning that every Shallows Lóng
their lairs are as varied as they are. has something or someone(s) they want to protect, usually
a single island or tribe of people.
LOCATIONS Naturally, the Heaven Lóng have the most opulent
Although many Lóng choose to make their lairs away residences of the Flight. The nature of Heaven means that
from humans, virtually all the River Lóng live among hu- physics and space are of even less concern than they are in
mans. Part of this is because of geographic necessity. When The World. When a Dragon wants a new castle wing, they
your domain is a major waterway, there’s no getting away just need to add a cloud to their Lair. Of course, the location
from people. But many River Lóng don’t see their proximity means that they have Shén for neighbors, which might not
to people as a problem; instead, they see it as a partnership always be a plus.
of the land. In a way, the people are like citizens of their tiny
kingdoms. And they are tiny kingdoms, with many of the LAIR STAFF
River Lóng’s lairs barely more than a city block. Thankfully, Regardless of what kind of lair a Lóng has, it contains
River Lóng are experts at shape changing, requiring little a full staff, though not necessarily human or even knowing
space, especially if they’re in the form of a small snake. of their roles. Castle Ryūgū rarely even has human visitors,
Sea Lóng, on the other hand, often make their lairs in let alone permanent residents, Urashimatarō notwith-
a place challenging for humans to visit: beneath the waves. standing. Instead, the castle has a veritable army of fish
Most of these lairs are sea caves, but a few, like Ryūjin’s, and cephalopods inside, tending to the needs of their king
are full scale castles. Shallows Lóng hate staying still. Many and any petitioners of his court. Even though the castle has
of them simply don’t lair, preferring instead to stake out a some air-filled spaces, the fish servants swim through them
specific territory to patrol. Whether their patrols are acts unhindered, because of course they do. Even the Shallows
of protection or terrorism is a matter of opinion that varies Lóng have a sea full of allies willing to keep an eye out or to
wildly depending on who’s commenting. Heaven Lóng rare- fetch something.
ly make lairs in The World, instead finding spaces within High maintenance Dragons, Lóng generally have a lot
the various Heavens. Though theoretically welcome in any of work to do. River Lóng ensure the people are healthy
of the Heavens, Heaven Lóng almost always stick to their and in good spirits, with successful harvests. As an exam-
original pantheon; there aren’t any mireu in Takamagahara, ple, Yīnglóng has a network of messengers who keep their
nor ryu in Cheon, at least not longer than a brief visit. But eyes and ears open for any signs that a village might need
there are plenty of Heaven Lóng who are less literal with the water Dragon’s help. Any drought in southern China

66 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

is unlikely to last long. Sea Lóng keep the billions of ani- with The World. Ji fèng, the Nine-headed Phoenix, held
mals in the oceans from hunting one another to extinction, the princess in its nest, a rather labyrinthine cave network.
presiding over endless court cases between aggrieved Though a prince freed her and a Lóng who was held cap-
creatures. Naturally, the Heaven Lóng have considerable tive, the prince was betrayed by another royal who wanted
baggage, as everything they do and see is filtered through the princess for himself. In the end, the Lóng gave the first
the lens of what The World could be, “if only X were differ- prince the tools he needed to prove that he was the hero.
ent.” Only the Shallows Lóng eschew retainers, preferring Plenty of Sea Lóng have found themselves balancing
to get things done on their own and being willing to live karmic scales for humans, either eating unruly ones or
with anything they can’t take care of. finding suitable rewards for just ones. Huáng Lóng saved a
The theatre troupes of the River Lóng aren’t exactly devoted daughter from certain death, eventually reuniting
spies working for their master, but they do have acting her with her blind father. Ryūjin repaid a kind fisherman
skills. If their Lóng needs information, they’ll find a way to who saved a turtle from a gang with the tamatebako, a box
convince people to tell them what they need to know. Even promising eternal life for those who can keep it closed and
the small, open air lairs of the smaller River Lóng tend to a terrible fate for those unable to restrain their curiosity.
be bustling centers of information, with people exchanging Even Lóng in relationships with humans tend to deal out
goods, services, and information along the periphery. Few karmic justice, punishing those who go back on their
people these days suspect that the snake in the golden bowl words. Ryūjin’s daughter Toyotamahime was once married
is a Dragon. Fewer still realize that every secret that comes to a prince. Unbeknownst to him, she had taken a human
out of their mouths makes its way to the ear of the Lóng. form. She gave him the condition that he does not watch
Beyond the attendants, Lóng lairs are packed with any- her during childbirth. Of course, the asshole did, discover-
thing the Dragon considers beautiful. What’s the point of ing her in her draconic glory. Unwilling to remain married
living forever if you don’t have cool art? Taste in art might to an oath breaker, she left him, making him fully responsi-
be in the eye of the beholder, but the staggering amount of ble for raising their son.
resources and time that most Lóng have at their disposal THE END GAME
means that whatever they have is likely the best of its kind.
The Lóng have crafted a careful plan to not just get rid
MYSTERIES of the pantheons, but usurp them, taking their place of ulti-
mate worship among humans. To this end, they have spent
With thousands of Lóng, the possible memories an their time gaining allies and ingratiating themselves with
Heir might encounter are nearly limitless. The folklore of humanity. They can’t overtly gain their worship, for if the
East Asia and the Pacific are only the beginning. The tales pantheons caught wind of their plans, they would surely
out there are merely the encounters humans documented. rain fiery wrath upon all the Dragons of The World.
Millions of other stories have gone untold and unknown to
humans over the past several thousand years. The stories While Gods and Titans struggle against one another,
that people tell of the Lóng are mostly true, to a point. The flinging their children into battle, the Lóng have been play-
Flight doesn’t need to hide their truths in lies; the glut of ing a different game. Instead of fighting in the streets and
stories does the job well enough, overwhelming anyone clouds, they use their old talents of Blessings, empowering
who tries to dig too deep. Heirs have just as hard a time one another and turning ordinary humans into potent allies
sifting through memories and sorting the useful from the and pawns. It’s no coincidence that one of the most famous
excessive. An Heir is likely to gain a general sense from faces in Japan is green and scaly and those most devoted to
dozens of memories, rather than experiencing a specific him are at the top of the game for entertainment. Just as in
memory about any one event. the old days, Lóng reward virtue in humans. These days,
those virtues serve the Dragons.
Heirs gain memories of humans underestimating dra-
conic strength, or the Dragon’s fiery passions. The River It would be a mistake to say that these mortals consti-
Lóng Jīnlóngwáng rules over the entirety of the Yellow tute an army or are heroes, but there are millions of them
River, but frequently manifests as a small golden snake in the Lóng’s pocket. They come from all levels of society,
with four red dots over his eyes. Even while posing regally from government to entertainment to law enforcement to
in his golden lacquerware bowl, many unlearned mortals criminal enterprise. Anyone you meet could be a pawn of
fail to recognize that his modest form belies one of the most the Lóng, part of a vast conspiracy as part of a dangerous
powerful River Lóng. There are even times when educated end game.
scholars challenged the Golden Dragon King, only to end
up with their jaws on the floor when they blinked, and he
RELATIONSHIPS
suddenly towered above them or surrounded them in a The Shén know the Lóng well, as many of them have
corral of flames. lived and worked together. Huángdì, in particular, owes
Yīnglóng his life, his throne, and even his very Godhood.
Not all memories of Lóng involve telling mortals to
The Responding Dragon sacrificed his godhood and place
get in their place or burning them alive. Most of Lóng get
in Heaven in order to destroy Huángdì’s foes and unite
along well with humans. When the Titan Ji fèng captured
China. It is a debt that the Yellow Emperor can never repay.
a princess, it was ultimately a Sea Lóng who set things right

The Lóng 67
Accordingly, even his Scions feel beholden to Yīnglóng’s More interesting is the Lóng ’s relationship with the
Heirs. Similarly, the Shén have nothing but good things to Titans of Asia. Raijin’s domain is the sky, while Ryūjin’s
say about Ryūjin, as he’s kept the Pacific far calmer than is the sea, making the surface of the ocean The World’s
they could have hoped. largest border between the supernatural, making Sea Lóng
Unfortunately, not all interactions between the Lóng and Sky Titans the closest thing to cordial neighbors as The
and the Shén have ended so well. Gōnggōng’s death at World sees. Raijin’s brother Raitarō even takes dragon form
the hands of Zhúlóng makes that plain to see. Though from time to time. Which is not to say all Lóng speak well
Gōnggōng is no more, his Heirs are unlikely to feel safe of their neighbors. Jīnlóngwáng has plenty of nasty things
amongst the Shén. Similarly, Nüwa slew the Black Dragon. to say about the Titans along his domain, the Yellow River,
Though her actions were to help her people, that’s cold especially after many of his servants died in the early days
comfort to the rest of the Lóng, who see her as a foe, or at of the Titanomachy, caught in the turf wars.
least a danger. Even more complicated, the Lóng and the Atua can’t
The Kami, on the other hand, consider the Lóng decide what they think of each other. The Atua sure as hell
members of the pantheon, even if that belief only goes one don’t trust Kuna, especially since Hina’s account of their
way. Though few of the Heavenly Kami would consider the engagement wildly diverges from his, painting him in a
Lóng equals or deserving of a place in Takamagahara, they much less flattering light. The Lóng don’t trust the Atua
nonetheless see the Lóng as members of the same team. after Maui’s beat down of the eel taniwha. The mo’o Roko
Adding to this confusion, Ryūjin has had a place among also beat the shit out of Kuna and he’s a Lóng, too. Hell,
the Heavenly Kami since as long as anyone can remember, Roko killed an Aspect of Kuna, so any claims that there’s a
although his palace has always been beneath the waves. united front are glossing over details.

In fact, none of the Lóng have ever laired among the

Heavenly or Earthly Kami. Tsukuyomi lives on the Moon,
NOTABLE DRAGONS
The Lóng Flight numbers in the hundreds, with
so it’s not like there isn’t strong precedent for Kami living
Dragons hailing from all over The World. The following are
in weird places. With that in mind, it’s not that hard to un-
just a small sampling of some of the most famous of their
derstand why none of the Kami have ever noticed that the
ranks.
Lóng never visit Takamagahara.

68 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

G NGG NG, THE SKY-BREAKER In the end, he found himself an outcast, unsupport-
ed by the Shén, and disliked by the Lóng. As more of The
Aliases: Kungkung, Kanghui
World turned its back on him, he neglected himself and
Gōnggōng was a Dragon with a fiery temper, when the his duties, causing the lands around him to flood as he fell
Shén came and offered him a place in Heaven, he grudg- into deep depression. Zhuānxū took it upon himself to talk
ingly accepted, hoping it would give him something inter- sense into his former foe, but every word he said made
esting to do. But the Dragon soon found he was only one things worse, the paranoid Lóng seeing treachery in each
of many, and unappreciated in his greatness. As impetuous sentence. Inevitably, the last desire Gōnggōng felt was not a
as he was long, Gōnggōng did nothing by half measures. sense of duty, but for one final fight against the fire god, this
Not content to be second to anyone, he went to war with time suffering a fatal wound that killed him.
the fire god Zhuānxū, clashing through Heaven until he
Gōnggōng’s Heirs are reckless and single-minded.
finally lost, plummeting to Earth. In a fit of rage from his
They see dangers all around and will not let that stop
loss, he slammed his head against Mt. Bùzhōu, one of the
them from their goals. They’re cops who shoot first and
Sky Pillars. His strike gouged Heaven and snapped one of
ask questions later. The beat is rough and they close cases.
the Cords of Earth, knocking the Earth askew, permanently
Why should they care about getting written up? They get
changing the course of all of China’s rivers, as well as the
to go home in a bed, not a casket. They are managers and
Middle Kingdom’s relationship with Heaven. Though
CEOs who are driven by metrics and quarterly earnings. If
Nüwa tried to repair the damage, there was only so much
an employee stands between them and the company’s suc-
she could do.
cess, screw that guy. It’s better to have a prosperous com-
His fury at the Gods for tricking him into joining them pany than it is to look after the little guy. They are bounty
turned into various violent acts of rebellion and rage. This hunters and repossession agents chasing down leads to get
often manifested as flooding rivers, making the nearby their guy. Being a skip tracer or a repo agent isn’t as cool as
lands fertile. But though that helped the people, he would it looks on TV, but nothing stands in the way of them and
just as soon destroy towns or some other violent outburst. their target. By hook, crook, or gun, they’re going to get it.
His only solace was in his children, who he doted on relent-
Callings: Destroyer, Nomad, Predator
lessly so that they would view him as the greatest.

The Lóng 69
 Memory: The feel of potential attackers everywhere, fraudulent. Coaches, pushing their team on to one more
and those who would do them harm; fear of losing power; rep, one more lap, one more victory.
pouring out rage as a torrential assault. Callings: Destroyer, Guardian, Judge
Dragon Magic: Decay, Elemental Manipulation (Air), Memory: Waiting in the shadows, the shallows, and
Flight, Weather Control the deeps; the mixed pride and pain of seeing a new star
HOROMATANGI, THE SHIPWRECKER rise, surpassing them; testing those who seek worthiness;
putting people to trial.
Aliases: Ihu-maataotao
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Water),
Horomatangi is one of the few Dragons who has lived
Fear, Weather Control
his life relatively untouched by the changes the Gods
wrought when they formed pantheons. He has always been KUNA, THE DEMON OF THE SEA
the terror of the sea, and the Gods weren’t too off when they Aliases: Tuna-roa
labeled him Titan, a role he gladly accepted. He is the dread
that all sailors feel the first time their ship fails them while Kuna was a sea Dragon long before the Gods told sto-
they’re underway. That moment when they know that the ries of Rangi and Papa forming The World through sheer
horizon holds no hope and the water can erase them forev- force of will. He would often swim the waters chasing fish
er, without a trace. Horomatangi does this deliberately. If or his own tail. He loved the competition of the chase and
someone wants to pass through his domain, they must be cared more about it than the catching. When the Gods
worthy, or they die. came, Kuna turned his chase to fame and conquest, which
ultimately led to his death.
One of the most prominent Lóng, Horomatangi leads
a life as close to public as any Dragon dares, dwelling un- The eel-like Kuna saw the most beautiful woman in the
derneath Lake Taupo at the center of New Zealand’s North islands, the moon goddess Hina. Seeing her as the ultimate
Island. Long ago, he was merely a local legend, now The prize, he sought after her. Using every charm and secret he
World is a lot smaller. When hundreds of vessels vanish in a possessed, he slithered his way into her heart. They wed.
relatively small area, the old legends about taniwha become But it wasn’t her that he wanted; it was the chase. The con-
more than just curiosities. Like Nessie of the Lindwurm quest. He didn’t care when she was by his side. He didn’t
Flight, people believe in Horomatangi, with some traveling care when she left his side. But, when she was by Maui’s
great distances to learn the truth for themselves and to feel side, he cared. It was a new contest. A challenge between
the dread. Most of them stick to the shoreline instead of him and the demigod.
traveling directly through the center of the lake, though. He came after her, chasing with his powerful fins that
Excitement doesn’t always override survival instincts. propelled him through the sea. He grasped at her with his
For hundreds of years, Horomatangi has been the slippery coils, but only brought harm upon her. Enraged,
measuring stick by which all would-be sailors, chiefs, and Maui chased him, pouring lava into every hiding place
leaders are measured. Most die, never even glimpsing his Kuna sought refuge in. Kuna lost that contest. He would
long, eel-like body or any of his other forms. Instead, they find another. Naturally, Maui and Kuna don’t get along now.
witness his mana, his strength and force of will. The lake Or at least they didn’t. Kuna went missing a few hundred
and the sky obey his desire to push mortals to the brink, years ago and is assumed dead. Maui swears he had nothing
forming vortexes, waterspouts, and typhoons. If they can to do with it, though few are convinced.
exert their mana to push back and calm the weather, they Memories of fame seeking haunt Kuna’s Heirs. They
have won a rare victory, indeed. These rare survivors find a recall the hunt for glory, the crushing disappointment of
new path in their lives, one that inevitably leads to success failure, and the thrill of a new challenge. The thirst for
and at the whim of the Dragon. others to recognize their glory spurs the children of Kuna
Although people tell stories of Lake Taupo, few realize to acts of grandiosity. They are competitors of all types.
that his tests aren’t constrained to one location. Anyone on Athletes, pushing their bodies to the breaking point for a
the sea may face his trial by fire. Too few people come to his chance at victory. Video gamers, climbing up the leader-
lake and sail over his lair, so he picks new pawns out on the boards one click at a time. Social media influencers, cre-
open waters. The trials are as much a way for him to gain ating viral trends and new tastes, all in the name of more
new followers as it is to cull humanity. followers. Soldiers, training for and dreaming of the only
challenge that means anything: survival.
Horomatangi’s Heirs seek careers that place them at
the nexus of change, the hinge point where people become Calling: Collector, Predator, Watcher
better versions of themselves or be crushed. They become Memory: The loss of love and needing to chase after
drill sergeants, eschewing combat roles in order to ensure it; the sulfuric smell of lava and the hiss as it plunges into
that the next generation is the best possible. White hat the ocean; the feel of boiling water ripping apart fins; the
hackers paid to break security systems to show where feel of defeat; the joy of victory; the desire for a chase.
companies are weakest. Insurance investigators, hunting
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Air, Water),
for weaknesses in claims to pare the unfortunate from the
Luck, Transformation

70 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

RY JIN, THE DRAGON KING Memory: The responsibility of the seas; feeling the
lives of billions of marine creatures, when they are born,
Aliases: Ryojin, Qing Lóng, Áo Gu ng, Ōwatatsumi,
die, or are wronged; responsibility to make right injustices
Kai Riu O
against the sea; being a leader.
The oldest and arguably the most powerful of the Lóng,
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental
Ryūjin has many names, most famously: the Dragon King
Manipulation (Water), Fear, Illusions
of the East. Although he’d never claim supremacy over the
other three Dragon Kings of the Sea, none of them rule over Y NGL NG, THE RESPONDING DRAGON
the Pacific, making his domain the largest by far. Despite Originally one of the Shén, Yīnglóng was one of the
his great age, his mind and memory remain sharp, able to many rain gods. From Heaven he looked after all the people
remember everyone to cross paths with him. Surprisingly, of China, although he had a special fondness for the south.
this has done nothing to harden his disposition. Ryūjin He watched with fondness as the then-mortal Huángdì
remains as affable as ever, as he also remembers everyone grew up, knowing that the human was destined for great-
who’s done him or his subjects a kindness. ness. When the Emperor sought to unify the Han people, he
As the Pacific contains more living creatures than stood against the war god Chīyóu and the drought demon
anywhere else in The World, governance is no small task. Kuāfù; more than the Yellow Emperor could stand alone
Fortunately, Ryūjin produced solutions to that problem against.
thousands of years ago. In addition to having a court full Huángdì beseeched Heaven for aid in defeating his
of advisors (mostly fish, whales, and cephalopods), Ryūjin rivals. Yīnglóng responded. To arrive in time to help, he
has an impressive Lair, Castle Ryūgū. Through some com- transformed himself into a great, winged Dragon. He grew
bination of his power and the properties of the castle itself, yellow scales, his skin becoming like the battlements of a
time flows differently for inhabitants, with each of the four fortress. This transformation was a permanent change,
seasons occurring simultaneously within its walls. leaving Yīnglóng with great power but no home, as he was
Still, even with his advantages and careful planning, no longer a Shén. Where once he could regulate all the rain
he’s not without faults; he’s not omniscient, nor is he above of The World, now his powers only extended to water that
wrath when provoked. Once, a monkey tricked a fish into he could see. His proficiency over the element was less fo-
making Ryūjin the butt of a practical joke. Ryūjin gave the cused than it had ever been, but no less potent.
fish a brutal beating, pulverizing every bone in its body, cre- Though Kuāfù drained the area of water, Yīnglóng
ating the first jellyfish. Though he later learned what had gathered up all the water from the surrounding lands,
happened and expressed profound regret, no apologies in condensing trillions of gallons above Chīyóu, Kuāfù, and
The World could repair the damage that he had bestowed the rest of Huángdì’s foes. Driving it to the earth as a fist of
upon the jellyfish. Wùkōng denies all knowledge of the water, he slammed them to the ground, where the weight of
event, which does little to make Ryūjin comfortable around the flood held them as they all drowned. Huángdì ascended
the monkey God. through victory, becoming the Yellow Emperor, one of the
That and other awkward moments notwithstanding, Shén, while Yīnglóng was locked out of Heaven. Knowing
Ryūjin has been striving for thousands of years to keep what Yīnglóng sacrificed to save him and his people,
his ocean a peaceful and fair place. The way he sees it, Huángdì is honor bound to look after the Dragon and his
the Pacific should be a place he’d like to live in, even if he Heirs.
weren’t King. Thus, climate change is as great a threat to Two thousand years later, Yīnglóng barely misses
Ryūjin and his Heirs as the Titanomachy is. As far as sides Heaven. He has so much to do, tending to the people of
in the Titanomachy, Ryūjin doesn’t have a favorite. He used China, making sure that everyone always has enough fresh
to be a Kami, has a mantle as a Shén Titan, and Raijin has water. Although most River Lóng confine themselves to just
been a good neighbor for thousands of years. He is, howev- one river, Yīnglóng takes care of them all, spreading himself
er, fully aware of the danger that the conflict brings. thin. He’s too proud to ask for help, though he rarely has to,
Ryūjin’s Heirs strive for a greatness that helps The as Huángdì and his Scions remember their debt.
World. They are the scientists and engineers working Yīnglóng’s Heirs are the type to drop everything to
on renewable energy. Their name is on every paper pub- help someone in need. They are the mom friend of any
lished on cleaning up the ocean, not because they crave group, ready to drive out to a club, bleary-eyed and half
the attention, but because they never stop working, turn- dressed, just so that their friend doesn’t have to drive
ing out a volume of work that seems to defy time. They drunk. They are EMTs, firefighters, search & rescue.
are the ones to step forward and kick off community They’re first on scene. Every time. Their patients might not
gardens and composting, knowing that feeding human- even be conscious, but they know they’re in good hands.
ity doesn’t need to take freighters that burn hundreds of His Heirs are the people who stop on the highway when
tons of fuel per day. they see someone in distress, giving up their spare tire just
Callings: Judge, Mystic, Ruler to get someone home. They’re the bystander with a camera
phone, live streaming an arrest, just in case. They might be

The Lóng 71
late to work but preventing the rights of the accused from GUIDES
being trampled on is worth it.
• Ati-a-muri: Loyal servant of Horomatangi, Ati-
Callings: Guardian, Healer, Judge a-muri is a fellow taniwha, albeit one of trivial
Memory: The desperate cries of their ancestor’s mana compared to his lord. Ati-a-muri has helped
followers, the anguish cracking their voices as their pleas Horomatangi test the mana and resolve of countless
reached Heaven; the drive to help those in need no matter travelers. Often taking the form of a fellow traveler,
the cost; the agony of being torn from Heaven; sacrificing he lures examinees into a false sense of security.
oneself for the benefit of others. Simply put, he is the calm before the storm.
Dragon Magic: Elemental manipulation (Earth, • Mist Hounds: Formed entirely of fog, Mist Hounds
Water), Flight, Luck, Transformation can seep through cracks, evade detection, and fly
away, making them the ultimate scouts and spies.
COMMON L NG BIRTHRIGHTS Though accustomed to Polynesia, they follow their
Lóng collect all manner of useful items, sometimes master’s Heirs anywhere.
just for beauty, but mostly for an eye on utility. They have • Sacred Engineers of the Dragon King: An ancient
spent centuries curating hoards to both stroke their egos organization of Legendary Creatures devoted to
and prepare themselves for an eventual take-over. Beyond Ryūjin. They devote themselves to maintenance
that, virtually all Lóng have dozens or hundreds of human and care of the World and spend most of their time
and animal pawns to use to explore The World undetected. teaching Heirs all manner of disaster preparedness.

FLIGHT PATH OF THE L NG

Path Skills: Empathy, Leadership
Favored Draconic Knacks: Bottomless Lung, Draconic Majesty
Even before the Lóng formed into a Flight, they were part of communities. The decision to retreat only
reinforced that truth, pulling in even the most solitary Dragons for safety. To be Lóng is to be safe. Just as
brittle minerals and malleable metals can be joined to create impenetrable steel, the Dragons of East Asia
are stronger as the Lóng.
Remembrances: Pride (Cipher) vs. Humility (Defection). Even when the Shén and Lóng were on the
best of terms, being a Dragon came with danger. Hundreds of years ago, river Lóng died left and right
due to the predations of Titans and Gods. Despite everything, the Lóng retain their pride. They did not run
and hide as the other Dragons did, instead they made a strategic decision which ensured the safety of their
numbers. They are not the hunted; they do the hunting. A life hidden is a life not worth living, but being a
Dragon isn’t free. The cost is courage, blood, and sweat. And you will pay it. Lóng Heirs connect to their
Handlers through embracing their pride. They do not allow setbacks to define them, only their responses.
They accept failure as the price for greatness, always taking full measures and never turning their back on
a challenge.
Living that kind of life is dangerous. Heirs who push against their draconic nature swallow their pride for
the sake of others, exhibiting humility. Pride has its place, but an overabundance can push people away.
An Heir knows she isn’t as powerful as a God or even their draconic Handler. Best to remember that lesson
and have humility, keeping herself grounded in the truth that her life is no more important than any other.
With humility, she is willing to self-sacrifice, give of herself for her fellow human, and accept that she might
not always be right.
A Lóng Heir balances her pride against her humility, tempering danger with forethought. She finds ways
to retain her pride while acquiescing to others, and tries not to let her draconic and headstrong nature
make it impossible for her to work with others.
Signature Lóng Dragon Magic: Blessings Lóng take pride in all they do, and they are most famous
for the blessings they bestow upon The World. As a Flight, they hope to one day rule The World, and so
they’ve spent a great deal of time perfecting it. This has manifested in a magic which gives them the ability
to manipulate how the chaos of The World flows around others.
Ever seen a dog standing atop a building collapsed by an earthquake or a hermit’s shack remain
unscathed after a typhoon? A thriving farming village in the middle of a province-wide drought? They
weren’t lucky. They were Blessed. Their magic extends from powerful protections to material wealth and
all manner of things in between. The famous tamatebako, treasure box, that Ryūjin gave to Urashimatarō
wasn’t just an expensive bauble; it sealed away the human’s mortality where even the wear of centuries
couldn’t harm him.

72 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

 Their home base is a flotilla on the surface of the Even a mortal can live centuries with the help of a
water roughly above Ryūjin’s water palace. tamatebako, so long as their box remains closed.

HOARDS • Zhúlóng’s Torch: Constructed from a piece of the

Torch Dragon’s eye, the light from this flashlight
• Dragon Pearl: Many of the Lóng grow pearls under- reveals everything its light touches, even if it were
neath their chins. Though valuable simply for being otherwise hidden.
large pearls, the pearls contain magical powers,
able to extinguish infernos when flung into fire, to PAWNS
split seas in two, quiet volcanos, and other feats of • Jiāolóng: The “Sea Dragon” special forces task
elemental magic. Able to replicate any Lóng ability force of the Chinese military might officially work
before disintegrating, the pearls are potent individu- for their government, but every operator in the team
ally, though most Lóng have at least a handful, ready knows the true pecking order of The World and
to twist reality to serve them. would rather burn their ties to their country than
• Jīnqīw n: Outwardly, an expensive-looking golden upset one of the Lóng. Especially well-suited to sea-
lacquerware bowl filled with sand, a jīnqīw n is even based raids, the Jiāolóng can deal with most earthly
more valuable than it seems. Located within each of threats. Their success rate against Titanspawn is
a River Lóng ’s lair, the sand of the bowl serves as less sure, but they’ll put bullets into pretty much
both a resting place and a conduit to any location anything a Lóng requests.
the Lóng has been invited to. River Lóng with mul- • Loyalists: The Lóng have been collecting and curat-
tiple lairs and jīnqīw n can travel between them ing allies to do their bidding across The World. Most
instantaneously. people have no idea they work for a Dragon, but a se-
• Tamatebako: Bestowed by the Sea Lóng, tamate- lect few are in on the secret. Those form a tight-knit
bako forever change the lives of their recipients. group that refers to themselves as Loyalists, ready to
Outwardly, they appear as masterfully crafted lac- do literally anything for their Dragons, and happily
querware boxes roughly the size of a dictionary. The spreading that fanaticism to their Heirs.
boxes absorb harm that would befall their charges.

The Lóng 73
 “Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”
— Rumi

W hen the mountains pulled themselves from the oceans

and lakes pooled in vast chasms, when the world took
in its first breaths of creation and winds learned to shudder
Realm, time slowed, and a Dragon could truly understand
a concept, becoming more fully one with it. Some Dragons
were so wrapped up in their concepts, they never left the
through trees, these concepts entranced Dragons. They Divine Realm, others rarely revisited, viewing their stew-
marveled at them, but such ephemeral things did not last ardship over the concept in The World as more important
long enough for proper scrutiny. Some Dragons created a than understanding it. Other Dragons came and went from
place outside The World in which to explore and understand the Divine Realm as a pastime, viewing the concepts as a
these concepts: A Terra Incognita called the Divine Realm. polite curiosity.
Dragons from all over The World entered the Divine Realm When the Gods started to repattern The World, they
to experience these concepts, and as they did, they felt a caught the many-in-one off guard. Those Dragons won-
connection to the concept. Those who spent a great deal dered at these strange
of time there began to fleshy creatures and
embody the concept wanted to contem-
which allowed them plate them in the
to carry new concepts Divine Realm. The
from the Divine Dragons underes-
Realm into The World timated humans,
creating brand new who were far more
features such as rivers, complex than they
stones, and lakes. originally thought.
Dragons who Bringing the
grew to embody concept of a
concepts split human to the
themselves into Divine Realm
multiples to fully to contemplate
contain and protect it alerted humanity to
all the wisdom, knowledge, the realm’s presence, and
beauty, and fury of the concept. humans started to enter of
They deemed their new lives in their own accord. For the hu-
multiple as “many-in-one.” mans who proved worthy, the
The concept the Dragons Dragons gifted them with a taste
embodied were linked to a real phe- of the Divine Realm. For humans
nomenon in The World — a lake, a thunderstorm, who proved unworthy, there was only death. While
a bridge. Dragons came to love all concepts, and each had the Dragons viewed this as neither good nor evil, only the
a Dragon or two to embody and protect it. As the concept truth of life and death, the Gods could not tolerate Dragons
grew — the lake gained fish, became temperate, joined an- eating their followers.
other lake by a river — the Dragon connected to the concept Soon, the heroes, Scions, and Gods alike were at their
gained a new head. Each head, unique and mighty, protect- doorsteps hunting those who would kill a human. Those
ed the concept and kept it safe with their siblings. who hunted were not systematic in their purpose, but the
Dragons in the Divine Realm shared their concepts many-in-one could not see the danger of what was happen-
with one another and brought knowledge of them to The ing, and they continued as though nothing was wrong. Then
World to share with Dragons all over. Within the Divine hunters showed up in the Divine Realm. The many-in-one

74 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

did not realize their intent until it was too late, and none are protected a concept of The World. Overwhelmingly these
sure how they made it so far into the Divine Realm. Some Naga seek to reopen the pathways even though humanity is
speculate they followed an oblivious Dragon, but none still around, while the original Naga refuse to even consider
admit to having entered around the same time, and who such a thing until all humans, and their Gods, are dead.
would admit to such a tragic mistake? The Dragons killed
the hunters once they realized their intent, but they knew CHARACTERISTICS
the realm was no longer safe. How many more would try to Many Naga are hobbled creatures, shadows of their
enter? Fearing the destruction of their beautiful conceptual former glory, bearing more than a few grisly scars from
space, the many-in-one on earth severed themselves from where one or more of their heads died. Those Naga who
the Divine Realm sealing all gates and passageways. And have survived attacks with a few heads remaining are vi-
with the sealing, the Dragons stopped growing new heads cious, wrathful creatures to approach — refusing to make
as new concepts arose, as they had put all the conceptual the mistakes of their youth by trusting visitors who say they
magic into the Divine Realm. come in peace.
SCATTERED FLIGHT The Naga’s acceptance of their multiple-headed expe-
After they closed off the Divine Realm, the many-in- rience is known as many-in-one. A Naga’s heads may agree
one who remained in The World banded together for safety. with one another, argue, or be indifferent, but each is an
Between the loss of those trapped in the Divine Realm and individual and also part of one entity. Naga rarely ascribe
those murdered at the hands of Gods, the Dragons feared gender to themselves though certain heads may prefer
they would be wiped out, and with them all concepts. They being masculine or feminine. Heads refer to themselves in
called themselves the Naga, and called to any who embod- third person and to their ‘siblings’ by the name of the facet
ied concepts, or even those who had only visited the Divine they represent — love, cool breeze, fury, and so on.
Realm to join them for safety. Naga come in all shapes and sizes, and most sport
They vowed to protect the Divine Realm from intrud- multiple heads. Each Naga (even those who have joined the
ers, promising to never open its gates again until the con- Flight recently) has a physical embodiment of a concept
cepts were safe from the hubris of God and humanity. Many embedded in their head. This gemstone-like growth pro-
Naga believed the best way to secure the Divine Realm’s vides wisdom, insight, and power. For loss of a better word,
safety was the enlightenment of humanity. When humanity in a mortal term, the growth is called an atman — taken
understood the wisdom of the Naga it would be safe for the from the Sanskrit word for soul.
Naga to return home. They embraced humanity in all its People value atman, hunting Naga for them, dating
flawed and tragic glory. back to the first loss of the first head and plundering of its
The most notable of Naga to embrace this new life was treasure. Mortals who possess an atman take on the char-
Vasuki. When he realized that Dragons were in danger, acteristics of its wisdom granting them god-like powers
Vasuki sought shelter with the god Shiva and by the time and Gods transform into something more terrifying. Thus,
the Divine Realm closed, the many-in-one and Shiva bound when a Naga loses a head, they lose part of their power and
themselves to one another. Many Naga who saw Vasuki wisdom, leaving them diminished, bitter echoes of who
working with Shiva failed to understand the bond they they once were. While that Dragon’s memories still live on
shared but understood the wisdom behind it — there was in the collective memory all Dragons share, the Naga can
strength in embracing this new life. Vasuki exemplified this never reunite with the head, even if it reincarnates. It isn’t
to the point where they deferred to him. Shiva saw this and like they can just grow a new head. Not anymore since the
named him King of the Naga. But he failed to understand Divine Realm is closed.
that the Nagas do not distinguish ranks as such, but the title A FAMILY MATTER
stuck nonetheless, and Vasuki thrived.
Many Naga abhor just about anyone else save other
Many others were not so lucky. Some turned from bal- Dragons. Some are violently angry, but most plot revenge.
ance and embraced fury, attacking a World that wronged Many still remember the Divine Realm and wish to open
twhem and hording what power they could. Others tried to the passageways by whatever means necessary. Many Naga
change to meet the new challenges of The World but were now believe this means the end of humanity, so all creation
limited by their concepts and old ways. Those who could is finally safe. Global warming, endangered species, extinc-
not change died. The rest scattered, finding places to hide tion — these are manufactured problems — and when hu-
and plot, hoping to one day return to the Divine Realm. manity is gone, the Naga will throw open the gates of their
Though many Naga are still very much alive and well Realm and birth new protectors into the mortal realms.
in the Divine Realm, the Flight has lost the most of all. Perhaps they can let a few humans survive and learn from
Distance and time separate them and many who remained their predecessors’ mistakes, carefully guarded by the
in The World are dead. They are disjointed and in disagree- Naga, of course.
ment about how to proceed. Any Dragon who remembers Other Naga choose to hide with only their fellow heads
and wishes to restore the Divine Realm is called Naga, even to keep them company and maybe an occasional visit from
those with only one head, or those who never embodied or another Naga. They horde knowledge and power in hopes

The Naga 75
that one day they’ll find the solution to their problem. Each head is master over their own hall and fills it with
These Naga do not love humans, but understand they are writings, runes, and secrets scrawled from ceiling to floor.
part of reality and cannot disappear entirely. At the epicenter of these lairs is one great hall where the
Finally, are those who follow Vasuki’s path seeking to original head presides over all its siblings. All important
enlighten humans and work with Gods. The Naga and hu- decisions are made here directly next to physical mani-
mans can work together, and it is the Naga’s responsibility festation of the concept the Naga protects. Unlike other
to help humans achieve their true potential. Only by raising Naga who find it easier to move lairs, Naga who make their
humans up will the gates of the Divine Realm finally open. homes in lairs of permanence will die before they see their
Naga who fully embrace humans are mistrusted by other concept destroyed.
Naga, for after all the world has stolen from them, how can LAIRS OF ACCEPTANCE
the Naga still believe there is hope?
Lairs in early morning fog, a flowing river, the aurora
LAIRS borealis are all lairs of acceptance. Naga who make their
homes in these impermanent concepts understand their
Naga have always lived all over the World. Most of the fickle nature and rather than controlling them, embrace
ones surviving the original fights with the Gods come from the change associated with them. When the lair disappears,
India or Southeast Asia, but the Flight still boasts members the Naga inhabiting it travels on to the next, enjoying the
from all over. chance for a change of scenery and to visit unfamiliar plac-
THAT WHICH IS SACRED es in The World.
Naga make their lairs where one finds their concept A Naga could reside anywhere, and a more permanent
— at the bottom of a lake, base of a mountain, or under a situation would be safer. Naga feel a powerful resonance
bridge. Rather than living with a hoard of treasures massed with a place that exemplifies their concepts and are willing
in a dank cave, Naga live within their natural surroundings to have a life of impermanence and nomadic wandering to
doing little to change the space they inhabit for it is won- have access to that power. The Naga feels they are at their
drous enough. A Naga’s treasures come from the secrets most powerful within the lair of acceptance. The Naga rev-
infused into stone, air, and flora. els in their concept, absorbing it and embodying it in all its
glory.
Ancient magics weave through a Naga’s lair, forged in
concepts long forgotten by humanity. A hidden valley filled LAIRS OF LIFE
with flowers singing destinies under the moonlight, a tree Lairs of life encompass the cycle of life and death — a
of golden fruit, a lake that restores a person’s vitality — such tree birthing miracles, an elephant graveyard, or the bowels
are the bounties the Naga jealously protect. Those Naga of a hospital. Naga living in lairs of life tend to whatever
who’ve survived to this age have done so, not only through living concept they represent. For some Naga this means
sheer force of will, but because they have something des- protecting one thing — a tree, bush, or mystical animal, but
perately precious in their homes. for other Naga this means protecting the mere ideal of life.
Lairs exist within the physical realm but are often For Naga protecting an actual object, their lairs vary
Strange Places folded in upon themselves or appearing un- depending on what they protect. If they protect a migra-
like what they should be. Naga spend centuries disguising tory animal, the Naga has little in terms of a lair, but weaves
their homes to prevent greedy humans from finding them powerful magics around the beast to keep it from harm.
and much of a Naga’s pride stems from their lairs being For Naga protecting an idea, they make their lair where
invisible to all but the keenest minds. Eons ago, Naga shud- the concept is strongest. A Naga who protects the concept
dered at the idea of hiding their homes from anyone — to of birth could make its home within an expansive tunnel
experience a concept is to celebrate it — but now they do system connecting different hospitals to one another so it
what they must to survive. may oversee the protection of soon-to-be mothers.
When a Naga lairs in a place that exemplifies their
concept, they gain a modicum of power from it. It connects
THE DIVINE REALM OF THE NAGA
them to the Divine Realm. Not in any kind of physical The Divine Realm of the Naga resides deep under-
sense, but through memory and sensation, they can recall ground between the layers of reality as a Terra Incognita,
what they have lost, and it fuels their magic. but not quite an Underworld. The Naga blocked passage-
ways from the earth to the Divine Realm eons ago, but
LAIRS OF PERMANENCE many still seek entry into this mystical place. The Divine
Lairs in mountains, bound in metal, or within bridg- Realm is split into different domains, with the domains of
es — any Naga lair which remains unchanged for eons is the eldest, and most important Naga at the lowest point
considered a lair of permanence. These lairs have winding within the realm.
corridors, passageways leading left and right then nowhere, At one time, before humanity found a way into the
and great halls burrowed or wrought in the time before Realm, it was a place of pure thought and concept. Naga
tools. The number of halls within a lair of permanence rested within the concepts drinking in the ambient power
equals the number of heads a Naga has. and exploring a deeper understanding within their own

76 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

dreams. When humanity came into the Realm, the con- concept of one of their dead heads. Most Naga Heirs are
cepts within solidified to fend off mortal intrusion. Warped actual reincarnations of those heads, but plenty of living
by small minds unable to truly grasp greater concepts, the Naga attempt to hasten the process by choosing for their
Realm lured mortals deep within its bowels so Dragons lost brethren. No matter the form they take they are one
alerted to their presence could consume them before the of many, called to find their siblings, regain their glory, and
taint left on the Realm was too great. reunite with this true form once and for all. Because Heirs
Naga who still live within the Divine Realm rest in-be- are only one head of a Naga, they embody whatever facet
tween the pieces of solidified reality, only entering these the head controlled before it was lobbed off.
tainted places when absolutely necessary. A sad few are Naga spend a great amount of time and resources mak-
trapped within these realities driven mad by what they ing sure every other being — human to God — believe the
experience there. With eons to mull over the interlaces of Divine Realm of the Naga is severed from the mortal World
a warped reality shaped by mortal depravities — if these and for the most part, this is true. However, the Realm was
Naga ever escaped it would certainly spell out a horror too never truly lost, because each Naga contains a divine spark
terrifying to imagine. within the atman of its original head. This spark allows a
Naga’s heads to reincarnate into the mortal world without
MYSTERIES first passing through the Divine Realm and these heads are
Hunted to the ends of the earth, disfigured, and lost — reborn in the form of Heirs.
Naga have many reasons to jealously hide their secrets. The If a Naga’s original head is removed, then the beast
worst kept secret of the Naga is the fact that each of their is truly dead, their connection to the Divine Realm lost
heads contain a magical stone known as an atman. This forever. Their heads may never be reborn into Heirs and
stone grants whoever has it the wisdom and knowledge of their soul never passes into the Divine Realm. The only way
a Naga’s head along with its powers. Many Naga surmise to solve this problem is to open the portals to the Diving
this was one of the main reasons their kind were hunted Realm once more, something each Naga desperately wants,
down by humans, not for the rare few Naga’s penchant but is unwilling to risk unless they sure beyond a doubt it
for gobbling up insolent humans, but because the greedy is safe.
creatures realized how powerful an atman was and wanted
them for themselves. A CALLING TO THE
MANY-HEADED BEAST
This is what most who care to search know of the
Naga, the truth contained in the rest of this section is for Naga expect little from their Heirs except to embody
Heirs and Heirs alone. the concept of their head. While Heirs are welcome to
participate in a Naga’s schemes, they are expected first to
A TRUE DEATH achieve the level of knowledge once possessed when they
Violence. Blood. A great many voices silenced and then were whole. Ignorance is failure, and each Naga expects
only loneliness. Each Naga’s Heir’s dreams start the same their Heirs to be exceptional in their understanding of
way. Deep within the realm of dreams, tucked between the whatever they are meant to embody — lust, the kindness of
parts of sleep no one dare remembers, is a startling wisdom strangers, even the fear of the dark.
every Heir tastes when they awake. Once an Heir unlocks a base understanding — which
After that first dream awakening an Heir to his destiny, would be sizeable to just about anyone else who wasn’t a
is one of loneliness and the forgotten. The Heir wakes to Naga — the Heir develops an atman. The gem starts as a faint
find himself utterly alone. Whether lying next to a loved coloration at the top of their head akin to a blemish or a bit of
one, in a cramped camping hall, or shaken awake on a bus faded marker and the more the Heir learns the darker the col-
home from work — the Heir has never felt so shockingly oration becomes. Once the atman is fully visible upon the skin,
alone than in this moment. An inextricable feeling of being it grows and forms into a hard gemstone-like stone. Finally,
cut-off from everyone and everything grabs hold of him. the atman brightly shines denoting the Heir as a beacon of
Floating loose in the aether of uncertainty and utter still- knowledge in their given subject. Heirs may choose when
ness the Heir realizes for perhaps the first time in his life their atman is visible to the naked eye and when it is not. If
what it means to be only one. the Heir chooses to hide their atman for a time, it returns to
the size of a small mark on their head recognizable to anyone
The following dreams, visions, and memories that
without the correct supernatural senses.
come to the Heir spell out grisly scenes of violence where
he is severed from those he loves the most. A Naga’s Heir Once an Heir fully realizes their atman, their Naga ex-
spends his entire life searching for a feeling of fulfillment, pects more of them — to work toward eventually rejoining
safety, and acceptance until he finds the many-in-one to the Naga as many-in-one. What this looks like in practical
which he belongs and finally understands his destiny. terms is a strange family arrangement as even a reincarnat-
ed head cannot magically fuse with its old body, and so the
ONE OF MANY new Naga lives with her old self as part of the many-in-one
Naga choose their Heirs not to represent themselves, but not physically joined.
but instead as someone they believe exemplifies the

The Naga 77
 Unlike many Heirs or Scions who must follow what their The Goddess Hera is also an ally to the Naga, proving
Dragon or God tells them to do, Naga Heirs are active partici- herself many years ago when Zeus’s greedy children killed
pants in a Naga’s schemes. If they disagree, they should voice them for their power. She embraced the many-in-one, pro-
their complaints, lobby with the other heads (or Heirs), and tected them, and hid who she could from losing their atman.
share any advice they may have. This doesn’t mean the rest of In return, surviving Naga in the modern age cherish Hera
the Naga will listen to the Heir, or even that a few heads won’t for what she did and the fidelity she represents. Unlike most
threaten to eat them, but part of being one of many is bringing Gods who are one, Hera has the honorary title of many-in-one
your unique point of view to the table. for her wisdom, representing the Naga’s support of her. The
terrifying Naga creatures who live in Europe, no matter how
RELATIONSHIPS evil they’ve become, still call Hera a friend and loyally assist
When treasure seekers started hunting Naga for their her Scions if they were ever in need.
atmans, many allied themselves with Gods in order to survive. Naga who say they have no allies but their own kind,
Some Gods bitterly betrayed the Naga, but others proved believe there are far more nefarious motivations behind
worthy allies, lovers, and friends. To this day many Naga work other Naga allying with the Gods. Modern myth sees Naga
with Gods, to help enact their plans on in The World… when it as servitors of Gods, heralds, and pets — but the many-in-
doesn’t come at too great a cost to their concept. one know their kind is too keen for that. Instead, some be-
One of the greatest friends to the Naga was the lord lieve many Naga bide their time, resting, and when the time
Shiva, friend to Vasuki, he who named the many-in-one is right they’ll rise up to consume the power from their
King of the Naga. To this day Vasuki still rests upon Shiva’s once allies and use it to rip open the gates to the Divine
shoulders whispering advice and wisdom to the god. Shiva Realm — freeing the Naga driven mad in solidified palaces
returns Vasuki’s council with protection, not only for the of concept and taking revenge on the world.
King of the Naga, but for the rest of the Naga as well. Many HUMANITY
Naga murmur that this protection has done them little
good in modern times, but the faithful argue the need for Humans were never truly friends of the Naga. Entire
Shiva’s aid simply hasn’t been great enough and if it was, orders devote themselves to hunting Naga for their atman,
he would step up. the most effective being the Many Headed Hunters, a group
of mercenaries who take contracts with otherworldly powers
for specific Naga heads. The Many Headed Hunters are so

78 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

effective because they know the Naga’s deepest secret — that Kulshedra and their siblings started their lives as Bolla
heads are reborn into Heirs. Often, rather than hunting Naga when Bolla was many beings. One of the small wyrms was
they stalk their Heirs, watch them grow, develop, and when not like the others, and she dreamed of much more than
the Heir is at the height of their power the hunters sever their a languishing existence basking in the sun. She wanted
head and harvest their atman. The Many Headed Hunters en- to be the sun, the water she bathed in, and the nature she
joy a lucrative business and aren’t planning to share the Naga’s
secret any time soon to keep a niche in the market.
Fighting hunters and the like are a few disparate hu-
man cults who worship the Naga. As Naga prize diversity WHAT TO EMBODY
and eschew mortal contact, most cults act autonomously
When picking what they are meant to
without any sign from their Naga as to whether what the embody, Heir players should first think of what
cult is doing pleases the Naga or not. A few cults within their Naga’s original concept was — whether
Southeast Asia have more direct contact with their Naga that be a tree, mountain, or a drizzle of rain.
and most are charged with protecting the Naga’s concept Then consider what made this concept special
as it does. One notable hill tribe in the north of Thailand, enough for the Naga to survive protecting it all
not so much a cult and rather a village, has not seen a flood these years — a raindrop that grants immortality,
for centuries. Neighbors believe this is because the town a web stronger than diamonds, roots that spell
protects a Naga’s territory near the base of a mountain and out how a person will die. Finally, list attributes
keeps outsiders from entering. that facilitate the concept connecting with its
unique feature. Pick one of these attributes to
NOTABLE DRAGONS embody.
The Naga’s numbers have dropped pitifully low due
Conversely, players could choose a poetic
attribute — the breath between the first kiss,
to treasure hunters seeking out their atman. The following the sweet taste of revenge, the smell of home
are some of the most powerful and prominent Naga. — and let their storyteller surprise them with
KULSHEDRA, EATER OF MAN who their Handler is and what concept they
embody and protect.
Aliases: Rider of Storms

The Naga 79
enjoyed. She visited the Divine Realm and there she rev- Garden of the Hesperides. The nymphs in the garden doted
eled in the force nature exerted on The World. This she on the Dragon, draping them in garlands of apple blossoms
decided, would be what she embodied, and as she drank in and sun sweet songs to hum the serpent to sleep. Each head
its knowledge, she grew another head. Ladon grew embodied the lyrics of a song and the fables of
The second head was greater in stature than the first the nymphs. The songs helped to protect the tree of golden
with a force of personality the central head was unable to apples from trespassers and grow a deep knowledge within
fight against. It named them Kulshedra, and everything Ladon.
the second said, the first agreed to, enslaved in its sleep by Ladon had many friends within the garden, including
some nefarious force. By the time Kulshedra gained their a golden lion they loved dearly. When the lion left the gar-
third head it was unclear who was the first and who the den, Ladon gave it the most precious gift a Naga could, they
second, though one was clearly in charge of the other. bade their lover eat one of their heads — the head which
Kulshedra wished to embody the force of nature in the contained a song of love so powerful it was invincible.
most violent way possible, by killing and eating humans. The lion agreed and consumed part of its lover, becoming
They rode upon a thunderstorm into villages terroriz- two-in-one.
ing the townsfolk. It never took much work for the lazy The lion never returned, much to Ladon’s disappoint-
creature — a flood here, a fire there — before the villagers ment. Instead, Heracles wearing a pelt of impervious fur
offered up one of their own as sacrifice to the great beast. from a golden lion came to the garden. He demanded Ladon
Kulshedra happily consumed these offerings and moved on give him apples from the tree. Ladon instead coiled tightly
to the next town and their next meal. around its bark and cried out every mournful song they
To show their disdain for the mortal’s tiny minds knew. Ladon saw that Heracles would not leave until he
they pissed acid and spewed soured milk upon the earth took an apple and offered a trade. Desperate to have even
wherever their storm went, taunting any mortal who dared a piece of their lover back, they offered apples in exchange
stand up to their power with comical disdain. It came as for the pelt.
no surprise to Kulshedra when humans finally rebelled, Heracles refused, thinking the Dragon wanted him
not only against them, but the other Naga who Kulshedra to become vulnerable. If the Dragon would not give him
assumed enjoyed the same easy life as they did. the apples freely, he would just take them. Ladon watched
The terrifying creature who rode a noxious storm Heracles haughtily pluck apples from the tree, in stunned
thought little of the humans’ fear until Zjerma challenged silence and sorrow. When Heracles left, he did not thank
them to a duel. Having never ate a Scion before, Kulshedra Ladon, or offer apologies or kind words — he turned and
agreed, hurling their substantive form at the Hero. Few saw walked away as if the apples were his due.
the battle that day, but many say Kulshedra’s own heads This final insult enraged Ladon. It was a deeper and
turned against them and fought alongside Zjerma. In the truer feeling than anything the Naga knew before. A great
end Kulshedra’s figure plummeted to the earth dead in a ugly head sprung from its body and grabbed onto Heracles.
rain of sour milk and rancid piss dying the way they came The two fought, and though Heracles escaped, he only did
into this World — in stunned amusement. so with one apple and scars he would never forget.
Kulshedra’s Heirs hold the same contempt for human- Ladon only had three remaining heads, with the en-
ity as the Naga did. They live within the fringes of society raged head in charge as his main head slumbers in sorrow
scoffing at the idiocy of their fellow humans and revel in for his lost love. They still reside within the Garden of
going against the status quo. Most importantly, the dragon’s Hesperides, but the garden is not the idyllic place it once
Heirs have a hunger for something as deep and abiding as was. After Heracles pillaged the place, the inhabitants
Kulshedra’s love for human flesh. spend all their efforts toward protecting themselves. The
Callings: Judge, Predator, Primeval nymphs sing hateful songs luring unsuspecting folk into
the deepest caverns of flora before Ladon gobbles them
Memory: The sensation of riding on storms, being the whole. The only visitor welcome in the garden is Hera, who
wind and thunder; instilling fear into others and the joy knows their sorrow all too well.
their terror brings; consuming human flesh, and the satis-
faction of crunching bones; the smell of rancid milk. Ladon chooses Heirs with an eye to replace the
light-hearted heads they have lost. While rage controls
Dragon Magic: Elemental Control (Fire), Fear, Flight, them, they no longer seek revenge, but instead a way to
Transformation, Weather Control awaken their sorrowful head. Ladon picks people who’ve
LADON, GUARDIAN experienced a loss in their lives but have come out stronger
OF THE GOLDEN APPLES for it. The Naga wants someone who understands suffer-
ing and who will do whatever it takes to protect those she
Aliases: Lover of the Nemean Lion
loves. Heirs are often muse-like free spirited people with a
Ladon was born wrapped around a bountiful tree of deep love of creation. They are artists, musicians, authors,
golden apples. For all his time, he loved this tree and ate of and philanthropists.
its fruit. When the Gods came, the tree became part of the
Callings: Guardian, Mystic, Primeval

80 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

 Memory: Resting beneath a golden tree blooming from all levels of society, as anyone with the right attitude
with the first blush of spring, a lion and serpent sing songs could impress Mucalinda.
to one another; sleeping in a silent garden at sunset; con- Callings: Guardian, Healer, Nomad
tentment in love and the sorrow of losing it; grief so deep it
aches in the soul. Memory: Protecting someone else at the cost of your
own life; the comfort of a warm and welcoming place;
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Decay, Elemental shifting faces each one welcoming and affable; taking care
Control (Earth), Flight, Transformation of those who need it most; wandering the world in search
MUCALINDA, SERPENT OF SHELTER of answers.
Aliases: Protector of Buddha Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Luck, Transformation,
Understanding, Weather Control
Mucalinda gained their seventh head the day their
concept was destroyed by a raging storm. The Dragon in- SRI GUMUM, MOTHER OF LAKE CHINI
tended to return to the Divine Realm, to ponder what it had Aliases: Protector of the Dead City
learned until its concept was reborn into the world, when
it spied a lone man meditating under the Bodhi Tree in the When Lake Chini was still a small tame thing, a tree
eye of the storm. Unwilling to see another thing destroyed wept at the beauty of waters and bled Sri Gumum into the
by the storm, Mucalinda wrapped themselves around the world. The Dragon inhabited the lake for centuries alone
man and protected him from the storm. and in peace until humanity found it and built a small set-
tlement there. The humans respected the lake, Sri Gumum’s
It stormed for seven days and with each day the greatest love, and so the Naga blessed the people.
Dragon lost a head against the relentless storm until only
one head remained. When the storm subsided, Mucalinda Sri Gumum set about showing the townsfolk the won-
shifted their form into one echoing the man, bowed to ders of the lake’s waters. They herded fish into their nets
him, and walked off. The man, who came to be known as and cooled the summer air so families could spend days
Buddha, gave the Naga much to think on and a new concept lazing by the lake’s banks. The small settlement turned into
to protect — shelter. a great city of stone with sculptures flowing like the lake’s
waters and wide canals for Sri Gumum to swim through.
Sheltering Buddha from the storm, losing their heads The people named Sri Gumum “mother” for the care show-
one by one, Mucalinda experienced an epiphany: sheltering ered upon them. Sri Gumum embraced the title, and they
the man became more important than their own life. They became she, and she was happy.
resolved to learn what shelter meant, the balance it struck
between life and death, when to give shelter and when to Sri Gumum barely knew about the outside world until
take it away. To better learn, Mucalina took the form of a the Divine Realm closed. When she investigated, she found
human for many centuries — the one creature on earth who the Naga, and joined their Flight. They charged her with
seemed to prize shelter more than anything else. guarding the entrance which sat at the bottom of her lake.
She happily agreed, but she didn’t understand the gravity of
Walking the world over, the Naga learned and grew, the task until too late.
wearing a new face in every new culture they visited.
Mucalinda still wanders the earth to this day in various Hunters learned that a city worshiped a great Dragon,
human disguises learning what they can of The World. and they gathered their forces in a nearby capital with
When they’ve learned all they can, they plan to return to their sights set on destroying it. The townsfolk rose up to
the original Bohdi Tree where they met Buddha and finally defend her, and a bitter battle raged for days. One by one,
accept the shelter of its leaves. Sri Gumum saw the people she loved die in her name. She
offered the hunters multiple gifts to leave her city and lake
Unlike other Naga, Mucalinda takes an active role in alone, but they refused. Sri Gumum did the only thing she
The World, spending most of their time in a human guise. could to protect the people and lake she loved — she left.
While understanding their concept is a key driving goal, Swimming as fast as she could, the Mother of Lake Chini
they also use the experience to gain intel and bring infor- led the hunters away from her home. She fought them
mation between other members of the Flight. While not a alone, and though she lost many heads, she was victorious.
spymaster by any stretch of the imagination, Mucalinda is
often embroiled in Flight business as they travel The World. Sri Gumum returned home expecting a great celebra-
tion, but instead was met with deathly silence. She found
Mucalinda is a rare exception to Naga who choose the city sacked, burned bodies piled high and blood stained
Heirs to replace missing heads. They have no driving the lonely stone streets. When she left, the neighboring
desire to replace who they have lost, and instead choose city saw their opportunity to destroy a rival, plundering its
Heirs from people who have impressed them greatly or treasures for their own. The only people left in her home
taught them a new lesson. Before choosing an Heir, the were invaders who set about carving up the territory for
Naga watches them closely ensuring they have what it themselves. A deep shame shuddered through Sri Gumum
takes to ascend to full Dragon. Their Heirs are relentlessly, for her failure as a protector. With a great cry she wrapped
stubborn, pondering, questioning people who are never herself around the city and pulled it beneath the lake, mer-
satisfied with the first answer they’re given. They come cilessly drowning the invading forces for their greed.

The Naga 81
 A whisper of her former glory, Sri Gumum keeps a low nothing. Eventually, the Dragon will have enough secrets
profile protecting the entrance to the Divine Realm. She and debts to bring the whole of the pantheons crumbling
mostly keeps to her lake, but she sends her undead minions down on themselves. Until then, he lives to serve.
— the enemies she drowned so many years ago — to enact Unlike many other Naga who are a whirlwind of op-
her will on earth. These ghostly figures who owe the Naga posing thoughts and ideas, Vasuki is singularly focused and
a debt they can never repay punish those who would harm speaks only through their main head. They always aim to
Sri Gumum’s followers and aid those faithful to her. please and assist, never out-right refusing a request. That
Sri Gumum rarely chooses Heirs, though her heads doesn’t mean they don’t twist and mold it into something
are constantly trying to reincarnate throughout The World. the Dragon can accomplish. They can’t collect those debts
Reincarnated Heirs find themselves drawn to the lake, nev- if they can’t deliver something in return, even if it isn’t ex-
er truly feeling at home till they spy its deep waters. When actly what the requester originally wanted.
she does choose an Heir, she picks someone who has been Vasuki’s Heirs are no different — slick, composed,
foolish enough to enter her domain without her leave to smooth-talkers who rarely raise their voice. Each Heir is
teach them a hard lesson. All her Heirs tend to be overly exceedingly good at keeping secrets and guards any in-
protective and guarded. They are public defenders, body- formation they glean jealously, even from those closest to
guards, doctors, nurses, and children’s aids. them. Vasuki’s prizes loyalty more than anything else in
Callings: Guardian, Healer, Primeval their Heirs, testing them constantly to ensure compliance.
Memory: Playing with children and family who love They are government officials, socialites, lawyers, con-art-
you; the heat of a summer day and the cool of canal water; ists, and criminals.
the smell of burned bodies and fear; the fear of failing to Callings: Mystic, Ruler, Judge
protect the ones you have sworn to; the sorrow of loss. Memory: Traveling vast distances through wondrous
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Water), realms; speaking with Gods and Titans about the nature of
Luck, Understanding, Weather Manipulation divinity; exchanging stories by a campfire; whispering se-
crets in the dark; losing a friend and companion to greedy
VASUKI, KING OF THE NAGA enemies.
Aliases: Companion of Shiva
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Luck, Transformation,
Vasuki is a many-headed Naga known best for resting Understanding
around the neck of Shiva after the Divine Realm closed.
Their concept is divinity, and each head Vasuki possesses COMMON NAGA
espouses the teachings of a holy entity Vasuki spent time
with. No matter how many entities Vasuki visits, they al-
BIRTHRIGHTS
ways return to Shiva’s shoulders — the God who best un- Most Naga Birthrights come in the form of a Lair,
derstands the cycle of life and death. which exemplifies the concept the Heir should embody.
An Heir might live in a lair for years before Bequeathal not
Before the Divine realm closed, Vasuki was a Dragon even realizing it until one day waking up to see the secrets
of little import. Small, with only a handful of heads born his Handler has woven into his home. Other common
from minor water spirits and long dead natural forces, birthrights include Pawns and Guides — both helping to
Vasuki had little in the way of responsibilities. They spent guide an Heir back to the many-in-one.
most of their time exploring The World and delighted in
the Gods and their stories. When the Divine Realm closed, GUIDE
he used the connections he had been making to be the first • Ershaj: Legendary creatures who descend from
Naga to ally themselves with a God for protection. Kulshedra. They appear as large serpents and carry
Vasuki and Shiva have an easy relationship, with the knowledge of the Naga between the Dragons and
Vasuki coming and going as they please. When they leave their Heirs. They each appear similar to Kulshedra’s
Shiva’s shoulders it is through the premise of carrying his heads, and style themselves as Dragons apparent,
messages to other Gods. During this time, the Naga takes which mildly amuses the Naga.
the opportunity to contact their vast network of serpentine
• Talking Head: When a Naga loses a head, they may
spies they use to leech knowledge from The World. Vasuki’s
preserve it as a memento of what they lost, wrap-
spy network is vaster than any other Dragon’s comprising
ping it in deep magics. This head thinks, talks, and
of humans, serpents, Legendary Creations, and even Gods.
remembers as if it were still alive, though it is just
And plenty of those have no idea they are feeding informa-
a macabre memento at this point. Some Naga send
tion to the smooth-talking Dragon.
these heads to their Heirs to guide them back to
Gods who entertain Vasuki for a time always end up the many-in-one, their Heirs only realizing much
owing them in some way. Vasuki has yet to collect on any later they’re talking to a decapitated version of
of these debts, Vasuki is here to help. The more time Vasuki themselves.
spends with a God, the more they owe, until the Naga sees
fit to return to Shiva — the only God who owes the Dragon

82 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

 FLIGHT PATH OF THE NAGA
Path Skills: Culture, Survival
Favored Draconic Knacks: Snapping Hydra’s Form, Skink’s Regrowth
Remembrances:: One-of-Many (Cipher) and One-of-None (Defection) — Naga serve a purpose in
Remembrances
The World of balance. They exemplify a concept in every possible facet a person can dream of, both good
and bad. Each of a Naga’s heads understands it is many-in-one and that Heirs are one of many. When
Heirs truly accept that their nature is an individual part of a greater being, they become many-in-one.
Walking the path to many-in-one means first exemplifying the One-of-Many. The Heir serves the Flight,
giving over their individuality for a greater cause. They come closer to their draconic nature by finding
balance and placing the needs of the many above their own.
Humans are part of a whole, but they prize their individuality and creativity. Being one-of-many means
giving all that up, which chafes many Heirs. An Heir pushes against that by embracing One-of-None, the
concept of acting for yourself rather than others. The Flight expects total compliance, and a good Naga
works to open the Divine Realm at all costs. Heirs who work for their own goals, rather than their Handlers
stay connected with what makes them unique, expressing it every chance they get. One-of-None means
embracing individuality and damning the rest. It’s following your gut no matter the consequences and
doing what feels right — rather than theorizing that perhaps there is no right.
Signature Naga Dragon Magic: Teleportation Every Naga carries a spark within their atman
connecting them to the Divine Realm. When the Divine Realm closed, Naga found they could create a
small pocket realm embodying their concept by drawing their power inward and connecting it to their
memory of the Divine Realm. Since the realm is both everywhere and nowhere centered on the Naga,
they always have access to this realm and may teleport in and out when they please. Heirs interact with
this realm as a form of teleportation, able to flit in and out of their Handler’s realm in times of need. These
pocket realms are extremely dangerous for anyone but the Naga and their Heirs to enter, not because they
are overtly dangerous, but because they are places of pure thought. Weaker willed creatures who enter
the realm find themselves forever changed when they exit (if they can at all) and more powerful creatures
struggle to exist in a realm with such an overwhelmingly alien existence.
Beyond being able to create a place of pure thought and move to them at will, the Naga have learned to
use their magic to transport them to other places as well. While mostly used for moving in and out of lairs,
this magic is a useful tool.

LAIR PAWNS
• Lair of Permanence: The lair of permanence is a • Creature of Life: Rather than a lair itself, an avatar
large, cavernous hall deep within ground echoing of the creature the Heir’s Naga protects aids the
that of the Heir’s Naga. One wall of the hall sports Heir on their journey. These creatures can speak in
writings of the Naga’s head before it was lost — il- a human voice and possess second sight.
legible until translated and understood by the Heir.
• Vasuki’s Spies: Vasuki has spies all over The World,
• Lair of Acceptance: Whenever in an element linked many of them ready and willing servants. These
to their Naga, their Heirs become better versions of people have an almost fanatical dedication to assist-
themselves. Songs come easier, wounds heal faster, ing and finding information for the King of the Naga,
an Heir happily spends an entire night sleeping un- and any who owe allegiance to the Flight fall under
der a thunderstorm. their auspices.

The Naga 83
 “Look like the time. Bear welcome in your eye,
Your hand, your tongue. Look like th’ innocent flower,
But be the serpent under ’t. He that’s coming
Must be provided for; and you shall put
This night’s great business into my dispatch,
Which shall to all our nights and days to come
Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.”
— Lady MacBeth

T he Serpents have flowed through The World since it

was first breathed into existence, their form echoing
throughout all nature. The gnarled roots of trees. The creeping
reacted poorly. Some Dragons were punishing people for
their hubris, and the Gods felt they should be the only ones
to punish humans. Feeling that humanity had betrayed
flashes of lightning. The slithering courses of rivers. The them and the Gods were encouraging it, they chose to
World is not yours; it’s theirs. It bears their DNA. Beneath fade into the background rather than go to war with the
every warm rock is a Serpent ready to lash out when Gods. Witz’, K’uk’ulkan, and the rest of the
disturbed. K’uh Dragons left their pan-
When the Gods theon first, followed
arrived in The World, quickly by a few Teōtl
many Serpents found Dragons. They didn’t
easy peace with them. have a plan but knew
Their stories were always they couldn’t just let the
simple ones, woven of the humans continue the way they
fabric of The World, and the Serpents were. It didn’t take long before Ndengei,
remained mostly unchanged as they the Supreme, reached far from his
accepted their new roles, borders seeking allies who felt
divine or otherwise. These the slimy film of the grow-
Dragons didn’t suffer at ing pollution. He found the
the hands of the Gods, being Serpents and rallied them
hunted for sport or greed. with a plan. They would take
Instead, they came to love action, but this time from
humanity, and the Gods the shadows. They would
entreated them to shower clean up The World by
humanity with love and teaching humanity the
affection. But as human- right ways, and kill any
ity grew, so did their who disobeyed.
hubris. They took more With that, the
from the land than they Serpents formed with
needed, and they eroded the the Teōtl and K’uh Dragons
natural beauty of The World. as the core of their base with the
The Gods, only interested in worship, cared Melanesian Ndengei their leader. They wel-
not what humans did to the earth as long as they performed comed all Dragons who had loved humanity as hard as they
the right rituals, and gave proper homage. had and were willing to do whatever it took to reclaim The
The Serpents tried to correct the humans, teach World. Together, Ndengei, Witz’, and K’uk’ulkan created
them the proper ways to care for The World, but the Gods Xol, a Terra Incognita for the newly formed alliance to

84 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

meet and plan their defense of the planet. In Xol, they plan
their defenses, and keep themselves separate from human-
ity else they fall prey to their love of the small creatures. PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
But they cannot act fully by staying only in Xol, they are
creatures of the land, and they must be in The World if they
t’, tz’, k’, p’, and ch’ represent different sounds
than their unmarked cousins. In Mayan, these
wish to enact change in it. Xol is also a disaster shelter, the are ejective consonants, sounds produced more
Serpents know that if they cannot change humanity, The forcefully, like you’re beatboxing. Additionally,
World will become uninhabitable, and Xol is there as a Mayan has a glottal stop among its consonants
backup in case they fail. (the consonant between “uh” and “oh” in “uh
In The World, the Lacandon Jungle of southern oh.”) Confusingly, this is also marked with an
Mexico and Guatemala became the Serpent seat of power.
apostrophe. Apostrophes after consonants
mark ejectives. When they come after vowels,
Lacandon is a battleground of ideologies. Nearby factories
they signify a glottal stop. Because of this
in Chiapas and those even farther away bellow smoke into notation, Mayan names can have multiple
the air. Though the pollution’s effects on The World are apostrophes and even ending in one, like Witz’.
limited, the air has begun to choke the Serpents. They’ve This may look strange when made possessive,
seen great plumes of smoke get trapped low to the ground, as in Witz’’s, but the apostrophes are quite
creeping along as though they were a fog formed from important to the language.
pollution. The Serpents have learned how to combat the The Nahuatl “tl” sound in Xiuhcoatl is similar
smoky fog and its source, but they know such acts are to English’s “ch,” but instead of the tongue
merely stopgaps. Even worse, they feel the potential for moving straight backward, it moves to the side.
such pollution to drive The World’s temperature up, which Since the Serpents are primarily Maya in
would cause catastrophic effects upon the climate. nature, pronunciations are given for the Flight
Thus, the Serpents have been spurred into action, al- using K’iche’ Mayan, with the exceptions of
though what action to take is a point of contention. Even the Ndengei, a Fijian Dragon, and Xiuhcoatl, a
humans of the region feel the pull, with human pro-Maya
Mexican Dragon.
movements figuratively — in the case of the Zapatista rebels K’uk’ulkan “K’oo-k’ool-kahn”
literally — fighting for a return to indigenous stewardship Ndengei “Ndeh-ngei”
of the land. Waxaklajuun Ub’aah “Wah-shah-klah-hoo-
The Serpents agree that they must cultivate more oon Oo- b’aah”
human hands to preserve The World but there’s no con- Witz’ “Weetz’”
sensus on how to mold people; Witz’ favors an incremental Xiuhcoatl “Shee-oo-koh-awtl”
change, slowly informing people and making them more
Xiuhcome “Shee-oo-koh-meh”
environmentally aware, generation by generation, while
K’uk’ulkan has grown impatient. He favors teaching hu- Xoc Tzul “Shohk Tzuul”
mans what will not be tolerated by destroying heavy equip- Xol “Shohl”
ment and occasionally tasking Xiuhcoatl to sabotage facto-
ries and pipelines. There are even rumors of assassinations
of industrialists and land developers. To K’uk’ulkan, any
taking a more active role, punishing those who do not lis-
human not actively and violently resisting pollution is ei-
ten, and actively helping those who enact their wishes.
ther a threat or someone in need of radicalization.
The Serpents are the least trusting of all the Flights.
CHARACTERISTICS With the twin threats of ecological collapse and the
In their natural forms, Serpents have no limbs of any Titanomachy impacting their continued existence, who
sort, resembling giant snakes with ancient eyes. Though can blame them? The stress of both have taken their toll,
most have some sort of shape shifting ability, those without though, with members like K’uk’ulkan becoming increas-
even temporary hands don’t seem particularly bothered by ingly less receptive to outside ideas. Although they have a
it, manipulating objects with surprisingly deft coils. plan to leave it all behind if things get bad enough, they’d
rather keep their home the way it is and they’ll fight any-
The Serpents love hot, humid, and unspoiled environ- one who threatens that, Gods, Titans, and even the humans
ments. Pollution from encroaching manufacturing plants they love. Their hypervigilance has kept them safe from
and factory farms do make things more humid, but the many threats, at the expense of their ability to build and
stench offends their senses. Just as bad, it has impacted the maintain friendships and alliances. This often has an in-
ecosystems where Serpents prefer to live, driving prey ani- fectious effect on their agents, with some Heirs displaying
mals farther from their lairs. After centuries of attempting symptoms of PTSD, becoming increasingly jumpy as they
to only nudge humanity in the right direction, things have take on more serpentine features.
gotten even worse. The Industrial Revolution spread its
tendrils across The World. Now, the Serpents have begun Nevertheless, it’s impossible to understate the
Serpents’ love for The World and the humans in it. They

The Serpents 85
spend much of their lives crawling through the under- passageways leading to Xol are largely Fijian caves and the
brush, feeling the grass tickling their belly scales. Where same underground rivers that lead to Michtlan, Xiuhcoatl
many groups of immortals spend their time in search of seems to know another way. At least, he seems to be able to
something they don’t have, the Serpents want to hold onto come and go without anyone noticing him using any of the
what they already have. Though increasingly paranoid, other entrances.
they still only want what’s best for humanity and a healthy In addition to his secret passageway, Xiuhcoatl has
planet that can sustain them all for eons to come. dozens of lairs scattered across the globe, a legacy of hun-
LAIRS dreds of years operating as a spy and assassin. Due to the
nature of his life as of late, these lairs better resemble safe-
Like their mundane counterparts, Serpents enjoy their houses than places of power. Though much smaller in size
lairs in hot climates, where the dense foliage keeps the en- than the temples and caves of his peers, the safehouses still
trances obscured to the unwelcome. Although rainforests have a Serpent feel, with Brutalist and modernist concrete
serve as the Serpents’ front doors, the heart of their lairs designs evoking the feel of dark caves. Although Xiuhcoatl’s
are typically the rocky caves. Few Serpents have retainers lairs also contain a hodgepodge of animal bones, they have
or any sort of servants, meaning that their lairs must be for- much more in the way of gear for his craft: forgery equip-
tresses. As such, the unconscious influence of the Serpents ment, passports, poisons, microphones, cameras, currency
warps their lairs into Strange Places. Cave openings are im- from around the world, and the odd explosive. And if he
possibly tiny, winding tunnels, incapable of admitting any- finds he’s sharing a lair with a Serpent Heir or two, he
one who can’t slither and contort their bodies. In addition, doesn’t mind that much assuming they keep it tidy and
caves are supernaturally dark, devouring flashlight beams well-stocked.
and nightvision, limiting most mammals’ senses, giving the
Serpents a great advantage over warm-blooded intruders. MYSTERIES
Within the caves, Serpents stockpile random crap. The Serpents carry few secrets. Other than Xol’s loca-
Loath to waste anything of use, Serpents rarely throw tion, or individual lairs, most of their activity is performed
things away, only destroying that which they feel is a threat. for the sake of humanity. So why wouldn’t they want people
Sometimes they don’t even destroy threats. K’uk’ulkan has to know their true tales? Though many Serpents predate
a pit full of mining equipment that he’s not sure he can humanity, they love it desperately. They gladly accepted
dispose of safely. An Heir in their Dragon’s lair can find whatever roles Gods gave them, making many of their
weapons, bones of extinct animals, and farming imple- strongest memories those roles. Ndengei created humans
ments of all descriptions. Many of the tools are thousands from bird eggs, incubating them with his coils. Likewise,
of years old, made of obsidian or quartz, although modern K’uk’ulkan has sunk his fangs into everything that his jaws
American military hardware can also be found. could fit around, including the sun. Heirs remembering
Some of the oldest Serpents lair in the Lacandon those times can feel the enormity in their mouths, the heat
Jungle of Southern Mexico. The mountainous jungle is a washing over them. They can see the light shining outward,
center of Maya culture, containing many of the pyramids creating the day.
and other sites of worship of early Serpents, as well as their Waxaklajuun Ub’aah’s Heirs remember flying through
former allies in the K’uh. With a dense canopy and substan- the void before The World existed. They remember plum-
tial changes in elevation, the jungle is largely inhospitable meting to the ground as a ball of stellar fire. The crater
to humans, making it relatively untouched by modern tech- that smoldered for weeks afterward. The devastation that
nology. Heirs in search of their Dragons have a difficult trek their meteor caused. But the Heirs also remember what
requiring stamina and a good machete. Those seeking out came next. The snakes that came to bask atop the obsidian
Ndengei in Fiji are marginally better off, as the jungles sur- slab, the sun’s heat flowing into their scales. The trees that
rounding the Kauvandra mountain range are less extensive. surrounded the crater, depositing their leaves and branches
The Serpents also have access to Xol, a lair in a over the bare stone until the plants’ leavings became dirt,
Midrealm constructed as a joint effort between K’uk’ulkan, safe ground for the vines that followed. Then the grasses.
Witz’, and Ndengei. Xol is a home away from home, a The Meteor Serpent’s Heirs remember the devastation they
safe house for the Serpents to gather and discuss plans. caused and how The World healed the wound as though it
Designed as a meeting hall and emergency bunker, Xol never happened.
is large enough to fit every Serpent, with room left over. When Serpent Heirs dream of their Dragon, they
Considering that Ndengei is over a hundred kilometers long, dream of a World before machines, a World that could
this means that the Serpents’ Terra Incognita is larger than be again. Thick jungles that cover the mountains. Rivers
some countries. Xol is an idealized replica of the mountain flowing freely, cutting ridges through the earth, washing
jungles that the Serpents call home. Despite being a mix valleys with fertile soil. They dream of people tending to
of Central and South American, Fijian, central African, and the land, giving as much as they take, sweat mimicking
eastern Australian flora and fauna, the Midrealm’s biome the rivers that mimic the Serpents. These humans work
is doing quite well, with the species flourishing in ways with the land, their blood mingling with the soil, making
that would probably make a biologist upset. Though the both The World and the humans stronger — better. Their

86 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

willingness to shed their own blood in the fields proof of still around, with the exception of Chaac, the Rain God. A
their worthiness. close partner of both K’uk’ulkan and Witz’, his absence is
As a former member of the Teōtl, Xiuhcoatl’s memories keenly felt by the Serpents, especially after Tlaloc entered
are especially fragmented. Though he lived for centuries The World and took Chaac’s place. Though it seems like a
before Huitzilopochtli and centuries afterward, the times simple coincidence, it’s hard for them to not hold it against
he was in the God’s hand are still some of his strongest Tlaloc.
memories. How could they not? A newborn leaped out of The Serpents get along well enough with the rest of
a Goddess’ belly and pulled him out of nowhere. Then, the the Teōtl, though. Most of the Serpents entered The World
suddenly fully-grown baby and Xiuhcoatl started mowing over a thousand years before the rise and fall of the Five
down all his siblings. Things like that tend to stick with you. Worlds of the Teōtl. Thus, it’s hard for them to not think of
Xiuhcoatl also remembers when Huitzilopochtli the Teōtl as newcomers, even though the Gods of Mexica
finished with him, driving the Serpent into the last foe have been well established for the better part of a millen-
and leaving him behind. He waited. For hours. For days. nium. Thanks to their proximity, many of the Serpents are
Expecting his friend and companion to come back. But he closer than mere neighbors to the Teōtl, having laid much
never did. As much as Xiuhcoatl wants to, he can’t hate of the groundwork for the Gods. Quetzalcoatl patterned
Huitzilopochtli for abandoning him, but he’ll never forget his dragon form off K’uk’ulkan. Not that the God uses it
that memory, either. much. Similarly, Xiuhcoatl got his start at fire breathing
from Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan. Though Xiuhcoatl never
Nor will he forget what happened next. K’uk’ulkan got the hang of conjuring stellar flames like the Meteor
found him and pulled him from the corpse of a Titan, then Serpent, his fire is still quite deadly.
gave him a job, finding whoever was responsible for the
smell of ash and sulfur, the one who made the rain sour. Speaking of Xiuhcoatl, he’s almost entirely responsible
Xiuhcoatl remembers the sense of purpose. How it felt to for the Serpent’s terrible relationship with the Titans of
know that his hunt would take him to someone who had the region. With Huitzilopochtli, he killed all Coatlicue’s
injured The World. The sound of screams when they found other murderous children. They’ve come back in small
the factory owner’s body echo forever. Did he do the right groups since then to get vengeance and died again. At this
thing? Were the cries of alarm and the wailing sobs good? point, Xiuhcoatl’s not sure how many times he’s killed
He wasn’t sure. But the rain tasted sweeter afterward. Coyolxauhqui and her brothers. Though she hasn’t tried
in hundreds of years, the Centzonhuitznaua keep trying,
Primarily, Heirs learn that their Handlers still love seeking payback, not that they’re likely to get it. At least not
humanity more so than even the Gods. Maybe their biggest against any of the Serpents. If any of the Titans realize that
secret is this truth, one they hide even from themselves. Heirs exist, things will get worse in a hurry.
RECENT MYSTERIES The Serpents are on lousy terms with the Æsir, most-
Serpents can feel and see the disconnection between ly due to a mix-up centuries ago where Thor came after
The World they remember and The World as it is now. Ndengei, having mistaken the mountainous Dragon for
They can see the problems humans are creating, and yet Jörmungandr. After a ferocious battle that left Ndengei
they still refuse to remove humanity from the equation. with a broken fang that took years to heal and Thor miss-
They would rather just leave and let The World die than kill ing an Aspect, the Æsir marked Melanesia as off-limits.
off what they’ve come to love so much. Their love clouds Ndengei once tried discussing the incident with the Æsir,
their minds when it comes to how to handle the situation. but found his way barred by Heimdall, who immediately
Other Flights see the end of the pantheons and humanity blew the Gjallarhorn. Within moments, the Serpent found
as the only true way to reconcile these differences, but the a wild-eyed Thor shouting at him, followed by a heavily
Serpents can’t abide such drastic measures. While they armed contingent. Ndengei ended up leaving, annoyed and
would never say so to the other Flights directly, they will do without an apology.
anything to protect humanity even if it means killing other
Dragons. They continue to frantically work behind the NOTABLE DRAGONS
scenes, hoping to educate and nudge humanity into fixing Like the Lóng Flight, the Serpents have maintained
their own problems before that becomes an issue. Fighting good relations with the Gods and therefore few of their
for The World has never been harder, but there’s too much numbers have been murdered. The Flight isn’t as numer-
at risk to relax. ous, mainly because the primary requirement for joining is
the desire to change The World without killing humanity,
RELATIONSHIPS which is a relatively exclusive club.
As most of the Serpents are former members of the K’UK’ULKAN, THE FEATHERED SERPENT
K’uh, they still have good relations with the Gods. Both
groups of immortals agreed on the importance of return- Aliases: Gucumatz
ing The World to its former glory; their split was a simple K’uk’ulkan was always a force of nature, even before
disagreement on how to do it. Though the K’uh themselves the Gods came to The World. He was big enough to en-
have been quiet for hundreds of years, most of them are circle the sun, and he created the winds and caused great

The Serpents 87
rainstorms He was never one to shirk a responsibility, and exception of Tlaloc, whom he holds responsible for Chaac’s
when the Gods came, he gladly did what they asked of him. disappearance.
They made him responsible for days and nights by grabbing K’uk’ulkan has a big heart; The ongoing effort to in-
the sun in his jaw and dragging it across the sky. Later, he dustrialize The World physically hurts K’uk’ulkan and he
agreed to bridge the gap between the living and the dead, would do anything to make it stop. While he loves human-
acting as ferry by swallowing travelers, crossing planes, ity, he has grown tired of those who behave so callously
and spitting people out at their destination. Where many toward the planet. He is of a mind that they should kill
deities gain their renown by being the ones to open portals the worst offenders, as he’d rather spit them into Michtlan
and traverse the planes, K’uk’ulkan goes one step further; than let them continue polluting. The other Serpents try to
he is the portal. Thousands of years later, there’s nowhere temper him, but his patience wears thin and he might do
he can’t go and no one he can’t bring, although some might something drastic. No amount of goodwill toward his di-
balk at the idea of traveling in the belly of a Dragon. vine mantle will save him if he just starts murdering people
He spent a great deal of time as a K’uh, and in that time though.
traveled all over meeting many Gods. Though not actually K’uk’ulkan chooses Heirs who have the same affable
a death God himself, K’uk’ulkan he spent enough time in nature he does. He picks people who love to travel and to
the realms of the dead that he’s at least on friendly terms bring people from one place to another. They provide secu-
with each of them, especially Sobek. During their first rity details for people in witness protection, moving their
encounter, the crocodilian guardian of the Nile was trying charges thousands of miles with one hand on their gun at
to capture a particularly troublesome Titanspawn before all times. They are smugglers, plotting courses through
it made it to the underworld when K’uk’ulkan swallowed prying eyes to make sure their cargo arrives safely and un-
it. He later deposited it in Hel, much to the amusement of noticed by anyone that would cause it harm. They are also
everyone, except for Hel. construction workers, laborers, people who use force of
Though he has fully separated himself from his divine will and their own hands to transform rock into something
mantle, he returns on occasion to maintain the relation- new, especially those who create new passages, tunnels, or
ships he created thus. They have no idea of his plotting and canals.
planning as a Serpent, and he’d just as soon not let them Callings: Mystic, Nomad, Ruler
grow suspicious. He gets along with most other pantheons
in that role, especially the K’uh and Teōtl, with the lone

88 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

 Memory: Grieving humans shedding their own blood, battle. Now, the people of The World ask even more of him,
sacrificing their own flesh for one last moment with their offering whatever they can to survive the changing weather
departed loved ones; the smell of blood and its unique fla- patterns, especially against the more frequent typhoons.
vor: iron, copper, salt, agave; swimming through the rivers, Ndengei doesn’t forget his Dragon self, though he
darting downward, crossing into the land of the dead; car- wears his Godly mantle often. His reasoning is that if he can
rying the dead back from Michtlan so the bereaved could get the people who worship him as a God to act on behalf
say goodbye. of the Serpents, then he can affect real change. He spends
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Air), Flight, a great deal of time in Xol pushing the other Serpents to
Transformation, Weather Manipulation come up with a plan and give him something to act upon.
His actions often force a direction to the squabbling Flight,
NDENGEI, THE SUPREME and they look to him as their leader, though all votes are
Aliases: Dengei, Degei equal in Xol’s forests.
When the seas sprouted islands, Ndengei was there to Between balancing his duties as the most powerful
welcome them in. He readily accepted his role as a Kalou- of the Kalou-vu and the organizing force of the Serpents,
vu, the Fijian gods, and was the most powerful of them. He Ndengei has his coils full. Not only must he deal with
spent years searching for and finding things suited to life on requests from humans who travel to his cave asking for
land. When a bird came and laid a pair of eggs, he wrapped aid, he has to handle squabbles between the Gods of the
his coils around them, guarding the eggs from predators. In Kalou-vu, keep the Serpents on task with saving The World
time, humans hatched. Since then, the children of Ndengei from further ecological ruin, and defend both against the
have lived on the islands of Melanesia, especially Fiji, un- violence of the Titanomachy. As one might expect, this
der their father’s watchful eyes. means that Ndengei is tired as hell. The more success he
Over the centuries that followed, humanity has been has at organizing and leadership, the more people, Gods,
no less needy of their serpentine dad. Under his mantle and Dragons want to work with him, and the more work
as a God, he has islands full of worshipers who parade he has to do. He sometimes jokes that he’ll rest when he’s
offerings into caverns he used to inhabit leaving hundreds dead, but each time he says it, it’s a little bit less of a joke.
of pigs and turtles which eventually vanish into his belly. Though he’s as close to a leader as the Serpents have,
He’s granted everything from rain to harvests to success in he feels his relationship with K’uk’ulkan slipping each day.

The Serpents 89
He’s not sure how much longer he’ll be able to keep the spewing flames hotter than anything else in The World.
Feathered Serpent from starting an actual war. Thankfully, Fire that had one equal: the stars.
things are better closer to home. He’s well-known to the Always a primordial being, he never considered the
Atua of Polynesia, especially Tangaroa, having worked with Gods his equal. He viewed them as newcomers, younger
the Sea God’s Aspect Tagroa Siria for millennia. Though it’s brothers, and children to be protected. Though they were
impossible to get a read on the Lóng as a group, since there as immortally old as anything else in The World, they
are thousands of them, Ndengei is at least on good terms weren’t Dragons. The Gods mostly ignored this point of
with Ryūjin. view, though it annoyed Huitzilopochtli. The two clashed,
His Heirs are leaders of all sorts, those who have their though not in public and not often. Huitzilopochtli sought
finger on the pulse of what people need and desire. They to put Waxaklajuun in his place, and one can only assume
are the ones who move heaven and earth to set things right, he succeeded. All anyone truly knows is that the War
or at the least, to make them suck a little less. His Heirs are Serpent is dead now, having fallen in the mid-15th century.
neighborhood organizers, activists, city councilmembers, Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan’s Heirs are like him, pas-
and social workers. People who recognize that they can sionate, fiery, and ready to throw down for a cause. They
make things better if they try hard. If they knock on doors. are union agitators, fighting for fair wages regardless if it
If they listen to people. If they find out what people need. costs their job. They would rather live on the street than
If they learn how to take resources from the powerful and let a crooked boss get away with screwing workers. They
give them to the needy. are teachers who would die for their students, spending
Callings: Guardian, Predator, Ruler their own money on school supplies, volunteering for af-
Memory: The feeling when people fail to arrive with terschool clubs and activities, so that their kids have a safe
their tribute on time; a burning hunger; the quaking voices environment even after the bell. They are honest cops who
of petitioners who fear the wrath but need an audience; the would rather take a bullet rather than shoot an innocent.
harvests; victories in battle; strong winds and calm waves. Callings: Destroyer, Guardian, Primeval
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental Memory: Battles long since ended and those yet to
Manipulation (Air, Earth), Fear come; muscles ache with the labor of lashing out and de-
vouring enemies; the taste of blood coppery and foul in
WAXAKLAJUUN UB’AAH CHAN, their mouth.
THE EIGHTEEN-FACED SERPENT
Dragon Magic: Decay, Elemental Manipulation
Aliases: Chan-na K’awil, the Meteor Serpent, the War
(Earth, Fire), Understanding, Weather Control
Serpent
Waxaklajuun arrived on The World literally screaming WITZ’, THE WATER LILY SERPENT
through the sky as the first meteor. Like a fiery spear, he Aliases: Hu’n Witz’ Naah-Chan, Yax-chit-ti, Ta Huun
plunged deep into the earth, depositing rich veins of obsid- Wherever water is, so is Witz’. In a mountain stream.
ian before crawling out of the smoking crater. Much later, In a flood. At the bottom of a caldera. K’uk’ulkan may be the
that obsidian would find its way into the stone tools of the architect of rivers and their flow, but Witz’ is the river; his
people, highly prized among the Maya. Though his descent movements shaped the behavior of water everywhere. When
to earth destroyed a hill, it enriched the land beyond belief. water ripples, its remembering and mimicking his undulating
He had a unique disposition among the Serpents, form slithering through The World. His waters carry minerals
remarkably laid back in most matters, but deadly serious downstream, enriching the soil. Without him, there are no
when it came time to get to work. In times of peace, he saw farms. This is his gift to humanity, the cornerstone of civili-
little reason to get excited or hotheaded. Likewise, while zation. His partnership with Ixim, the Maize God, allowed
his allies K’uk’ulkan and Witz’ were desperate to combat humans to move past hunting and gathering.
climate change, combating a non-physical presence wasn’t All Serpents love humanity, but Witz’ loves them more
his strong suit, and convincing others to do it was right out. than most. He would help the people and the animals of
When there were things to hit, Waxaklajuun focused his The World with his dying breath, even if it were them
stellar fire on them, reducing them to ash. Otherwise, he killing him. He advocates against the acts of ecoterrorism
relaxed, a firm believer in not worrying about things he had many other Serpents actively engage in. He understands
no control over. why his Flightmates take extreme action, but that’s not his
This sometimes made his fellow Serpents frustrated, path; his path is the river, ever flowing.
but they knew that he’d throw himself headlong into help His easygoing demeanor makes him one of the more
once there was an opportunity for him to apply his talents. popular members of the Flight, at least among other
Those talents? War. While Xiuhcoatl might be a warrior, Dragons. The Serpents don’t dislike him, but they think
Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan was the War Serpent, battle his soft heart is going to lead to The World’s ultimate de-
incarnate, the one whose roar is heard when the din of bat- struction, and they fear his lack of paranoia will get them
tle deafens out all other sounds. Anything that didn’t suc- all killed. He doesn’t begrudge them their methods, though,
cumb to his fangs faced the meteor storm, eighteen heads and has taken on a completely different role for the Flight.

90 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

Witz’ knows that the Serpents can never achieve their goal calling and Huitzilopochtli abandoned the Serpent, leaving
of getting humanity to save itself if the other Dragons just Xiuhcoatl buried in Coyolxauhqui’s chest. But Xiuhcoatl
kill them all in a fiery revolution. Not that one is impending knew little else. Outwardly, he looked just as blue and jo-
any time soon, but Witz’ realizes that living in the moment vial as he always did, though he’d lost the ability to separate
won’t work against other Dragons who plan on a scale friend and foe long ago. When the older Dragons of the K’uh
spanning millennia. Since none of the other Serpents are found him, they gave him a new purpose: an endless string
good at making friends, he has decided it is his duty to be- of missions in the hope of creating a better World. Whether
friend the other Flights. or not Xiuhcoatl actually cares about the greater good is
He spends a great deal of his time visiting members of anyone’s guess, but no one can argue with his success.
the other Flights, trying to learn their plans, and convinc- At under 10 feet long, he wins no awards for fear-
ing them to come around to the Serpent’s way of thinking. someness among the Serpents, placing him exactly where
So far, his only real successes have been with the Lóng, he wants to be: underestimated. Between his size and his
who haven’t told him their plan for replacing the Gods, but mantle as the humanoid God Xiuhtecuhtli, few obstacles
are rather receptive to his overtures. The Naga are a close bar his path. Though nominally responsible for regulating
second, though their members are as fractious as any one’s fires and volcanos, the blue and green banded snake spends
heads, so he can’t count on the whole Flight to stand with far more time hiding in plain sight. It’d be easy to think of
the Serpents. him as a scaly James Bond, but Xiuhcoatl’s far more jaded,
Witz’ chooses Heirs who are as passionate and caring competent, and deadly. With centuries of spy craft under
as he is. He chooses caregivers and those who give to those his grass tail, he is easily the most paranoid Serpent, which
in need. They are hospital personnel, especially hospice places him in contention for the wariest Dragon of them all.
workers and nurses, EMTs, lawyers who work tirelessly If he’s spotted, it’s likely part of his plan. And if it’s not, he
to protect the innocent, and crisis center operators. He has backup plans.
expects his Heirs to work toward his goals, but also encour- All this nervousness makes him an excellent asset,
ages them to work with Heirs from other Flights, gently especially with his massive network of safehouses, though
steering them toward his goals as well. it wins him few friends. Witz’ does his best to try to stay
Callings: Guardian, Healer, Watcher on Xiuhcoatl’s good side, although the younger Serpent is
so emotionally repressed, Witz’ never knows if he’s suc-
Memory: The feel of a river sliding lazily through the cessful. The Teōtl believe themselves on good terms with
earth; the constant slosh-slosh as current breaks against the fire Serpent, not fully understanding why he rarely
the backs of bodies, driving them farther downstream; the comes around anymore. Only Coatlicue understands how
pressure, the squeeze, the tension against the barrier be- the years have changed Xiuhcoatl. Having killed the Titan
tween worlds, and the pop as the fallen cross the river; the Coyolxauhqui and her brothers, he is on the worst of terms
cries of newborns and the clatter of families gathering to with them. While he can see them coming a mile away, new
meet a new member. Heirs are not so experienced, putting them in peril from
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental the moment of Bequeathal.
Manipulation (Water), Illusions, Weather Control Xiuhcoatl’s Heirs are the shadows of the flickering
XIUHCOATL, THE TURQUOISE SERPENT flame. They are saboteurs. Devoted to the mission, they
blend in and locate the enemy’s advantage and nullify it.
Aliases: Xiuhtecuhtli
They are investigative reporters, digging for information,
The namesake of the Xiuhcome, the fire serpents pressing sources against walls. Squeezing corrupt busi-
of Mexica, Xiuhcoatl has embraced both his nature as a nesspeople and shaking down entire neighborhoods for a
being of fire and a Serpent, taking his roles further than scrap of information, or anything that’ll lead them to the
anyone could have ever imagined. When he took the role truth. They are assassins. Nothing stands between them
of preeminent fire Serpent from Waxaklajuun Ub’aah a and their quarry. They are unseen, even when hiding in
thousand years ago, he was more of a tool than a power in broad daylight. Perhaps owing to a sense of needing to
his own right. In those days, he served as Huitzilopochtli’s prove themselves or a deep-seated need to document their
right-hand Dragon for hundreds of years, often literally in victories, Heirs of Xiuhcoatl tend to collect trophies of their
Huitzilopochtli’s right hand, spitting precise bolts of fire triumphs, every token of success adding to their hoard.
at the Teōtl God’s enemies. But those times wore away at
Callings: Nomad, Primeval, Watcher
him. For Huitzilopochtli, every battle was a defense of his
mother, of his people. For Xiuhcoatl, it was just slaughter, Memory: Fighting against Gods and Titans; being
killing for the sake of death. What made one God more manipulated and used as a weapon; being hunted; blood on
worthy of survival than another? Who got to choose which their hands and lips; how sweet the air tastes when they
God lived and which God died? There were no answers for slay a target unseen.
the Turquoise Serpent. Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Air, Fire),
Over time, his connection to the Teōtl faded. When Flight, Illusions
they ceased needing a literal living weapon, they stopped

The Serpents 91
 FLIGHT PATH OF THE SERPENTS
Path Skills: Subterfuge, Integrity
Favored Draconic Knacks: Dragon Sight, Eel’s Trickery
There’s no getting around it, the Serpents are ecoterrorists. They do not agree on how to teach and
uplift humanity, but they know they cannot let them keep destroying The World. Only a few, like Witz’
and Ndengei, balk at the steps that lie before them. Stamping down hard on humanity’s pollution means
taking action. Where this means the simple destruction of property and machinery, the Serpents are united.
It is when there’s a human cost that their divisions arise. Regardless of the minute details of the plan, the
Serpents all agree that it’s past time for planning. They must act.
Remembrances: Direct Action (Cipher) and Negotiation (Defection). The way of the Serpent is to
strike decisively, piercing the flesh of the enemy and flooding their bodies with venom. After hundreds of
years of hiding, the time to act is now, before there is nothing left to save. Direct Action is taking matters into
your own hands to ensure victory. It is leading from the front and doing whatever it takes to enact change.
The Serpents drive their Heirs to act fast and decisively, as if their very lives depend on it. As she grows
closer to her draconic nature, she learns that it is not impulse that drives her, but instinct. In every action,
every circumstance, she listens to her senses, not rationale.
At the other end of the spectrum is Negotiation. An Heir who wants to retain her humanity must listen
to reason and must hear out the other party before she decides. Direct action is fine, but action without
thought leads to strife and suffering. She can still accomplish her goals through negotiations, but it requires
compromise. The Dragon cannot abide compromise, feeling The World is already at the brink and its way
is the best. But the human knows that she cannot keep humanity alive without first entreating humanity, and
that requires negotiation. An Heir uses her best judgement, hoping measured actions preserves some of her
humanity and keeps The World safe at the same time.
Signature Serpent Dragon Magic: Purification: The Serpents are part and parcel with nature and The
World. They are born of its dirt and plants and have always tried to foster that connection as much as
possible. No matter how much they might love humanity, their true nature lies within the wilderness. They
have tried hard to preserve the natural places of The World as best they can, and their magic is centered
around healing and purifying the land. With Purification, the Serpents can free humans from the hustle of
the modern World, allowing them to concentrate on the natural cycle of life and death. Plants, animals,
and even entire regions also benefit from Purification, flourishing and regaining lost strength.

only those with draconic blood, or Heirs can safely

COMMON SERPENT harvest a fang and work it into a blade. Once fash-
BIRTHRIGHTS ioned into a weapon, it deals wicked wounds that
Thanks to the Serpents’ paranoia, they do not allow never heal properly, scarring even Gods.
pawns, guides, or other allies within their lairs. That’s not • Serpent Masks: These masks depict Serpents at
to say that they don’t have two-legged assets. Many Central the height of their powers, bestowing their wearer
American communities and guerillas keep to the old Maya with powers. Frequently worn on the back of the
ways; to them, there’s no difference between the Serpents head, they contain the essence of the Serpent they
and the K’uh. These followers are all too willing to snoop depict. In many cases, Heirs obtain the mask of
around industrial sites or drive a truck through a billion- their Handler, enhancing the abilities they already
aire’s empty summer home. While Fijians are less aggres- possess. But, almost as often, Heirs find themselves
sive, they’re no less passionate about serving. with the mask of a different Serpent, becoming bice-
GUIDES phalic Serpents, capable of lashing out with either
Dragon’s abilities.
• Lost Souls: The dead have always sought out
• Quetzal Fists: Brass knuckles covered in striking
Ndengei and other Serpents for help reaching the
blue and green feathers, carvings of Serpents, and
afterlife. While their time left in The World is short,
obsidian razors, the Quetzal Fists leave their mark
they possess lifetimes of knowledge they’re eager to
on their foes. A modern twist on blood sacrifice al-
share, especially if it brings their killer to justice or
tars, the Fists are technically nonlethal.
prosperity to their families.

HOARDS LAIRS
• Janitor Closet: Ostensibly, the heavy steel door is
• Fang of an Ancient: When Serpents die, they leave
to keep the dangerous chemicals safely contained
behind their wicked fangs. Intensely venomous,

92 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

 but it doubles as insurance that no human can get volunteering to help the Serpents the moment she
inside. If they did, they’d discover that the closet is put a burst of gunfire into Coyolxauhqui. What she
far larger than the blueprints indicate, with walls lacks in subtlety, she makes up for in bravery and
full of uniforms, weapons, and supplies. It even has commitment to the Serpents.
a door that leads to a different closet in a building
• Xoc Tzul: An unflappable Belizean reporter with a
hundreds of miles away.
dozen years of various investigative beats under her
PAWNS belt, Xoc has recently uncovered the truth about the
pantheons. Ethnically Maya, she grew up with sto-
• Muwan Mat: Muwan was a Zapatista rebel in ries of the Serpents and now seeks to aid Heirs how-
Mexico. She’d been fighting the Mexican government ever she can, using her skills as an investigator to get
for years to preserve the Maya people’s culture and to the bottom of any mysteries an Heir encounters.
prevent the government from interfering with indig- Once unleashed on a target, Xoc uses every tool
enous stewardship of the land. When she chanced in her arsenal to get the Serpents an upper hand.
upon Xiuhcoatl throwing down with an incarnation Public records? Accessed. Spending habits? Hacked.
of Coyolxauhqui, she found an even higher calling, Family members? Bribed.

The Serpents 93
J akob sat at a table in the all-night diner, waiting
for Ambrosia to arrive. It was damned late, but
the place was packed. He nursed a cup of coffee and
“Rhiannon Jernigan,” she said. “Our straggler’s
on the way. He texted to tell me he got a little lost.”
She shook their hands and reached for a menu.
watched the crowd. Lots of kids here, in their late teens “Ambrosia Cook. And this is my friend Jakob
and early twenties. He’d been coming here since he Lukasson. The omelets here are amazing.”
was that age himself, almost 30 years ago. Clothing
and hair styles had changed, but the food and the The waitress came along with the coffee pot and
decor hadn’t. That was all right by Jakob, who spent took their orders: omelets of the day for Rhiannon
a lot of his time on the road. Sometimes it was nice and Ambrosia, an egg-and-cheese sandwich for
to come back to someplace familiar, when you didn’t Jakob. Rhiannon waited until she was out of earshot
really call anywhere home. before she asked, “Shall we get down to business?
Eric can catch up when he gets here.”
Ambrosia came in, shaking rain from a bright
red umbrella. The storm had hovered for hours with “Let’s,” said Ambrosia. She stuck a coffee stirrer
no sign of letting up. She gave the restaurant crowd in her mouth and nibbled on its end while Rhiannon
a practiced once-over before joining Jakob. spoke.

“How’d the job go?” he asked. He’d been two “A long time ago, an item that belonged to my
states away when Mitch put out the call. mother went missing. I’ve been trying to track it
down, but it changed hands several times. It ended
“Eh, fine. Mitch only went a little off book. up out here.” She chewed her bottom lip, choosing
Nothing we couldn’t handle.” her next words carefully. “I think it’s in an old lair.
“And what’s this one going to entail?” Not a Dragon’s, as far as I can tell, but something
She frowned. “Not sure yet. I had this dream that won’t be too happy with me just walking in and
about a woman made of fire, and knew I should taking it.”
help her. Next day, I get a phone call from some “So, you need backup.”
daughter of Brigid, asking me to meet her and a “Backup, muscle. Whatever you want to call it.
friend of hers to talk over a job offer.” The bell over Getting this back will help people. Or, more specifi-
the door jingled, and a stocky woman with a bright cally, will help me help people. That’s all I want out
red undercut stepped inside. “Speaking of.” of this. Anything else we find there, it’s yours.”
She spotted Ambrosia waving and navigated Jakob had some opinions on a Scion granting
her way to their table. Ink peeked out from her col- them — both heirs to draconic lineages — permis-
lar and sleeves, and she nodded approvingly at the sion to take things from another creature’s hoard,
runic tattoos winding around Jakob’s arms. but this was Ambrosia’s operation. He kept quiet.

94 SCION: DRAGON
 Ambrosia didn’t say anything for a moment, as They’d never met, but it was hard not to recog-
she turned the proposal over in her mind. Rhiannon, nize the son of Thor on sight. Several videos of him
to her credit, didn’t push. At last, Ambrosia nodded. had gone viral over the last couple years: Donner
“I’m in. Call it a gut instinct, but this is something I fighting a serpent, Donner drawing lightning from
need to do. Jakob?” a clear sky. The pictures of the Band his buddy
Jakob didn’t always get the same uncanny feel- Donnie Rhodes posted on social media got millions
ings other Heirs did. The Flight’s agents had long of likes. If you were online at all, he was hard to
since stopped contacting him, and if Ní∂höggr ever miss.
bestirred himself to speak in dreams, Jakob wasn’t In fact, Jakob wasn’t the only one who’d spotted
listening. But he trusted Ambrosia and her instincts. the minor celebrity in their midst. Other customers
She was his brood-mate, after all. That meant having nudged one another and not-so-surreptitiously
each other’s backs. “Yeah,” he said. “Count me...” pulled out their phones, either in the hopes some
The door opened again, and a tall red-haired epic godly showdown was about to start, or to snap
young man stepped through. selfies and caption them with Look who’s in the back-
ground! Donner seemed a bit embarrassed by all the
Eric can catch up when he gets here, Rhiannon had attention, even while he stood and waited for its ini-
said. tial flurry to die down. Necks craned as he noticed
Jakob hadn’t realized she meant Eric fucking Rhiannon and headed for their table.
Donner. “Eric,” she said, as he slid into the seat beside
her, “this is Ambrosia Cook and Jakob Lukasson.

AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE 95
Ambrosia and Jakob, meet my friend Eric ... Eric, “Not unless Mr. Donner’s a Nazi,” said Jakob.
what is it?” He said it a little louder, so any mics recording near-
He stared at Jakob as though trying to remem- by might pick it up.
ber where they’d met. His furrowed brow gave way Eric full-body recoiled at the statement. “What?
to an unsubtle gasp and a deepening frown as some God, no. Fuck those guys.”
gears in his brain clicked into place. Let that get out on social media, Jakob thought.
Ambrosia touched Jakob’s arm. He hadn’t He smiled at last — more at the thought of how
moved since Donner walked in — not out of fear, Donner’s disavowal would get up some bigots’ nos-
but in cold calculation. Donner had half a foot on es than at Donner himself — but the kid was from
him, but Jakob was solid and quick; he could get the Midwest. If someone smiled at you, you smiled
in at least a couple of good haymakers if it came back.
to blows. Anything more than that would put cus- “I think we’ll be all right,” said Jakob.
tomers in danger, and a lot of the kids in here were
part of the communities he’d dedicated the last few “Yeah, we’re cool.” Eric stuck his hand out for a
decades to defending. If Donner decided he wanted shake, and Jakob accepted.
a fight, they’d have to take it outside. “Excellent,” said Rhiannon. “Let’s talk details.”
“Is there a problem?” Jakob asked. He kept his • • •
voice quiet, in case anyone close by was recording.
Eric matched Jakob’s tone and made an effort
to return his expression to neutral. “I’ve heard your
T hree days later, they headed into the Hoh
Rainforest. Heavy logging throughout most of
the 1900s had devastated areas of the rainforest, but
name before. And some other things,” he said. in the last thirty years or so, trees had begun growing
There was no judgment in the way he said it. A little again. Ambrosia was sure there was a metaphor in
caution, maybe. there somewhere, something about the old growth
“I figured as much. Some of your relatives gone forever, but the new taking root. She tucked it
might take issue with us sitting at a table together, away to muse over later, maybe run by her partner,
let alone working the same job.” Caroline, when she got back to the office.
Rhiannon shot Ambrosia a what the fuck? look. A couple hundred years ago, perhaps, the crea-
ture they were tracking had trusted the thick forest
“We’re a package deal,” Ambrosia said. She
to make finding its lair’s entrance near-impossible.
knew about the Æsir’s beef with Jakob. “If you can’t
In the aftermath of clear-cutting, however, it was
work with him, we both walk.”
almost too easy to find. The new growth hadn’t had
“I don’t understand what’s going on,” said time to cover it over completely. Roots tripped them
Rhiannon. “Someone clue me in.” all on occasion, but never entirely impeded their
“Later.” Eric cut his eyes toward the table of progress. A few hours in, and they found it: a stone
twenty-somethings to their left, whose occupants arch carved with runes too faded to read.
were pretending to have an intense conversa- Passing beneath it, the air grew immediately
tion to demonstrate how they absolutely weren’t sweeter. Beyond was the rainforest as it once had
eavesdropping. been, with ancient trees towering overhead and
That made Jakob relax a little — Donner wasn’t long-extinct animals rustling about in the under-
going to make him admit in a crowded restaurant brush. Rhiannon led the way, consulting a map
that he’d murdered one of the All-Father’s children. sketched in an old journal. Jakob and Eric trailed a
“For now, let’s say I did something that ruffled a little behind, keeping an eye out for threats.
whole lot of Ásgarðian feathers.” At last, they came to an outcropping. At its base
“That’s putting it mildly.” was a small clearing, with a simple stone altar in its
center. An opening was carved into the rock wall
Jakob shrugged. “I’d do it again.”
behind it, just about human-sized.
Rhiannon studied them both. “Is this ... whatev-
“You might have to turn sideways and crouch
er it is ... going to be an issue?”
a bit,” Ambrosia said to Eric. The rest of them could
fit through just fine.

96 SCION: DRAGON
 “Wait,” said Jakob. “Why don’t you two go in? set. Below, the people she protected were suffering.
Eric and I will wait out here.” Many had already died in the swift-spreading blaz-
“Something wrong?” She’d seen that look on es; others had fled, and watched from afar as their
his face before, like he’d heard a sound no one else entire lives and livelihoods turned to nothing more
picked up on, or spotted something out of place. than ash climbing into the sky. Rage and pity filled
her heart.
“Not sure. We’ll keep an eye out. Shout if you
need us.” Spiraling down closer, she skimmed along the
rooftops and breathed deep, drawing the flames
Eric didn’t argue. They each moved off into the away from crops and houses, pulling them into
trees, Donner with his hand hovering over his re- her own searing lungs. She caught an updraft and
volver, Giantsbane; Jakob with fists clenched, ready climbed up higher, searching for those who dared
for a fight. bring her people harm.
Rhiannon watched them go, then headed into There.
the cavern. Ambrosia followed. Inside it was cool
and musty, and when Ambrosia flicked her light- From her vantage point in the sky, she saw the
er, the walls gleamed wetly with the flame. It was wicked men who were setting the blazes, how they
larger in here than it had seemed outside, easily big used fire to terrorize the weak. They sat astride
enough for a dozen people to move around. The barded horses, holding torches in steel-gauntleted
space was completely empty, the ground covered hands. The sun glinted off helms and breastplates
in bootprints. and greaves — armor that might protect them from
blades and arrowheads, but did nothing against her
“Others have been here,” Ambrosia said. molten breath and powerful jaws.
“Recently, I think.”
She dove again. The earth shook as she landed
At the back of the cavern, a passageway led in their midst. With a huff, she extinguished their
deeper into the earth. Ambrosia took point and led pitiful torches. The horses bucked and fled, and she
them down it, her gun drawn. The passage twisted let them go. The meal in front of her was far more
and sloped downward, coiling like a serpent. No delectable. The men’s screams rang in her ears, and
noises echoed from below, aside from dripping wa- her mouth filled with the taste of their fear. Oh, how
ter and their own footfalls bouncing back to them. their bones had crunched between her teeth.
Ambrosia lost track of how long they’d been trav-
eling before the walls at last opened up into a tiny When Ambrosia opened her eyes again, the
round chamber. A miniature version of the altar idol’s flames had guttered out. Rhiannon watched
above sat in its center, but otherwise... her with concern. “Are you all right? You went
away for a moment there.”
“Empty,” breathed Rhiannon. “It’s all gone.”
“This all made me remember...” She frowned.
“No, not all of it. There’s something hidden.” “It’s hard to explain.”
Ambrosia shifted her gently aside, drawn by a
sense of heat close by. She smelled molten rock and “Try me. I’ve probably heard weirder.”
burning incense, and followed it to the back of the “Maybe over dinner. I could really go for a
tiny room. Rock flowed away from her outstretched burger right about now, and we’ve got a long walk
hand to reveal a tiny alcove. At its center, a white out of here.”
flame burned around a marble figure. “Is this what As she turned for the doorway, something
you’re looking for?” she asked. crunched beneath her boot. Ambrosia bent to pick
Rhiannon reached inside. The flames didn’t it up. She brushed off the dirt and immediately rec-
burn her as her fingers closed around the statue. “It ognized what it was: an ID badge from Lonergan
is. How did you find it?” Industries. “I think I know why this place was
But Ambrosia couldn’t hear her anymore. empty,” she said. “But how did they know to come
here?”
The sight of the flames dredged up a memory.
Far above, Giantsbane thundered.
She soared over burning lands, forests and
farmlands consumed by fires she herself hadn’t

AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE 97
 “There’s a world of difference between truth and facts.
Facts can obscure the truth.”
— Maya Angelou

D ragons activate Heirs through something they call Bequeathal. Until then, they could be considered sleeper agents,
untapped and blissfully unaware of the machinations their patrons are plotting. At the time of their first draconic
memories, they gain an Inheritance and are initiated into the world of Dragon.

READY MADE CHARACTERS

Y ou can make your own characters using the character generation mechanics starting on p. 110, or you can use one of
the following pre-generated characters.

ORIGIN-LEVEL CHARACTERS
While this book requires Scion: Origin to play, there is no pre-Visitation version of Heirs. Until they start
receiving draconic memories, Heirs are no different from normal people. They have no inkling of belonging
to something greater, or beyond them. The rules in this section then are necessary for creating an Heir from
the ground up, though to fully understand character creation, you’ll want to reference Scion: Origin (p.
94-98).

Ready Made Characters 99

 Background: The person who would become Kiran deep, Kiran bore witness to something vast, something waiting
Aamir was born in Karachi, into a branch family of a promi- to guide them to their place among true family. They emerged
nent Pakistani water tanker mafia. However, their memories with their Bequeathal on American shores. Though their
of home are vague at best — the year they would begin primary parents were lost, they never counted themselves alone: the
school, weapons flooded Karachi from across the ocean. It was dreams sent to them by the collective memory of the Draq
no longer safe to profit from stolen water. Their par- were so potent it was as though Flight ancestors guided them
ents fled the country with them after a rival family every step of the way.
began to make dangerous overtures. The next ten Their dream-guides together with their talent for
years were a whirlwind of hurried flight from ally tech helped to build their new identity as Kiran Aamir —
to ally, leading the fugitives farther West — first to first a natural-born American citizen, then an emancipat-
England, then Newfoundland, then across the Great ed orphan in need of scholarship funds, then a top graduate
White North to British Columbia. The child was of University of Washington’s computer science program
forced to uproot, repeatedly. They lived with major information technology companies lined up to
under stifling authority, harsh curfews, headhunt them. Now in their mid-thirties, Kiran has
and a no-secrets-allowed policy. The been Kiran longer than they were anyone else, and
child’s tales of strange dreams of flight they have been a Draq longer than they were ever a
through the dark and of the crushing child of washed-up water thieves on the outs.
weight of water were met with alarm
and hatred. Until the child that But the heritage of both their families still
would become Kiran Aamir learned speaks to them. Kiran currently finds themself as a
to keep silent. They were forced to top-level software engineer for smart home devices,
live in paranoia not just of the enemies maintaining the programs that constantly listen to
they had never met, not just the dread their wealthy clients’ every wish — among other
of being uprooted, again, but of the two things. What began as a small reservoir of ques-
adults made so wary of betrayal they kept tionable data, collected “just in case,” has become a
their only child under harsh magnification. Draq-supported market of blackmail and secrets.
This was all done in the name of fleeing the Kiran funnels information to investigative jour-
shadows of well-connected rivals willing nalists, whistleblowers, and ambitious corporate
to reach across national borders to seek saboteurs — sometimes pro-bono, if Mušḫuššu
vengeance.  demands it, and sometimes with a hefty price
tag. Though they can appear to outward observ-
So Kiran was told, anyway. But still ers to have mercenary motives, Kiran offers their
they resented it. By the time they were services at significant discount to any who wish to
19, they began to suspect a better life destabilize or unmake unjust organizations and
was waiting elsewhere, and the wak- tyrannical corporations ... especially those who
ing dreams they experienced with horde or poison water sources.
growing regularity supported
this suspicion. During an Description: Kiran is a nonbinary person
attempt to illicitly cross the of Arab descent in their mid-30s, with deep
border into Washington brown skin and short black hair cut in a modern,
via a little-used strait feminine style. They are shorter than average with an effi-
in the San Juans, these cient build (some would call it a swimmer’s body). Often seen
visions took on a new in either traditional Western business attire or modern-style
sense of urgency. A shalwar kameez, they tend toward deep blues and blacks, and
freak storm howled keep jewelry limited to large earrings and one or two rings on
down the straight, their long fingers. Their nails are always short, pristine, and
capsizing the ship manicured. An expert in tech privacy — or at least, how to
ferrying the fugitives violate it — they eschew use of most smart devices and social
and their fixer to media without significant precautions. Kiran somehow al-
an American safe ways manages to position themselves so their glasses
house. In the frigid cast a blinding glare.

100 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION

 Background: Every one of Ambrosia’s report cards Investigator was among the worst of her life. Her first case was
in elementary school came back with the same notes: arson — a corner convenience store. They caught the guy less
“Bossy.” “Disruptive.” “Does not cooperate with classmates.” than a block away with an empty gas can. It was open and shut.
“Disrespects authority.” But her teachers couldn’t be farther But none of it added up. She never found evidence of liquid
from the truth. It was never that Ambrosia disrespected accelerant, only deliberate electrical malfunction. No one read
their authority — it was that she found it lacking. And if they or commented on her reports. The suspect swore innocence
couldn’t help a kid get vengeance for being hurt or bullied, right up through his trial and sentencing. And after
then she would do it for them. “If you were a white boy,” he was hauled away, Ambrosia learned he was the
her mother sighed, “they’d be all over you, saying brother of a notoriously anti-cop citizen activist.
you could join the police.” But that was exactly what She resigned in disgust the next day, and her part-
Ambrosia wanted to do. ner soon followed.
An otherwise cheerful, confident, and respon- Ambrosia couldn’t stand knowing how close
sible young adult, Ambrosia Cook struggled with a she’d come to living a life like her horrible waking
secret she continued to hold closer and closer to her nightmares. Her partner discussed earning certi-
chest: For as long as she could remember, she’d been fication as a private investigator, but Ambrosia,
seeing things that weren’t there. Feeling things desperate and emotionally starving, consid-
that didn’t make sense. It felt like someone ered turning to vigilantism. Until the day
else was writing a story in her mind, filled she received a strange, greasy package
with uncontrolled fires, violent evil, and from an unknown sender. Inside
vengeance unrealized. And she hated it. was the gas can, Exhibit A, from her
She wouldn’t allow her real life to be like fateful first case. No sooner had her
this story. As she got older, however, fingers brushed the red plastic than
these vague feelings flared into a rush of Bequeathal overwhelmed her.
straight-up hallucinations and a The collective thoughts and memories of
bizarre, pyromaniacal hunger — ancient, ravening beings screamed from within
though she confessed to loathing her — she doesn’t crave fire, she craves extinguish-
the idea of arson. Even though she ing. She doesn’t want to spread wickedness and
couldn’t find proof of mental ill- injustice, she wants to consume it.
ness in her family, she began to fear Now awakened to her still barely com-
for the worst, and to plan around it. prehensible existence as kin to these crime-eating
While she studied criminal justice dragons, Ambrosia Cook commits herself to working
at Washington State University, she full-time at the investigation and consultation office with
also saw a slew of therapists, carefully her old partner. Ambrosia hasn’t told her yet exactly what
passing her visions off as “dreams” in caused her sweeping personal changes — and Ambrosia
an effort to determine their source, and herself still doesn’t have a guide for her new abilities — but
hopefully smother them. the two make excellent use of their old contacts in the force
“The SPD is corrupt,” her friends and their growing reputation as dogged, determined, and im-
warned her. Yes, but Ambrosia wasn’t — partial criminal investigators. Ambrosia’s hungers are sated,
she was obsessed with seeking justice and for the time being, but her dreams and visions ... they haven’t
thwarting her visions. After her gradua- stopped.
tion and subsequent recruitment to the Description: Ambrosia is a young black woman in her
Seattle Police Department, Ambrosia late 20s. Her light brown skin is dusted with freckles, and
told herself she would hunt down her hair is always tied back in a loose, casual bun. She is
all the rotten apples and short but powerfully built, and happy to dress however
gleefully cast them she pleases now that she doesn’t have to wear a uniform.
out. However, the year That said, her outfits are still a professional mix of business
she finally moved into casual and thrifty streetwear. Ambrosia has a wide mouth
her dream promotion and easy smile, though often she’s chewing on something —
as Origin and Cause gum, ice, pen caps, leftover bones from lunch…

102 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION

 Jakob Lukasson likes to say he was born twice — the exempt him from the Brotherhood’s antagonism. From
first time, 1965, in the small town of Poulsbo, what Jakob could tell, Mr. Odinsson had just joined with big
Washington; and the second time, more than hopes for the club — to improve it, downplay the violence
twenty years later, after going to war with but allow it to mature into a proper cult. The Brotherhood
himself and his discordant self-image, his wasn’t convinced. They wanted blood and fear from every-
uncomprehending family, and psychiatrists. one who wasn’t theirs. Finally, Mr. Odinsson relented.
After decades of fighting to become One little raid to keep everyone’s morale up. But nothing
himself, Jakob was determined to help oth- more dangerous than the LGBT center.
ers like him —marginalized kids with no pro- EMS arrived an hour later to find
tection. He spent his time between rigorous the hall a shattered ruin, the flash-fro-
training and volunteering at shelters, zen ground raked by an enormous
safe houses, and any after-school beast. The bodies were covered
organization that would have him. in a rime that could only occur
When members of the fledgling in hyperborean climates, and
LGBT center whispered anxiously some were shattered like grue-
of some gang terrorizing them some glass sculptures. The
outside of school, Jakob tuned True Brotherhood of Odin
in. disbanded.
It didn’t take long to Jakob is persona non
find their posters and fol- grata to most of the Æsir for
low the trail. As he did, he killing one of their Scions.
started having visions of Even as they respect that
gnarled twisted roots, he’s doing The World a
a stabbing pain, and service by ridding it of nazis.
a desire for power. He never lingers in one place
These waking night- for long and is reluctant to reveal
mares came with as- his identity to anyone outside his closest kin.
sociations — a terrible When not on the hunt, he makes every at-
injustice, a perversion tempt to de-costume, usually with a baseball
of history, and duties un- cap to cover his skull and long sleeves to hide
fulfilled. Jakob had changed again, his his tattoos. Many Dragons and their Heirs
Bequeathal fully taking root. And with it assume Jakob is a dangerous renegade and
came the knowledge of where to go and demand the Lindwurms bring him to heel,
a vision of a man with encouragement to but the truth is Lindwurm authority is ab-
destroy him. sent from his life deliberately: He’s already
Jakob was looking for The True doing a great fucking job without them.
Brotherhood of Odin, a group of neo-nazis. He Description: Jakob is a white man in
heard rumors around town and learned they his early 50s with a broad, solidly mus-
were fast becoming a city fixture and a threat cled body. His steely eyes, shaved head,
dangling over his kids. He knew he had to do and dour expression can make him look
something to protect them from these thugs. alternately like a thug, or a modern pala-
He attended the Brotherhood’s next meeting. A din. He prefers faded jeans, heavy boots,
big Swede with a biker vest made of wurm hide and clean short-sleeved shirts; he wears
greeted him at the door. He took one brief look at a Relic in the form of a patched biker’s
Jakob’s shaved head and rune tattoos and fate- vest made of wurm hide. Blue-black
fully decided, “Yeah, you belong here.” runic tattoos cover his arms. His facial
Jakob learned this was a son of Odin, hair is meticulously groomed and now
with all the attendant powers and privi- grows in four natural colors..
leges. But his semi-divine status didn’t

104 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION

 The majestic lineage of Gōnggōng continues to clutch (save his history courses, which he was loathe to admit to
at The World like claws on a pearl. His descendants and anyone), and generally content to just be everyone’s foreign
Heirs pride themselves on their business acumen, their fling. And it was this careless attitude that led him to accept
connections to high society, and their a fateful invitation to a Student Historians meeting. It bored
ancient, august history. Sons of the the hell out of him at first. When one of the white kids start-
Chu family, especially, are groomed ed bragging about her father bringing something back from
for a life of well-born, exceptional his visit to a Shang dynasty tomb, Mitch forced himself back
service to their hidden patron. into the conversation. Of course, she had it with her — she
When Chu Kai-Wing showed prom- dragged the crate into the hall and pried it open before the
ising signs of eventually earning an spectators, showing a bronze zun vessel thousands of years
Inheritance, his family prac- old. Mitch found himself seething at the sight of it passed
tically burst with pride. As around like an amusing curio. Everyone agreed she should
he grew older, however, keep it in their meeting hall. Mitch had no intention of
it became apparent that letting that happen. In the pre-dawn hours, he broke
he was going to be… into the hall to see to the zun vessel himself. 
challenging. He intended to reclaim the artifact and ship it
Among his home — certainly someone in his family would know
friends in Hong how to return it. No sooner did his gloved hands
Kong, Kai-Wing used brush the ancient bronze, however, than inhuman,
the name Michigan, prehistoric whispers filled his head. The moment
half-ironically and half he’d unconsciously dreaded his whole life had
out of young reverence come: He was being offered a Bequeathal.
for treasure-hunting Mitch has since graduated Stanford’s his-
action flicks. Somewhere tory program despite his best efforts. He now
along the way, his idol- receives regular missives from his patron and
ization wires got crossed — the their allies, instructing him on what to steal
exploration and history promised and from where. These missives also demand
by archaeological studies still fasci- Mitch safeguard these stolen artifacts within
nated him, but he craved the illicit his horde, but so far, he has repatriated each
adventure of outwitting traps and of them to their places of origin, much to
outrunning guards. His infamy as a his family’s disappointment.
high society renegade soon outshined
his reputation for being a bookish Chu Description: Mitch is model-hand-
flunky, and Mitch leaned into it as much some: slender, angular, living his best
as he could. When he wasn’t flirting, mid-20s life as a young Heir, in both the
driving too fast, or simply being idle, modern and Draconic sense. His deep
he was breaking and entering for the brown eyes, flawless complexion, and
sheer fun of it. He was only caught a effortless style have won him allies
few times. His parents had the wealth and lovers from all over. He has an
and connections to bail him out, but exceptional sense of fashion without
little patience to continue doing it. looking pretentious or elaborate
When his love of world history drew — the kind of practiced style of
him to study abroad, the Chus were the idle rich, usually
more than willing to abandon him to accented with a
Stanford’s care. single earring and
cutting-edge smart
Mitch continued his antics abroad, watch.
ignoring most of his responsibilities

106 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION

 Background: Leticia was born in Venezuela and lived she follows their instructions as best she can. For
there for only a few years before her mother expatriated the first time in her life, she feels like she’s part
to the United States with a job in the health industry. Her of an institution that isn’t setting her up for
mother was an exceedingly intelligent and caring wom- failure.
an. She helped Leticia through her studies and advocat- Since then, Leticia has become an active
ed for her when her teachers couldn’t understand why environmental activist, using her free time
she wouldn’t speak up in class. Leticia’s life was not to push governments to start working for
easy, but her mother did all she could to foster a the people and against industrial in-
healthy household and give room to Leticia to terests. She knows she doesn’t
learn and grow at her own pace. know a lot about it, but her
Leticia spent a lot of her youth alone, passion for the subject
struggling through systems that routinely (and the direction of her
failed her, and watching her family back in Handler) has led her to
Venezuela struggle to survive. She would consult subject matter
regularly ask her mother to help her experts. Leticia is unbeliev-
prepare care package for her cousins, and able at social mimicry, oration,
it was the one thing she felt connected to and diplomacy, but these things are
through everything. She struggled in school, draining if not done on her own terms.
but successfully graduated and started class- She often sets up others to speak,
es studying psychology at the University of raising up their voices and en-
Washington with an eye on applying to their suring the most knowledgeable
Master’s program on speech pathology. about a subject is the one who
Already deeply concerned about has all the attention in a room.
the economic concerns in Venezuela, On the side, she acts
and the ecological concerns around as an autism advocate for
The World, Leticia’s Bequeathal young Latinx communities
came more as a relief than a sur- hoping to provide tools
prise. She dreamed of flying she developed for herself
through a clean World, a place to thrive. She believes pas-
that could be with the right sionately in alternate forms
amount of dedication and work. of communication and voices for
At first, these memories were the voiceless. Leticia doesn’t speak
overwhelming, and she thought unless she absolutely must and prefers
she was hallucinating, but when she nonverbal communication. When she does
followed a trail to a P.O. Box in her focus on speech and oration, she is forthright
name, she knew it was all too real. and incisive.
Inside was a key to a safety depos- Description: Leticia is taller than
it box filled with papers including average with a soft, round build. Her
a deed to a house in her name and sharp, green-eyed gaze misses little. She
a sizable inheritance from a dis- wears her long auburn hair in a French
tant relative even her mother braid every day and doesn’t wear makeup.
couldn’t remember. She often dresses in a feminine style — soft
She still doesn’t know fabrics and simple dresses with leggings, usu-
who her draconic ally in shades of blue or yellow. Her favorite
ancestor is, but she animal is the blue-throated macaw and al-
knows that they are ways finds ways to have one macaw accessory
looking out for her, so on her person.

108 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION

 The other is her Brood Deed, which is a Deed shared
CHARACTER by everyone at the table. This Deed is also Worldly in na-

CREATION ture, though it may serve to reinforce the Heirs’ draconic

side. Players should discuss their first Brood Deed with the
Storyguide to ensure everyone is on the same page about

H eir character creation happens in eight steps: concept,

Paths, Skills, Attributes, Callings and Knacks, Dragon
Magic, Birthrights, and finishing touches.
what they want to accomplish. Much like band-term Deeds,
Brood Deeds should be an expression of the great acts the
group wants to accomplish over the course of a season.

STEP ONE: CONCEPT However, Brood Deeds serve a second purpose: by

banding together and deciding together on a goal they’re
You want to start character creation with a concept.
chasing as a Brood, Heirs subvert their perpetual role as
This helps define what you want your character to do and
pawns in the games of their parents. Their parents may
what kind of character you are making. Concepts should
have goals for them, but these Deeds, by dint of their group
be a short phrase or sentence that defines key character-
nature, form an important part of allowing the Heirs to
istics about the character. Concepts for Dragon could be
form their own self-image, a bit of sunlight outside the
“Reluctant Assassin,” “Heir in Over Her Head,” or even
shadow of their parent’s wings and scales. Each achieved
“Proud Descendant of Tiamat.” If you have trouble encap-
Deed, likewise, leaves the Brood’s claw prints on the im-
sulating what you want to do in just a few words, try going
mortal Memory of dragonkind, a permanent addition to an
through the rest of the character creation process to see if
endless library.
it helps spark anything.
You do not need to decide on your specific Dragon an- Example Brood Deeds are: secure a new lair
cestor at this time, though you do need to pick their Flight. for our brood; secure our brood’s reputation as
If you have a Dragon in mind, write it down, even if your fixers among other Heirs; discover a weakness
character doesn’t know who her ancestor is, having a clear in a particular pantheon’s defenses.
direction will help your Storyguide.
The concept doesn’t have any direct mechanical ef- Characters gain Memory Deeds through Memory
fects, but should help you during play to decide the kinds Conditions (p. 125), and do not start with any.
of actions your character might take, or how she might
react to sudden revelations or strange requests from her Example: Meghan sits down to create her
ancestor. Heir, Lydia Tan, a Chinese Brazilian living in the
Next, each player chooses three Deeds: one United States and attending college at Loyola
Draconic, and two Worldly (a short-term and brood- University in New Orleans. She decides that
she wants Lydia to be an Heir to a Dragon from
term Deed). Deeds are somewhere between a character’s
the Serpent Flight, but isn’t sure which Dragon
goals for herself, her draconic ancestor’s goals for her, and she wants, other than she wants Lydia to be a
the player’s goals for his character. Information on how Reincarnated Heir.
Deeds work can be found in Scion: Origin on p. 94-95.
Meghan decides that Lydia is in pre-law, and
Characters start the game with a Draconic Deed, college is the most important part of her life, but
something she is currently tasked to do that will emphasize she is excited to explore her draconic side. She
her draconic side. Draconic Deeds should take one or two describes this concept as “Pre-law student with
sessions to complete and are often story seeds given to the too much curiosity.”
characters via the Storyguide. Once a character completes For her Draconic Deed, Meghan decides she
a Draconic Deed, she gains a new one immediately. This wants Lydia to “Use a Draconic Knack to solve
usually comes in the form of a memory from her Handler, a problem.” She selects a short-term Deed of
given by the Storyguide, but the player can work with their “Meet with my poly-sci professor about an
Storyguide to decide what kind of mission the character extra credit project.” She’ll need to wait to talk
will need to work on next. Examples of Draconic Deeds with the other players to decide on a Brood
are: blackmail the Mayor of New York; discover a new mag- Deed.
ical item to add to my hoard; destroy the titanspawn who is
attacking my home.
STEP TWO: PATHS
She also starts with two Worldly Deeds. One is a
Define three Paths (Scion: Origin, p. 95) for your char-
short-term project she wants to accomplish in a single
acter. The first path defines your character’s origin, which
game session. These generally have something to do with
is who they were before this story started. The next Path
the Heir’s human life, and her basic wants. Example short-
defines her role, likely encapsulated by her Calling. The
term Deeds are: help my friend fix her relationship; make it
final Path corresponds to her Flight and should define her
to family dinner; make a date with my boyfriend.
relationship to that Flight and the Dragons found within.

110 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION

If your character is a Legendary Creature, her role Path is devoted to cleaning out corruption, she isn’t
replaced by her supernatural nature. above using what she can to get her way. She
records “Saying the Right Thing” for Empathy,
Each Path consists of the following elements:
“Inspiring to Action” for Leadership, and
• A short descriptive phrase for the Path. (e.g., “Failing “Bribes” for Persuasion.
College Student” or “Lacky for the Naga”)
• Three Skills associate with the Path. Which three
Skills are up to you, but you should be prepared
STEP FOUR: ATTRIBUTES
to justify non-obvious choices, like Athletics for Your character begins with a single dot in all Attributes
“Midnight Barista.” Two of the Skills you choose for free. Next, prioritize the three arenas (Scion: Origin, p.
for your character’s Flight Path must be the Flight’s 97) as primary, secondary, and tertiary. Assign six dots to
associated Skills. If the character is a Legendary Attributes in the primary category, four to the secondary,
Creature, then two of the Skills she chooses for her and two to the tertiary. Divide these dots however you like,
Role Path must belong to her Legendary Creature but no Attribute can be higher than five.
Path’s Asset Skills. Any given Skill can be associated Finally, choose one of the three Approaches (Scion:
with at most two of your Paths. Origin, p. 97). Add two dots to each Attribute in that
Approach; if this would bring any Attribute above five, then
• A Path Condition that triggers when you invoke the
reassign the dots to Attributes within the same arena.
Path too often. This is normally Path Suspension or
Path Revoked (Scion: Origin, p. 101). But feel free to
use that as a template to make your own. Example: Meghan decides that Lydia’s
Mental arena is her strongest suit, followed by
Example: Meghan defines Lydia’s Paths. Social and then finally Physical. In her Mental
Lydia grew up in Rio de Janeiro and came to arena, she assigns two dots to Intellect, two
the United States during her high school years. dots to Cunning and two dots to Resolve.
She decides her origin Path is International In Social, she assigns two dots to Presence,
Student and chooses the Skills: Academics, one to Manipulation and one to Composure.
Culture, and Technology. Because Lydia is Finally, in Physical she assigns two dots to
pre-law and cares a great deal about justice Stamina. Meghan then decides that Lydia uses
and doing what’s right, Meghan selects her Finesse more than anything else to get
Metairie’s Chief Justice as her role Path and things done, and chooses that as her Favored
chooses the Skills: Empathy, Leadership, and Approach. She assigns two dots to Cunning,
Persuasion. Finally, as an Heir to the Serpent two to Dexterity and two to Manipulation.
Flight, Meghan decides Lydia’s Flight Path is Her Attributes are currently: Intellect 3, Cunning
Intercessor for the Serpents and selects the 5, Resolve 3, Might 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3,
Skills Integrity, Occult, and Subterfuge. She Presence 3, Manipulation 4, and Composure
takes Integrity and Subterfuge from the Flight’s 2.
Skills.

STEP FIVE: CALLINGS

STEP THREE: SKILLS AND KNACKS
Prioritize your character’s Paths as primary, second- Select three Callings. These Callings can be anything,
ary, and tertiary. Your character receives three dots in each but are generally loosely associated with the character’s
Skill associated with their primary Path, two dots for sec- Paths. For example, if the character is a ballet dancer, then
ondary Path, and one dot for tertiary Path. These dots are she may have the Nomad Calling, but could also just as eas-
cumulative for Skills associated with two Paths. ily have the Mystic Calling.
For every Skill that ends up with three or more dots, At least one of the character’s Callings should be
choose a Specialty (Scion: Origin, p. 59). shared with your character’s draconic ancestor. If you don’t
know who your character’s draconic ancestor is, that’s fine,
Example: Meghan decides that Lydia’s pri- but one of the Callings will have to be shared when it comes
mary Path is her role, her secondary her Flight time to define the Dragon.
and her origin is her tertiary Path. She assigns
three dots each to Empathy, Leadership, and Your character receives five dots to split between her
Persuasion, then two dots each to Integrity, three Callings, but each Calling must have at least a single
Occult, and Subterfuge and finally one dot dot. For each dot she has in a Calling, she gains a Calling
each to Academics, Culture, and Technology. Knack. While she can learn more, she can only have a num-
She gains Specialties in Empathy, Leadership, ber of Calling Knacks active equal to her Calling dots in
and Persuasion which are all ranked at 3 or total. This includes Calling Knacks gained from Birthrights
higher. Meghan keeps in mind Lydia’s focus (p. 128).
on justice as she decides, and while she is

Character Creation 111

 Finally, select two Draconic Knacks from either the She then selects a Spell from each and picks
Feats of Scale Knacks or the Transformation Knacks. The Soothing Aura from Purification, Flash Flood
character starts with two Draconic Knack slots and gains from Water Manipulation, and Aerial Mobility
an additional one each time her Inheritance Increases. She from Flight. For her last additional Spell, she
may purchase additional Draconic Knacks, but may only chooses Vision of the Distant Shore from Water
slot a number of Draconic Knacks equal to her Inheritance Manipulation.
+1.
If your character is also a Legendary Creature, re- STEP SEVEN: BIRTHRIGHTS
place one of their Callings with one appropriate to their
Heirs gain seven dots to distribute among Birthrights
nature (see p. 122 or Scion: Origin p. 162-196). Legendary
(p. 128). You may select example Birthrights from this book,
Creatures as Heirs gain access to Draconic Knacks as nor-
or design your own.
mal, except Modest Human Guise, as they can never hide
their true nature. Many Heirs receive Birthrights tied to their ancestor’s
Flight, but can inherit benefits from anywhere across the
world as their lineage and parentage is often muddied,
Example: Meghan knows Lydia has the
Judge Calling, and must now select two more. and many Dragons may be vying for the Heir’s attention.
She doesn’t know her exact ancestor, so So, if you like an example Birthright, feel free to pick it up
decides to pick some Callings common to the regardless of your character’s Flight and the Birthright’s
Flight. She selects Watcher to represent her affiliation.
college life and Destroyer for her Serpent ties.
She assigns three dots to Judge, knowing that is Example: Meghan decides that Lydia has
her main Calling, and one dot each to Watcher inherited a moderate Hoard, and assigns three
and Destroyer. dots to Hoard, and a small Lair in which to
For her Calling Knacks, Meghan selects first her store it, and assigns two dots to Lair. Finally,
Judge Knacks. She picks One more Question!, she decides that her dead Dragon parent has
Lie Detector, and Enforcer’s Eye. For her sent a Guide to help her, and selects Lost Souls
Watcher Knack she picks Indisputable Analysis Guide at two dots.
to ensure Lydia has a way to investigate with
more than interrogation techniques. For her
Destroyer Knack, Meghan selects Terrible STEP EIGHT: FINISHING
Dragon Roar to ensure Lydia has a powerful
attack ability.
TOUCHES
To finish out your character fill in the following extras:
For her Draconic Knacks, she selects Iron Fisted
Rule so that she can perform Judge Feats of • Distribute 5 additional dots among Skills. (These
Scale, and Poison Blood. don’t have to be Path Skills).
• Assign 1 additional dot to any Attribute. (This can-
STEP SIX: DRAGON MAGIC not bring an Attribute above five.)

Your character begins play with three Dragon Magics • Gain 2 additional Calling Knacks, or 4 additional
that she knows. One of the Dragon Magics is always her dots in Birthrights, your choice.
Flight’s signature Dragon Magic. You then get to pick two • Record Inheritance as 1.
other Magics she knows. One of these Magics must be
shared with her draconic ancestor. If you haven’t selected • Deed Name: Select your character’s Deed Name. At
your character’s draconic ancestor yet, or don’t know it, the start, this might just be something as simple as
that’s okay. But when the time comes to define your dra- “Heir to the Lindwurms” though it can also include
conic ancestor, they must share a Dragon Magic with the a Calling keyword.
character. • Remembrances: Selected from the appropriate
Characters gain a single Spell for each Dragon Magic Flight. Your character begins in the center of the
they know, and one additional Spell from any of the three Remembrance track.
Dragon Magics. • Health: One each for Bruised, Injured, Maimed,
and Taken Out; gain an additional Bruised slot for
Example: The Serpent Flight’s signature Stamina 3-4, or two additional Bruised slots for
Dragon Magic is Purification, so Meghan Stamina 5.
writes that down on Lydia’s sheet. She then
• Defense: Defense is based on the charac-
selects Elemental Manipulation (Water) and
Flight, since Serpents don’t normally have ter’s Resilience Attributes (Resolve, Stamina,
wings but do have the ability to fly. Composure). Note the number the character will
roll to take Defensive actions; this is usually based on

112 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION

 Stamina, so note that, but characters may use their a sheet. What do they look like? How do they dress? Who
other Resilience Attributes in particular situations. are their family and friends? Do they have any rivals? If so,
what’s their name?
• Movement Dice: Record your character’s move-
ment as her Athletics + highest Physical Attribute.

Example: Meghan assigns five dots to

DRAGON PATHS
Paths in Scion: Dragon work the same as described
Lydia’s Skills and decides to give her two dots on p. 99-104 of Scion: Origin, except instead of Pantheon
in Athletics, one dot in Integrity (bringing it
Paths, they gain Flight Paths (which serve a similar func-
to three dots), and two dots in Subterfuge.
Because her Integrity increased to three, she tion). While Heirs do not experience fatebinding, or have
adds “Keeping My Word” as a Specialty Legend ratings, their Inheritance gives them access to
for that Skill. She decides to add two Calling utilizing Twists of Fate with their Paths in the same way
Knacks to choose from, selecting Terror of the Scions do. Choose Origin, Role, and Flight Paths for your
Guilty and Keen-Eyed Watcher to give her character using the same principles presented in Scion:
some versatility depending on the mission she’s Origin.
on at the time.
Meghan records her Inheritance as 1, and ORIGIN PATHS
records her Remembrances as Direct Action for While Heirs rarely gain knowledge of their draconic
her Cipher and Negotiation for her Defection. nature before adulthood, Dragons spend a great deal of
She marks the spot in the middle of the track. time watching and waiting, and sometimes even testing
She then records Lydia’s health as two Bruised, prospective Heirs before starting them on their path.
and one each of Injured, Maimed, and Taken
Despite any best efforts from the Dragon, the Heir experi-
Out. She marks Defense as 3 based on Lydia’s
Stamina of 3, and her Movement Dice are 5 ences her ancestor’s presence in her life in little ways that
for Athletics 2 + Dexterity 3. eventually shape who she becomes.
A few of the example Origin Paths presented in
That finishes the mechanical aspects of your charac- Scion: Origin don’t make as much sense for Heirs to take,
ter, but now is a good time to think about the things that such as Chosen, Created, Potemkin World, and Terra
make your character a character, not just a bunch of dots on Incognita. Instead, the following are some Heir specific

Character Creation 113

example Origin Paths along with some suggested Skills and CRIMINAL
Connections. Feel free to come up with your own, or dig
You make a living through crimes, large and small:
deeper into these backstories to make the Path your own.
breaking and entering, all forms of theft, piracy, and van-
ALWAYS WATCHED dalism. You have your limits, but you and the law aren’t
Small things always seemed to go your way. Sometimes necessarily always on the same side when it comes to how
your parents would receive anonymous gifts of money or to accomplish your goals. You can handle yourself in a fight,
support when you needed additional schooling, or they and you always seem to have the right tools for the job, even
couldn’t afford your soccer practice. Ever present, never the legal kinds.
seen, your draconic ancestor meddled in your life from the Connections: Fence You Trust, Friendly Street Gang,
beginning. You always had someone around guiding you, Other Professional Criminals
even if you didn’t know it. Your favorite teacher in school,
Path Skills: Close Combat, Firearms, Pilot, or
your Karate instructor, your band director, and even your
Subterfuge
bus driver seemed to be keeping extra watch on you. You
still find yourself looking over your shoulder sometimes. SPY
Connections: Conspiracy Groups, Pawns of your There isn’t anyone you trust who you haven’t first
Draconic Ancestor, Mortal Family found out everything there is to know about them. Finding
out information, either through coercion or doing a little
Path Skills: Academics, Integrity, Subterfuge, or
digging, is your specialty. You’re just as comfortable pre-
Survival
tending to be someone else as you are being yourself, not
DRACONIC LINEAGE like anyone would know who that really is anyway. Maybe
You grew up knowing that Dragons were more than you work for a government agency, or for someone more
what you read about in stories. Your family has devoted private, or maybe you work for yourself as you uncover
themselves to a Dragon they claim to be descended from. deep conspiracies about The World.
You know everything there is to know about that Dragon, Connections: People You Keep as Cover, Professional
and others. You grew up feeling separate, alone, distant. Handler, Source Who is in the Dark
Your friends were the rare few other children from dra-
Path Skills: Athletics, Firearms, Integrity, or
conic lineages your family associated with. Sometimes you
Technology
compared stories, or shared family history dating back to
the time of Dragons. Maybe you believed it the whole time,
or maybe you thought it was all an elaborate way to explain CHARACTER
eccentricities within the family.
Connections: Lineage Members, Dragon Enthusiasts,
ADVANCEMENT
Childhood Best Friend
Path Skills: Athletics, Culture, Occult, or Persuasion H eirs advance in multiple ways, but the main course
for advancement is through achieving Deeds. When a
character has completed a full set of one Worldly, one Memory,
REINCARNATION and one Draconic Deed, they increase in Inheritance and
Ever since you were a child you had dreams of a dif- gain Callings and Draconic Magic accordingly (see p. 117). As
ferent World. Sometimes you would see something, and characters complete Deeds and other actions in the game, they
it would remind you of those dreams, and sometimes you earn experience points which they may spend at any time to
would have that feeling like you had seen it before some- increase Attributes, Skills, Birthrights, or gain new Knacks.
where. Other times you felt like you were living two lives, Through the course of play, characters may earn ex-
one in your dreams, the other in real life. It left you feeling perience for actions in the following table. In general, we
isolated, and yet fascinated. You may have shied away from suggest awarding 5 experiences per game session to every-
learning what these dreams could mean, or you might have one in your play group. Many of these are shared between
dived headfirst into learning all you could. Scion: Origin and Scion: Dragon, though Heirs have a few
Connections: Occult Specialists, Dream Interpreter, different ways of gaining experience.
The Only Friend You Told
XP
Path Skills: Empathy, Leadership, Occult, or Survival EVENT EARNED RECIPIENT
ROLE PATHS The character’s player
attends the session
1 Solo
Heirs have many of the same Roles in their groups as
Scions, though Heirs may find themselves involved in more The player achieves a 1 Solo
Worldly Deed
criminal activities than their divine counterparts. The fol-
lowing are example Role Paths that fit into the themes of The player achieves a 1 Solo
Scion: Dragon. Draconic Deed

114 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION

 If your Storyguide gives you additional starting expe-
XP
EVENT EARNED RECIPIENT rience, you may spend experience to purchase dots in Skills
and Attributes, or to purchase new Knacks.
All players achieve at least 1 Group
1 Memory Deed in the The below table lists the costs for each change. The ta-
same session ble does not include prerequisites, such as having access to
Knacks from a Path before purchasing. Players may spend
All players achieve a 1 Group
their Experience at the end of an Arc.
Draconic Deed in the same
session XP
The character’s player 3 Solo OBJECT CHANGE COST
completes a Memory Deed Attribute Add one dot to a single 10
(All players must complete Attribute
their Draconic Deed before
a player may earn expe- Birthright Add one dot in an existing 5
rience for this a second or new Birthright
time.) Skill Add one dot in an existing 5
The players spend half the 1 Group or new Skill
Momentum pool in a single Knack Purchase a new Calling or 10
scene (the amount spent Draconic Knack
must be greater than 1)
Draconic Purchase a new form of an 5
The characters reach a 1 Group Knack existing Draconic Knack
story milestone
Transformation Transform a Draconic Knack 10
The characters complete a 5 Group Knack
group Story
Specialty Add a Specialty to a Skill 3

Character Advancement 115

 “The hunger of a dragon is slow to wake, but hard to sate.”
— Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea

T o be a Dragon’s Heir is to discover one’s own heritage,

one day at a time. An Heir might inherit a mighty battle
form, the reins of a centuries-long power play, or a magnificent
Characters who gain Inheritance 10 become true
Dragons in an apotheosis that grounds them completely
in their collective Memory, transforming them into elder
fortress under the sea. Little by little, she comes into her wyrms and majestic monsters with agendas, schemes, and
own, whether she embraces the gifts she receives from her maybe even Heirs of their own. This book assumes the
draconic patron or turns away from her birthright to cling players’ characters are Heirs or Lesser Wyrms acting on a
to her humanity. Dragon’s behalf.

INHERITANCE INHERITANCE TRAIT EFFECTS

An Heir gains one additional Spell (p. 150), a new Deed
Name (p. 120), and a new Draconic Knack (p. 146) each time
T he ancient draconic civilization’s roots run deep
throughout The World, forgotten but still very much
alive, waiting for its agents to unearth them and claim what’s
she gains a dot of Inheritance. Other benefits Inheritance
bestows come at different intervals, as follows:
rightfully theirs. The seeds of Memory can be found anywhere, Heir
from an innocuous interaction with an eerily familiar stranger
to following clues her Dragon patron left long ago to discover • Hatchling. The Heir has just begun to explore her her-
a message meant just for her. As she performs Deeds that itage, and knows little about why she’s performing tasks or
call to her through her blood, demand her attention in the the shape of the conflict she’s entered. Her power is notable
here and now, or push her to indulge in draconic urges, she but narrow in scope. Gain Scent the Divine. 1 Spell per starting
unlocks more of her Inheritance. Dragon Magic + 1 more (any), 5 Calling dots, 2 Draconic Knacks
Inheritance represents how deeply an Heir lets those •• Asset. The Heir shows promise, and many of her tasks
roots embed themselves in her life — and thus, how deeply are now tests or trial runs to see whether she’s ready for fur-
she embroils herself in shadowy intrigues and flexes her ther induction. She begins to glimpse her true potential. +1
mystical might. The further she commits to her Inheritance, Calling dot (any), +1 Spell (any), +1 Draconic Knack
the more powerful she becomes and the more she learns ••• Seeker. The Heir knows enough now to know how
about who and what she is. With power and knowledge, much she’s still missing. She may actively seek out more
though, come age-old enemies and webs of complex dracon- secrets about her ancestry, or they may hound her wherever
ic politics. As an Heir’s Inheritance deepens, she becomes she goes, pushing her to satisfy her cravings and giving her
more like the Dragons of her Flight in body and mind. She visions from the distant past. Once per arc, her player may
commands more respect and resources from others of her add a point of Momentum to the pool and gain the Craving
kind, but accumulates more rivals and gains more difficult Condition (p. 121) if she doesn’t already have it. +1 Spell (any),
choices to make about where her priorities and loyalties lie +1 Draconic Knack
as well.
•••• Agent. At this point, the Heir is a trusted and valu-
INHERITANCE SYSTEMS able asset to her Flight, and carries out tasks of great import.
She has fingers in many pies, and schemes of her own in
An Heir’s Inheritance rating generates a pool of motion. She may have a reputation for getting the job done
Inheritance points equal to her Inheritance dots. She can among her draconic kin, or she may have mastered the art of
imbue them into Spells or treasures, dedicating a portion having no reputation at all. +1 Calling dot (any), +1 Spell (any),
of her power to maintain Dragon magic and regaining those +1 Draconic Knack
points after the magic ends; or she can spend them to im-
merse herself fully in Memory and call upon greater forces Lesser Wyrm
from ancient times. ••••• Conspirator. A Lesser Wyrm claims greater insight
Inheritance is rated from 1 to 9, and starting characters into the history and mysticism of the Dragon world, and
begin with Inheritance 1. Characters with Inheritance 1 takes her place as a true representative of it. She commands
through 4 are simply called Heirs, having just begun their Memory rather than chasing it, and her impressive magics
metamorphosis from human to Dragon. Characters with make her a formidable foe even among other supernatural
Inheritance 5 through 9 are still Heirs, but they’re considered communities; on the other hand, it’s harder to hide her
Lesser Wyrms: powerful draconic beings with strong ties nature. Lesser Wyrms are the primary influencers on the
to the old ways, but still largely human in perspective. The Dragons’ behalf in The World, acting as proxies for their
higher an Heir’s Inheritance, the more her draconic urges more clandestine parents and managing the many irons their
rule her and the more of the Dragons’ collective knowledge Flights have in the fire. Gain access to one new Dragon Magic.
she can access. +1 Spell from patron’s Dragon Magics or signature Flight
Magic, +1 Draconic Knack from Flight’s preferred Knacks

Inheritance 117
 ••••• • Cabalist. The Heir has been invited — or has Deed, a Draconic Deed, and a Worldly Brood Deed. Mark
muscled her way in — to at least one inner circle, elite team, the box next to each Deed as she completes it. Even if the
or other highly regarded and highly secretive project. She brood completes their Brood Deed, they can’t choose a new
delegates to lesser Heirs and traverses Terra Incognita to one until all broodmates have completed a set and gained
bring messages to and from elder Dragons’ hidden Lairs. the same level of Inheritance. The Deeds they achieve to-
Her perspective is still fundamentally human, but she can gether ripple back into Memory, and even broodmates of
think like a Dragon when she needs to, and sometimes finds different Flights tap into the same collective history; it’s
herself doing it unintentionally. +1 Calling dot in one of pa- hard to interpret these memories alone, and only through
tron’s Callings, +1 Spell (any), +1 Draconic Knack shared insight can Heirs make breakthroughs in power and
••••• •• Arcanist. The Heir is an expert in both Worldly remembrance.
and otherworldly intrigue, but she’s lost much of her hu- Once a character increases her Inheritance by one,
man self. She can slip behind the scenes or act in the open erase the marks in the Deeds’ boxes. Any appropriate new
as she prefers, but even an Arcanist who can still pass as Deeds completed after that count toward a new set. Unlike
fully human carries a hoary wisdom in her eyes that marks Scions, an Heir can’t rearrange her Spells when she gains
her as a mystical stranger of untold power. Voluntarily Inheritance. However, she may rearrange a number of
gaining the Craving Condition now adds 2 Momentum to the Birthright dots among any Birthrights she likes; the max-
pool. +1 Spell (any), +1 Draconic Knack imum dots she can rearrange per new Inheritance dot is
••••• ••• Vizier. The Heir is a trusted advisor to her based on how close she is to her Cipher or her Defection
elders, although she still can’t see the full scope of their (see below).
plans or predict their next moves accurately. She can, how- Heirs regain one spent Inheritance point by indulging
ever, predict them at all, which is more than most can say. in either a Memory (p. 124) or a Craving (p. 121).
Her humanity is tenuous at best; some Viziers permanently
transform into their full draconic forms (p. 128), losing their
human shapes entirely. In many cases, human stories about
REMEMBRANCES
great dragons with world-shaking power aren’t about true
Dragons, but Heirs of supreme potency instead. +1 Spell
from patron’s Dragon Magics or signature Flight Magic, +1
E ach Heir has two Remembrances based on his Flight: one
Cipher and one Defection. A Cipher is a metaphorical
key lurking dormant in an Heir’s draconic blood; Dragons call
Calling dot (any), +1 Draconic Knack from Flight’s preferred upon these Ciphers to activate their chosen Heirs. Acting in
Knacks accordance with his Cipher means embracing his mystical
••••• •••• Mastermind. The character’s perspective heritage, indulging his draconic hungers, and accepting his
borders on the truly Draconic, peeling back the layers of patron’s memories. A Defection is a means by which the Heir
Memory to lay secrets bare and wield incredible might; can instead reject this heritage, cleaving to memories of his
she may still be able to blend in with humanity by virtue human life and focusing on Worldly concerns to shut out the
of subtle magics, or she may always wear her heritage on urges his blood imposes; he is, in effect, “defecting” from his
the outside with pride, but either way she retains little of Flight in that moment, in an act of defiance.
her mortal mindset and has a hard time relating to people A character’s Cipher and Defection exist on opposite
she once called friends and family. +1 Spell from patron’s ends of a track, like this:
Dragon Magics or signature Flight Magic, +1 Calling dot in
one of patron’s Callings, +1 Draconic Knack REMEMBRANCES
SCENT THE DIVINE
At Inheritance 1, every Heir gains the ability to Scent
the Divine. Unlike Heroes, whose senses have been dulled Cipher: Duty Defection: Consciousness
by their human nature, Heirs are keenly aware of the super-
natural around them. All Heirs have the following ability:
At the beginning of the game, all Heirs rest in the center
Scent the Divine: Knowing the smell of your kin, you
of their Remembrance tracks.
have an innate sense of anything supernatural or divine
near you. With a sniff or a knowing listen, you may detect Each time the character acts in a way that reinforces
the presence of another Heir or Dragon (or Scion, God, or his Cipher, deliberately or unwittingly, he moves one step
Legendary Creature, etc.). If it is an Heir or Dragon, you closer to the Cipher side of the track. Each time he actively
know automatically if they belong to another Flight, but rejects his Cipher or embraces his Defection, he moves one
not which one they belong to. step closer to the Defection side, as long as he did it know-
ingly and on purpose. When he reaches either end of the
RAISING AND REGAINING track, he gains a Condition: Revelation for the Cipher side,
INHERITANCE or Defector for the Defection side.

For each increase in Inheritance dot rating, an Heir When a player spends Momentum on the roll to take
must complete one set of three Deeds, including a Memory an action that reinforces his Cipher — again, deliberately

118 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

 REMEMBRANCE CONDITIONS
Revelation
You have embraced your Cipher and opened yourself to a deluge of ancestral memories that guide you.
Effect: Whenever you spend Momentum on a roll that uses your Flight’s Path Skills or a roll to invoke a
Memory, gain one additional die that doesn’t come out of the pool. However, you can’t spend Momentum
on any rolls that deal with ordinary humans or their institutions, or rolls on actions that would reinforce your
Defection.
Momentum: Whenever you alienate one or more ordinary humans through draconic behavior, or
overtly dominate them or flaunt your superiority over them, add one Momentum to the pool.
Resolve: Completely give yourself over to Memory by channeling your Handler through your body
and mind directly, as a simple action. For a number of rounds equal to your Inheritance, your draconic form
activates with all Transformation Knacks you know at no cost; but you are unable to take any actions that
don’t reinforce your Cipher. Once the duration ends, this Condition resolves and you reset to the center of
your Remembrance track.
Defector
You have rejected your draconic side, embracing your Defection to remind yourself of your humanity.
Effect: Whenever you spend Momentum on a roll that directly works toward your short-term or long-
term Worldly Deed, gain one additional die that doesn’t come out of the pool. You may invoke any Path
that has nothing to do with your Dragon heritage one additional time per episode without risking Path
(Scion: Origin, p. 101). However, you can’t spend Momentum on any rolls to invoke a
Suspension (Scion:
Memory, assume draconic form, or take actions that reinforce your Cipher.
Momentum: Whenever you fail to fulfill a significant obligation to your Flight or brood, or betray or
abandon them through action or inaction, add one Momentum to the pool.
Resolve: Reinforce your connections with the human world in a definitive, cathartic act of defiance. You
must fulfill a short-term Deed or take a significant action toward a long-term Deed that directly opposes
or contradicts either your Draconic Deed, or a Memory Deed that would resolve any active Memory
Conditions. In doing so, you immediately refresh all Bond pools you currently possess for ordinary humans
to their maximum, and immediately resolve one Path Suspension Condition for any non-Dragon Path you
possess. Once you do, this Condition resolves and you reset to the center of your Remembrance track.

or not — he gains one extra die per Momentum spent per JOKA: INDULGENCE (CIPHER)
step toward Cipher from the center — which is to say, after VS. MODERATION (DEFECTION)
one step toward Cipher he gains +2 dice per Momentum
Gorging themselves on anything and everything that
rather than +1, and at the far end he gains +3. He gains the
can fill them up brings Joka Heirs closer to their draconic
same in the other direction when he spends Momentum
ancestry, while leashing their gluttony to preserve what they
to willingly and actively reject his Cipher or embrace his
have for another day pushes them toward their human side.
Defection.
At the center of the track, an Heir can rearrange up LINDWURMS: DUTY (CIPHER)
to (his new Inheritance rating) in Birthright dots when he VS. CONSCIOUSNESS (DEFECTION)
gains a new dot of Inheritance. For each step he is closer to In a way, Lindwurm Heirs reflect the fatalistic nature of
Cipher, he may rearrange one additional Birthright dot. For the Æsir who ruined their ancestors, driven to honor their
each step he is closer to Defection, he may instead immedi- true histories by risking life and limb for their Flight. By
ately add one point of Momentum to the pool. diverging from the paths laid out for them and forging new
ones of their own, they assert their humanity.
FLIGHT REMEMBRANCES LONG: PRIDE (CIPHER)
Each Flight has a unique set of Remembrances.
VS. HUMILITY (DEFECTION)
DRAQ: CHAOS (CIPHER) Heirs of the Lóng follow their draconic urges by stand-
VS. ORDER (DEFECTION) ing proud and accepting the dangers that come with using
When Heirs of the Draq act on their draconic instincts, their powers openly. They continue in the old ways, creat-
they disrupt the status quo and shake things up to see what ing flood waters, bringing natural disasters, and being as
exciting new ideas fall out. They cleave closer to humanity true to themselves as they can be, regardless of those who
when they go out of their way to stick to orderly routines and would beat them down. To reject it is to live a humble life,
shore up existing organizations or infrastructure.

Remembrances 119
recognizing her human weaknesses and sacrificing herself • At Inheritance 2, 4, 6, and 8, gain an additional
not for pride, but for others. Calling dot, which can apply to any of the charac-
ter’s three chosen Callings, up to a maximum of five
NAGA: ONE OF MANY (CIPHER) dots per Calling.
VS. ONE OF NONE (DEFECTION)
Naga Heirs embrace their heritage by accepting and • At Inheritance 3, 5, 7, and 9, a player may rearrange
pursuing their facet of the greater whole to which they be- her character’s Calling dots. At 3 and 5, she may re-
long, trusting that subsuming their individuality into that arrange them in any combination as long as the new
whole serves a higher purpose. They reject it by following ratings leave at least one dot in each Calling, and at
their consciences and gut feelings, passing judgment based least one more per keyword in any Calling that con-
on their own idiosyncrasies and personal values. tributed a keyword to her Deed Name. At 7 and 9, she
may not decrease the dot rating of any of the Callings
SERPENTS: DIRECT ACTION (CIPHER) she possesses that match her Dragon patron’s in the
VS. NEGOTIATION (DEFECTION) process of rearrangement, but otherwise it works
Serpent Heirs indulge their Dragon side with decisive the same way.
action, lashing out at threats before those threats come home • Normally, an Heir can only trigger Memories in the
to roost and choosing complete, instant gratification over Callings she possesses and choose Draconic Deeds
compromise. They rein in their draconic blood by staying that resonate with her Callings’ Cravings. However,
their hands long enough to negotiate or learn more, trying to if she wants to replace one of her Callings with an-
see a side other than their own. other, she may work toward a Draconic Deed that
strongly represents one of the seven Callings she
CALLINGS doesn’t have and trigger Memories in the same new
Calling; at Inheritance 8-9, the new Calling must be

D ragons are archetypal creatures, called to certain roles

and behaviors as they immerse themselves in their
ancestral memories and fill their predecessors’ shoes. The
one of her patron’s. Once she achieves both Deeds,
she must exchange the old Calling for the new one,
which retains the same dot rating.
more Heirs accept of their Inheritance, the more those
• Each Calling informs the character’s choice of
memories pull them into reclaiming old ways and means,
Calling Knacks (p. 139). She may have one Calling
thus keeping traditions alive that began at the dawn of time.
Knack active per dot of each Calling, and they must
Lesser Wyrms are more grandiose but less human than
correspond to the specific Calling dots she possess-
weaker Heirs, growing more like their patrons with each
es. Draconic Knacks are managed separately; see p.
gift of power they accept.
146.
That isn’t to say each Heir doesn’t make her Inheritance
• Each Calling has a list of Skills for the purpose of
her own, though; how she earns her Deeds and the choices
Deed Name Path Asset Skills (see below).
she makes earn her Deed Names, titles that write her ex-
ploits into her Flight’s collective Memory and define her as DEED NAMES
an individual.
A Deed Name is an expression of an Heir’s Deeds
For the most part, Dragons have different Callings than through the keywords associated with her Callings, and a
Gods and Titans, but many Dragons are inextricably bound special kind of Path. She can invoke this Path just like any
into titanic myths, meaning they end up sharing a couple of other Path, and uses the Calling’s listed Skills as the Path’s
Callings despite themselves. Asset Skills.

SYSTEMS Each Calling has a list of example keywords, although a

player may use one that’s not on the list if the troupe agrees
All Heirs and Dragons express their draconic natures it fits within the Calling’s domain. Choose one appropriate
through three of the possible 11 Callings and possess Deed keyword whenever you gain another dot in a Calling to de-
Names that define the circumstances in which they can in- fine the character’s personal focus within the Calling.
voke Feats of Scale.
Whenever an Heir gains a new dot of Inheritance, her
• Callings are rated between one and five dots. An player chooses a new Deed Name that reflects one or more
Inheritance 1 character has five dots of Callings, keywords of the Calling whose Memory Deed contributed
with at least one dot in each of her three Callings. to the Inheritance increase, and also reflects the Dragon
• At least one of a starting character’s Callings must be and brood Deeds she performed. Her first Deed Name (at
the same as one of her draconic patron’s. If she does Inheritance 1) is usually related to how her Handler activat-
not know her draconic patron, then she will still share ed her as an Heir in the first place.
one of her Callings when the Handler is revealed. A character retains any Deed Names belonging to
• Each Calling is associated with a type of Memory (p. Callings she no longer possesses but can’t acquire new Deed
124). Names using its keywords.

120 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

CRAVINGS Deed Name is The Writhing Punisher of Prey, she can invoke
her Knack of Scale to gain +3 Scale for the action.
Each Calling also comes with an associated Craving, a
drive that pushes the Heir to collect, hoard, dominate, pos- Whenever an Heir performs a Feat of Scale using these
sess, or otherwise make something her own. Her Cravings Knacks, they gain a +1 Complication of “True Draconic
inform the kinds of Draconic Deeds she can choose (see p. Nature,” which stacks with itself until bought off or until the
174). Cravings don’t otherwise influence an Heir’s behavior end of the session, whichever comes first. For each action
unless something gives her the Craving Condition (be- in which the character does not buy off the Complication,
low). Ways to gain the Craving Condition include having a
Memory Condition compelled and — at Inheritance 3+ —
adding a point of Momentum in exchange once per session.
Characters regain a spent Inheritance point whenever they CONDITION: CRAVING
resolve the Craving Condition.
You’ve awoken your Dragon instincts and
FEATS OF SCALE they push you to act on your ancestral urges.
The Children of the Gods come by their power easily, Effect: When you gain this Condition,
and the blessings afforded to them by their legends fuel tre- choose one of your Callings; if you gained it
mendous power. Dragons rely on the power of their mighty through Memory compulsion, you must choose
nature, and their Heirs find themselves capable of great that Memory’s Calling. It costs one Momentum
deeds … but at a cost. Without a Scale Knack, an Heir cannot to take any action that doesn’t indulge that
perform Feats of Scale. Calling’s Craving.
When a character attempts an action covered by one Momentum: Whenever you take an
of her Callings’ keywords, her player may use one of her
action that does indulge the Craving, add one
Momentum to the pool.
Knacks of Scale (p. 146) to increase Scale by (Inheritance di-
vided by 2, rounded up) for that action as a Feat of Scale. She Resolve: Accomplish a Draconic Deed
must have the Knack purchased to perform a Feat of Scale that represents this Craving, or perform
another action that indulges the Craving
associated with her Callings. If that action is additionally
while significantly and definitively harming,
associated with her Deed Name, then she may increase her betraying, abandoning, or otherwise causing
Scale by one additional rank for that action. For example, if distress to an important human individual or
an Inheritance 4 Heir with the Iron-Fisted Rule Knack for institution in your life.
her Judge Calling takes an action to punish someone and her

Callings 121
a transformation effect on one of their Knacks becomes Example Keywords: demolition, explosions, mighty,
apparent, until the character can no longer hide who she mass destruction, strength, devour, kill, ending, terrorist,
really is. Storytellers are encouraged to bring supernatural crumble, ruin, consume, crush, oblivion, raze, salt the earth,
trouble when a character overtly displays their inhuman exterminate, extinguish, break, smash, bane, sabotage
power. When a transformation effect appears as a result of Example Dragons: Bašmu, Bolla, Leviathan, Ammut,
this Complication, it must be an effect from a Knack that has Apophis, Isa Bere, Fáfnir, Níðhöggr, Gōnggōng, Horomatangi,
not already been turned into a permanent ability and cannot Kuna, Yīnglóng, Waxaklajuun
be suppressed by Modest Human Guise.
GUARDIAN
LIST OF DRAGON CALLINGS Guardian Dragons protect and defend, becoming cus-
The following are the 11 Callings available to Dragons todians of hidden places, wardens for particular groups of
and their Heirs. people, and champions of principles or phenomena. The
stereotypical Guardian Dragon is one who stands guard over
COLLECTOR a Lair or demands trials for passage into secret corners of
A Collector Dragon hoards something specific, becom- The World, but many carry their charges with them or travel
ing known everywhere as the one who possesses the greatest The World seeking those who fall under their stewardship
collection of whatever it is in The World. Most Collectors and ensuring all is well. A Guardian might protect something
hoard a particular type of object or treasure, such as gold specific or general, ranging from one unique and dangerous
coins, beautiful portraits, or enchanted weapons. Some amulet, to The World’s ley lines, to all homeless people.
hoard more esoteric things, like types of people (doctors,
Skills: Athletics, Empathy, Integrity
worshipers, naga), knowledge about a particular topic, or
songs from a lost civilization. It’s not enough just to have Craving: Assume guardianship over someone or some-
these things; the collection is never complete, and a Collector thing and take significant actions to protect them from all
always seeks more fodder for his hoard, even if it means perceived harm, physical or otherwise, whether they want
taking things from others by any means necessary. Hoarding you to or not.
people doesn’t always mean kidnapping (although it could); Example Keywords: warden, stand guard, protector,
it might just mean surrounding himself with those people den mother, rescue, shelter, safeguard, bulwark, champion,
whenever possible. defender, safety, watch over, patrol, vigilant, sentinel, bur-
Each time you gain a dot in this Calling, choose an addi- den, responsibility, duty, steward
tional specific thing for your character to collect. Example Dragons: Muš uššu, Ammut, Ouagadou-Bida,
Skills: Culture, Occult, Persuasion Raina, Fáfnir, Loch Ness Monster, Vishap, Horomatangi,
Yīnglóng, Ladon, Mucalinda, Sri Gumum, Ndengei,
Craving: Obtain a new item for one of your chosen col-
Waxaklajuun
lections, at any cost.
Example Keywords: hoard, gather, entourage, retinue, HEALER
library, vault, followers, riches, wealth, accumulate, reposito- Some Healer Dragons turn their restorative powers to
ry, archive, treasures, museum, curator, aficionado, connois- healing the sick and injured, while others use them to purify
seur, reliquary, packrat, congregation, menagerie corrupted lands or rebuild what once was broken. To be a
Example Dragons: Bolla, Isa Bere, Ouagadou-Bida, Healer is to improve and revive, to cure ills and undo hurt of
Jörmungandr, Vishap, Kuna all kinds. Everything a Healer Dragon touches is better for
having been touched. He might bring peace to the tumultu-
DESTROYER ous, succor to the despairing, and redemption to the damned.
Destroyer Dragons can be warriors or soldiers, but Many Healers bring compassion and kindness, too, but
such roles are more excuses to destroy something than true they’re not necessary for the Calling — some improve things
callings. The Destroyer feels a thrill in his bones that goes not for the sake of those things, but to lord their importance
beyond satisfaction whenever he devours something, tears over others or make themselves indispensable.
something apart, or takes a life. Not all Destroyers are killers Skills: Empathy, Medicine, Technology
— many Dragons of this Calling stick to tearing down walls or
Craving: Seek out corruption, illness, injury, or some-
swallowing moons. All Destroyers indulge in at least a little
thing broken and heal or fix it at any cost.
physical destruction, but some focus their efforts more often
on destroying more intangible things, such as organizations, Example Keywords: doctor, nurse, fix, repair, cure,
reputations, or faith. purify, cleanse, improve, rebuild, restore, revive, rejuvenate,
surgeon, health, balm, succor, care, relief, mend, calm, seren-
Skills: Athletics, Close Combat, Firearms
ity, peace, life, resurrection, savior, renewal, reforge
Craving: Destroy or consume something significant,
Example Dragons: Ouagadou-Bida, Raina, Yīnglóng,
such as a building, a person, an organization, a Touchstone,
Mucalinda, Sri Gumum, Witz’
or someone’s reputation or livelihood.

122 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

JUDGE and leave something behind forever. Some Nomads end up
Called to the road after an unwilling expulsion or rejection
Draconic Judges are fearsome and imposing figures,
from somewhere they once belonged. Some escape a terrible
weighing the worth of deeds or petitioners and deciding
situation and refuse to be controlled or bound ever again.
their fates. Where Gods of Judgment are often psychopomps
Some just love the thrill of meeting new people and discover-
who judge the dead, a Dragon of this Calling is more likely
ing something they’ve never seen before. Worldly travelers,
to judge the living, and is less often concerned with existing
survivalists, pilots, explorers, and refugees may all be drawn
codes of law or behavior (which is to say, human codes)
to the draconic Nomad Calling.
than enforcing their own or their Flight’s. Most are self-ap-
pointed, and their punishments for the guilty are rarely Skills: Culture, Pilot, Survival
merciful. Despite this, many Judge Dragons are famed (and, Craving: Travel to a place you’ve never been and ex-
sometimes, infamous) for their stoic impartiality no matter plore it thoroughly, or escape a situation that could feasibly
the circumstances. Leniency isn’t often among their virtues, be interpreted as imprisonment, obligation, or limitations on
but they can be trusted to deal fairly and consistently with your will or actions, at any cost.
everyone, whether they’re strangers or family.
Example Keywords: travel, freedom, wanderer, rogue,
Skills: Academics, Culture, Integrity rebel, discovery, explorer, adventure, pilot, transportation,
Craving: Pass judgment on someone who’s wronged walker, escape, vagabond, hike, meander, ramble, roam,
you or your allies and mete out significant punishment, or iconoclast, journey, path, road, sailor, messenger, refugee,
go to bat for someone you believe is innocent and save them transplant, expat, cosmopolitan, navigator, map
from wrongful persecution, at any cost. Example Dragons: Leviathan, Jörmungandr, Gōnggōng,
Example Keywords: fair, impartial, punishment, juror, Mucalinda, Xiuhcoatl, K’uk’ulkan
assessor, adjudicator, mediator, test, trial, ordeal, law, com- PREDATOR
mandment, code, oath, neutrality, weigh, worthy/unworthy,
price, doom, condemn, conviction, verdict, arbiter, inquisi- The Predator Dragon asserts his power and superiority
tion, damnation, guilt, innocence, decree over those weaker and smaller than he is, whether physically,
socially, or politically. He isn’t necessarily cruel or selfish, but
Example Dragons: Bašmu, Muš uššu, Ammut, Fáfnir, he is always a wolf among sheep, even when he puts his fangs
Horomatangi, Ryūjin, Yīnglóng, Kulshedra, Vasuki away. He may be a natural hunter, pursuing prey for food,
MYSTIC money, or justice; an ambitious ladder-climber willing to
tread on others to get where he’s going; or the lurking threat
The Mystic is the Dragon who uses knowledge rather
demanding sacrifices to stave off his wrath. The Predator
than just hoarding it; who keeps arcane secrets and passes
is relentless by nature, even when he pursues noble goals.
them on to those who prove themselves; who not only prac-
Unlike the Destroyer, the “kill” (literal or metaphorical) isn’t
tices magic, but masters it. Some Dragons even embody it,
the point for these Dragons; it’s just the event that marks the
becoming pure sources of occult power from which others
end of one pursuit and the beginning of the next.
draw. The Mystic divines the future, takes apprentices, and
shrouds himself in an air of mystery. Don’t mistake him for Skills: Firearms, Subterfuge, Survival
a hermit, though; the Dragon Mystic travels The World and Craving: Take significant action to demonstrate your
its Terra Incognita chasing power and riddles to solve, or superiority over someone else or threaten them into doing
seeking the perfect successors to his formidable wisdom and what you want, regardless of damage it might cause to your
magical might. relationships.
Skills: Academics, Occult, Subterfuge Example Keywords: hunter, shark, pursuit, relentless,
Craving: Learn a significant secret or obtain a magical unstoppable, all-seeing, superior, stalker, shadow, intimida-
object, at any cost. tion, coercion, blackmail, tracker, quarry, carnivore, assassin,
bully, menace, strong-arm, threat, demand, terrorize
Example Keywords: magic, knowledge, secrets, ar-
cane, enigmatic, sorcerer, oracle, wise, teacher, guide, master, Example Dragons: Bašmu, Bolla, Isa Bere, Níðhöggr,
apprentice, mentor, tutor, shepherd, patron, mysterious, Loch Ness Monster, Gōnggōng, Kuna, Kulshedra, Ndengei
puzzle, riddle, clever, enchantment, divination, augury, pro- PRIMEVAL
fessor, advisor, study, research
Primeval Dragons are in many ways the most alien to
Example Dragons: Apophis, Ouagadou-Bida, Vishap, humanity, embodying aspects of The World, concepts, phe-
Ryūjin, Ladon, Vasuki, K’uk’ulkan nomena, or places. The Dragon who is both an individual
NOMAD being and the ocean is a Primeval, as is an entity of wrath
incarnate who manifests as a Dragon. A Primeval might be so
A Dragon Nomad sees The World entire as his Lair,
closely connected to his Lair that he becomes a part of it, or
and can’t abide imprisonment or limitations. He wanders
he might get himself lost in a kind of magic or energy and end
land, sea, and sky — not in search of anything in particular,
up suffusing himself completely with it — now he’s made of
just to see and experience it all, or to get away from his past
it, and the two are inseparable. Primeval Dragons are forces

Callings 123
of nature and environments in and of themselves, passively Example Keywords: majestic, royal, noble, grand,
affecting The World even when they don’t do anything; they grandiose, tyrant, dictator, queen, king, monarch, emperor,
impose their will just by existing. leadership, command, general, admiral, CEO, benevolent,
Skills: Integrity, Occult, Science magnanimous, throne, crown, scepter, proclaim, authority,
rank
Craving: Unleash your draconic power without re-
straint or discretion. Example Dragons: Leviathan, Tiamat, Apophis,
Isa Bere, Kulshedra, Ladon, Sri Gumum, Waxaklajuun,
Example Keywords: elemental, embodiment, force, Xiuhcoatl
nature, environment, symbol, manifestation, personification,
expression, boundless, unfettered, infinite, unfathomable, WATCHER
alien, fundamental, overflowing, overwhelming, primordial, The Watcher Dragon is the spy in the shadows, the
connected diligent sleuth, and the observer of humanity’s progress. He
Example Dragons: Tiamat, Leviathan, Apophis, Raina, infiltrates enemy ranks, thieves and swindles, quietly obtains
Loch Ness Monster, Gōnggōng, Sri Gumum, Witz’ damning evidence against his rivals, and hides in plain sight.
He’s always watching, but that’s not all he does — his surveil-
RULER lance serves a purpose, from finding missing persons to gath-
When a Dragon leads, he is never first among equals. He ering intel to scouting ahead before a battle. Keen of eye and
doesn’t see leadership as serving his people, and he doesn’t sharp of wit, the Watcher may mostly stay behind the scenes
share the crown. He rules. That doesn’t mean all Ruler and pass information on to his brood, or he may use his pan-
Dragons are tyrants, though some certainly are; others are optic awareness to make satisfying revelations or informed
benevolent and beloved, and some work hard to make their threats at just the right time. Many Watchers keep records of
followers’ lives better, but even the best of them is still large what they observe, whether they record conversations with
and in charge, and they know it. A Ruler might reign from their smartphones, keep track of clues in a handwritten jour-
the shadows through proxies or openly take command, but nal, or chronicle histories throughout their long lives.
either way their word is final. Most Rulers don’t actually rule Skills: Empathy, Subterfuge, Technology
nations or kingdoms, but they naturally gravitate to the top of
the food chain of whatever group or organization they’re in. Craving: Obtain significant private information about
someone, or take possession of evidence against them or
Skills: Culture, Leadership, Persuasion something that belongs to them, by underhanded means,
Craving: Take significant action to convince or force even if it would damage relationships or subvert plans.
someone to follow your orders and carry out your will, no Example Keywords: private eye, sleuth, investigator,
matter how reticent they are. historian, spy, infiltrate, disguise, tradecraft, thief, con artist,
larceny, mask, unseen, invisible, camouflage, surveillance,
scout, lookout, observer, attentive, vigilant, undercover, espi-
onage, intelligence, witness, sneak
Example Dragons: Tiamat, Muš uššu, Raina, Kuna,
FATEBINDING Witz’, Xiuhcoatl
DRAGONS
Dragons, and by extension their Heirs, are
mostly immune to the effects of Fatebindings.
MEMORY
They are not divine in nature, and unless they
are wearing a divine Mantle as a God or Titan,
D ragons and their Heirs don’t pull mortals into their orbits
through Fate the way Scions do. However, their actions
do influence The World and those who live in it by exposing
their actions do not stir Fate to action. Dragons
and their Heirs do not create Fatebindings layers of age-old plans one by one, revealing the ways in which
when they spend Inheritance. humans and their institutions are pawns in a grand game they
will never see. They do this by accessing their Memory, the
The Dragons’ collective memories allow them
to remember all truths at once, and this gives collective history of the deeds of Dragonkind written into
them a shield against divine Fate changing the bones of The World — and, more specifically, memories
and altering them. That isn’t to say that they are their Handlers marked for their Heirs to recall vicariously,
completely untouched by Fate. When an Heir either deliberately or during moments of dramatic victory,
would be Fatebound to a Scion or God, the dominance, defeat, and death.
effect only lasts for 24 hours, then fades without Accessing these memories is more of an ordeal than sim-
resolving.
ply willing the information to mind. An Heir needs a physical
Player characters are completely immune to symbol or reminder that triggers a vision or flashback. It
the effects of Fatebinding, as they are the focus could be a place or an object, or even a being; either some-
the story and should never have their actions thing that would have reminded her Dragon patron of an
dictated by another player’s character.
important event in their life, or something that actually dates

124 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

back to such an event. This is the reason Dragons developed Condition resolves. What she does receive upon gaining a
the urge to hoard, and to make Lairs: unlike Gods, staying Memory Condition is a drive to perform a specific task that
completely apart from The World indefinitely makes it hard- will somehow advance the plans of her patron or Flight; the
er for a Dragon to tap into her Memory. She needs something Storyguide assigns this task based on the associated Calling,
to spark that mental connection. The more treasures she the character’s Flight, and current circumstances.
collects, and the more places she dominates and makes her Memory Conditions have the following components:
own, the more reminders she’ll have on hand whenever she
requires the wisdom of those who came before her. • Trigger: When the character first gains the Memory
Condition, the Storyguide narrates a brief vision to
Whenever an Heir encounters a reminder and ex-
the player, as the character experiences a flashback
periences a vicarious Memory, she temporarily takes on
that grants her the urge to perform a specific task,
her Dragon patron’s mindset and drives, and remembers a
travel to a specific place, retrieve a specific object, or
significant moment from their history. She might suddenly
some other discrete action. The Storyguide chooses
learn that someone she knows was a sleeper agent for a
this action, which becomes the method by which the
Flight all along, or is the reincarnation of an ancient figure
Memory Condition can resolve.
from her Handler’s life — or perhaps even the original figure
themselves. She also gains insight into a task she’s meant • Invoke: Once per session, a player may reflexively
to perform, a place she’s meant to visit, or some other clue roll (Inheritance + 1 per step toward Cipher from
that enables an end for which her patron has planned. These the center) to invoke one of her Memory Conditions,
insights lead to achieving Memory Deeds (p. 32), which in making a particular type of declaration or gaining a
turn contribute to the Heir’s growing Inheritance and power. benefit based on the chosen Calling. If she succeeds,
the Storyguide narrates a flashback vision, as above,
However, an Heir doesn’t have to fully embrace the
that grants her the benefit or the information the
Memory she experiences. She can still glean insight from
player has declared to be true.
it without letting it take over. Doing so stunts her ability to
increase her draconic powers, but allows her to reinforce her • Compel: Once per session, the player or the
place in the human World instead. Storyguide may compel one of her Memory
Conditions to immediately push the character one
SYSTEMS step toward her Cipher and inflict her Craving
Memories manifest in the game as Memory Conditions, Condition (p. 121). In exchange, she regains a spent
which have contexts based on Callings (p. 120). An Heir may Inheritance point. The Storyguide narrates a flash-
simultaneously access a number of active Memories up to back vision, as above, that creates these urges. If
her Inheritance rating. If she accesses another Memory be- the Storyguide compels the Memory Condition, the
yond that limit, she must choose a currently active Memory player may choose to resist it, but if so, the character
Condition to end without resolving, relegating that Memory regains no Inheritance and takes one step toward
back to her subconscious mind. her Defection instead.

Once per session, a player may declare that something in • Resolve: The Memory Condition resolves when the
the current scene has triggered a Memory for her character, character performs the action the Memory drives
and regain a spent Inheritance point. She chooses one of her her to perform. Each Calling grants different bene-
Callings to associate with the Memory, based on the context fits for resolving an associated Memory Condition.
of the scene and the Memory trigger. That Memory becomes In addition, the player completes a Memory Deed.
active, awakening in the character’s blood and mind as her “Once per session” means a player can invoke and
circumstances align with something her Handler experi- compel each of her character’s Memory Conditions once per
enced that had a strong impact on them or that set a plan session.
in motion that’s coming to fruition now. The character gains
the appropriate Memory Condition (below) for the chosen MEMORY CONDITIONS
Calling. The Storyguide is the final arbiter of whether a Each Calling has an associated Memory Condition, as
Memory trigger is appropriate. Note the because a charac- follows.
ter can possibly have more active Memories than Callings,
she may have multiple Memory Conditions from the same COLLECTOR’S MEMORY
Calling each relating to a different Memory. A Collector remembers where ancient relics are buried
The Storyguide may also declare that a Memory triggers and where rivals keep their hoards.
for one or more of the characters once per session. This Invoke: The player declares that an important object,
doesn’t take up the player’s declaration for that session. treasure, or resource is present somewhere in the vicinity,
Acquiring a Memory Condition doesn’t mean the char- and gains an Enhancement on unopposed rolls to find or re-
acter experiences the full recollection immediately. Instead, trieve it of 1 + (current steps toward Cipher from center) for
she gradually unlocks its pieces and puts them together, as the scene. She may specify a type of resource, such as “a mag-
it colors everything she does from that point on until the ical weapon” or “evidence to prove my brother’s innocence,”
but can’t declare specific items such as “the sword Tyrfing”

Memory 125
or “surveillance footage of the killer.” This effect doesn’t long as the extra Knack is a Guardian one and she isn’t al-
guarantee that the resource will be somewhere convenient ready using any other Guardian Knack to protect the chosen
or that someone won’t be actively using it. ward.
Resolve: The character gains a temporary dot of Hoard Resolve: For the rest of the arc, the character treats all
(p. 133) that lasts for the rest of the arc. This can increase her SG characters of equal or lesser size Scale as trivial targets
Hoard beyond its maximum rating, but no combination of for purposes of warding them away from any Lair belonging
effects can increase her Hoard by more than (Inheritance/2, to her or her broodmates, and from one significant object,
rounded up) dots. place, or ideal this Memory showed her that her Handler
once protected. This doesn’t apply to harming would-be
DESTROYER’S MEMORY interlopers, only keeping them out.
A Destroyer remembers the heights of sheer draconic
might sleeping in her blood, and can unleash it for a short HEALER’S MEMORY
time. A Healer remembers mystical healing techniques or
Invoke: The character may use one Destroyer Knack calls upon a deep, ancestral connection to the land to cleanse
she doesn’t know once before the end of the scene, plus one and renew.
additional time per current step toward Cipher from center. Invoke: The character’s blood gains purifying prop-
Resolve: The character gains +1 force Scale for the rest erties, as the player declares her ancestry anathema to the
of the episode. baleful source of a single supernatural corruption or sick-
ness. She may provide enough blood to purify one target
GUARDIAN’S MEMORY (living or otherwise) with a simple action by accepting a
A Guardian remembers something her patron once Bruised Injury Condition when she invokes this Memory,
swore to protect at all costs, and renewing this oath gives her and she may do this as many times as she likes until the
strength. end of the scene, as long as each target’s corruption comes
from the same source. When the target drinks, absorbs, or
Invoke: For the rest of the episode, the Heir may have
bathes in her spilled blood, it suppresses one Condition or
one additional Knack active than her usual maximum, as
Complication affecting them that represents the corruption
for the rest of the scene. The suppressed corruption acts as

126 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

though it were completely removed for the duration, but the roll in the first place; for instance, she couldn’t use it to
returns at full strength afterward. randomly suss out the location of a Gate if she doesn’t already
Resolve: Upon resolution, the character’s blood brims know there is one in the vicinity. This benefit vanishes if she
with healing power, allowing her to use it as above to per- doesn’t use it within the current arc.
manently remove an appropriate Condition or Complication PREDATOR’S MEMORY
instead of suppressing it; this effect ends after she uses it
A Predator remembers the thrill of a successful hunt or
once or at the end of the arc, whichever comes first.
the best way to intimidate lesser beings into giving her what
JUDGE’S MEMORY she wants.
A Judge remembers forgotten crimes that have gone Invoke: For the rest of the scene, the Heir automatical-
unpunished, or the wrongful judgment of an innocent. ly imposes a Complication of a level equal to her Predator
Invoke: The player declares that one character present Calling rating to any attempt to flee or hide from her while
in the scene, a group or organization to which they belong, or she’s actively pursuing or seeking them. Should they fail to
one of their relatives or patrons either committed a grievous buy it off, she may immediately and reflexively either take
crime at some point in the past for which they didn’t make her draconic form (p. 128) at its usual cost, or use any one
amends, or were severely punished for something they didn’t Predator Knack she doesn’t know.
do. The Heir gains Enhancement (1 + current steps toward Resolve: The character gains +1 speed Scale for the rest
Cipher from center) to direct attempts to right this wrong for of the episode.
the rest of the episode. If she successfully does so within the
episode, all members of her Flight and anyone connected to
PRIMEVAL’S MEMORY
the target by blood or other family ties learns about the crime A Primeval remembers impossible, inhuman experienc-
(real or fabricated) and the punishment (deserved or not). es and secrets The World knows that humans never did.
Resolve: Once before the end of the arc, the charac- Invoke: The player declares that a place of power or
ter may automatically succeed at forcing a true confession significant source of a specific element or substance is pres-
from any SG character of equal or lesser leadership Scale. If ent somewhere in the vicinity, and gains an Enhancement
it turns out the target is in fact innocent, the Heir knows it on unopposed rolls to find or access it of 1 + (current steps
without a doubt. toward Cipher from center) for the scene. She may specify
a type of place or source, such as “a Touchstone” or “fresh
MYSTIC’S MEMORY water,” but can’t declare specific ones such as “a Touchstone
A Mystic remembers arcane secrets buried under centu- that leads to my hometown,” “a temple to Poseidon,” or “a
ries of dusty history. river.” This effect doesn’t guarantee that the place or source
Invoke: The Heir may use one Spell she doesn’t know will be somewhere convenient or that she’ll have what she
in any Dragon Magic Form other than a Flight-specific one needs to access it properly.
once before the end of the scene, plus one additional time per Resolve: Once before the end of the arc, the char-
current step toward Cipher from center. acter may assume her draconic form (p. 128) reflexively
Resolve: The Heir becomes a font of mystical power, and without imbuing Inheritance, and doesn’t suffer
choosing one Spell she does know other than a Flight-specific any Complications for features she hasn’t purchased the
one. All Heirs and other draconic beings present in the scene Transformation Knacks for.
(allied or not) may use that Spell even if they don’t know it RULER’S MEMORY
for the rest of the scene.
A Ruler remembers a position of authority that’s right-
NOMAD’S MEMORY fully hers, or an act of command or dominance that won her
A Nomad remembers places ancient Dragons roamed patron great renown or accomplished grand deeds.
and secret routes lost to modern times. Invoke: The Heir gains +1 leadership Scale for the scene.
Invoke: The player may invoke this Memory whenever Resolve: The character gains a temporary dot of Pawns
she fails a roll to navigate, locate, or get into a mundane place. (p. 135) that lasts for the rest of the arc. This can increase
She may either gain 2 Momentum instead of 1, or choose to her Pawns Birthright beyond its maximum rating, but no
define her own Consolation rather than the Storyguide doing combination of effects can increase her Pawns by more than
so. Once she invokes this Memory, she may use its effects on (Inheritance/2, rounded up) dots.
any appropriate failed roll for the rest of the episode.
WATCHER’S MEMORY
Resolve: The Heir automatically succeeds on a single
A Watcher remembers the delicate dance of past in-
action (simple or complex) to navigate, locate, or get into
trigues, vast and complex webs of relationships and connec-
any type of place, mundane or supernatural, ranging from an
tions, and her patron’s greatest feats of spycraft.
Otherworld Gate to a magically warded Lair. She can do so
even if she lacks the required key (mundane or metaphysi- Invoke: The player declares that one SG character
cal), but she must at least have enough information to make present in the scene was a sleeper agent or double agent for

Memory 127
 STROLLING DOWN MEMORY LANE
The Memory system is flexible enough to encompass several different approaches, so you can use it
in ways that make the most sense for your game. You can, if you like, just leave it freeform — whenever
the characters run into something that seems significant enough to warrant a Memory trigger, go for it.
This is best for troupes who like to wing it most of the time, or for when a dramatic moment happens and
somebody at the table feels like it’d be perfect for a flashback.
If you like a little more intentional questing, the Storyguide can introduce something to chase — a
treasure, an ancient tome, a wise mystic, a hidden sanctuary — and hint to the players that it could hold
the key to unlocking a Memory. For extra espionage goodness, put it behind enemy lines and make them
work to gain access to it. Maybe titanspawn kidnapped the wise mystic and forced her to work for them,
or maybe angry spirits protect the Underworld library where the book of draconic rituals has been for a
thousand years. Likewise, a player could choose a Deed that involves hunting down such a thing, or create
a plot twist through a Path that introduces one.
Storyguides: Narrate the Memory flashbacks piecemeal. When the Memory first triggers, give a vague,
fleeting impression that only hints at the truth, or one very specific moment that doesn’t show the whole
picture. Then, each time the Memory is invoked or compelled, fill in a few more details; and when it’s
resolved, reveal the rest. You can even let the player play their own patron in the final flashback and assign
other players to play the other characters present, thus allowing the players to put the pieces together and
come to their own conclusions about the past.

either an enemy, an ally, or the character’s own Flight all guided by his Flight’s typical features and the Callings he
along. The chosen character might be a knowing mole, an possesses.
unwitting patsy, a conflicted defector, a brainwashed plant, By default, with no Transformation Knacks, this form
etc.; they may secretly carry the blood of Dragons in their significantly increases the character’s size and strength.
veins, have been retroactively recruited or influenced by the The Heir gains +1 Scale on all actions, which doesn’t stack
Heir or someone else at some point in the past, labor under with any Scale benefits from Knacks or other sources; if two
a hidden enchantment that triggers now, or simply be play- sources would grant Scale, use the highest bonus among
ing both sides against the middle for their own benefit. The them. While in this form, the character may perform Feats
Heir must reveal the treachery to everyone present, either of Scale by spending one Momentum per Feat, rather than
deliberately or through happenstance. If the revelation turns suffering the usual Complication. His draconic form lasts un-
an ally against the brood, add 2 Momentum to the pool. If til the end of the scene. He may change back to human form
it turns an enemy to the brood’s side, add 2 points to the with a simple action before then, but he may only assume his
tension pool instead. The Watcher’s player can’t declare the draconic form once per scene.
traitor to be anyone represented by any player’s Birthrights
without that player’s permission. If the Heir’s draconic form possesses features that should
change his innate capabilities, such as wings that provide
Resolve: For the rest of the arc, the player may cross-ap- flight or claws that grant the Lethal tag to unarmed attacks,
ply procedural stunts resulting from clues to intrigue rolls, he gains access to those abilities but takes a Complication
and Bond successes to rolls to find clues. This manifests as on all actions to use them equal to (6 − half his Inheritance,
using information from clues as leverage, bait, or bribes, and rounded up). Failure to buy off this Complication leads to
manipulating or cajoling her friends and rivals to lead her general mishaps, incorrect usage mistakes, or even harm
to the truth. The Complication for working against a Bond to the user. Purchasing a Transformation Knack for such a
always applies unless the Heir is completely up front about feature permanently removes this Complication when using
using her connections for her own gain. that feature, in addition to its other benefits.

DRACONIC FORM If the character possesses any Transformation Knacks,

they all automatically activate at no additional cost when he
takes his draconic form, whether they’re transformed or not,
A n Heir is still human, but he’s also more. Even the most
unassuming Heir is a shapeshifter with the power to take
a draconic form — his own unique Dragon shape, based on
even if it would activate more Knacks at a time than his usual
maximum.
those of his Flight and the specific transformations in which
he’s invested via Transformation Knacks (p. 146). Each Flight
favors certain kinds of transformations.
BIRTHRIGHTS
To take his draconic form, the character imbues one
Inheritance point and takes a simple action. The player
H eirs inherit more than memories and power from
their patrons. The Dragons have sown the seeds of
their comeback in countless ways, from hiding a towering
decides what this form looks like and what features it has, palace behind age-old illusions to await a chosen Heir

128 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

who remembers the correct passphrase, to ensuring the mortal prophet, or it could be a potent imprisoned Titan who
proliferation of their bloodlines in enough humans that their just can’t — or won’t — get much help to the Heir very often.
descendants will always have minions on hand.
SYSTEMS
These varied benefits the Dragons pass down to their
A guide is both a character and a resource. The
Heirs are known as Birthrights. An Heir rarely receives a
Storyguide may or may not give a guide real character traits,
Birthright directly from her draconic patron. Instead, her
depending on whether he expects it to play a more active role
activation as an agent of Dragons sets her on a path littered
in the story. Either way, a guide functions similarly to the way
with omens, prophecies, clues, and fortuitous coincidences
a Path does, granting an array of related benefits as the result
that lead her to what’s rightfully hers, meticulously planned
of the Heir having earned or inherited its help. The player
centuries before her birth.
can invoke a guide like a Path, and can push its benefits to
LOST BIRTHRIGHTS even greater limits in exchange for a Condition that makes
the guide unavailable until it’s resolved. Guides have a start-
If a character loses a Birthright over the course of the ing positive Attitude of 1 towards the character, but through
game, either through story events or specific mechanical ef- prolonged interaction, the Attitude may grow stronger.
fects like the Burn Notice Condition (p. 130), the player may
reassign the lost dots to another Birthright appropriate to the The Path Condition for invoking a guide more than once
situation at the end of the episode. If it makes sense, the new per session is Quid Pro Quo.
Birthright could be the same one (such as, reassigning dots of The Heir may also call upon his guide for an extraction
Lair to a new Lair), as long as it makes sense. Reassignments once per arc. Only one extraction may be in effect at a time.
are subject to Storyguide approval. Whether by direct intervention, occult ritual, the fulfillment
of a dire prophecy, or some other method within the guide’s
GUIDES power, the Heir gains the following for the rest of the scene:
Dragons, by virtue of playing the long game, stay out He acts in all ways as though he were one Tier higher than he
of The World as a general rule. It suits their needs to dole is for purposes of escaping a dangerous or inconvenient sit-
information out to their Heirs a little at a time through mys- uation, getting out of trouble, or rescuing someone, and may
terious, pre-planned machinations rather than showing up introduce narrative twists through any Dragon Path he pos-
and telling them everything they need to know — relying sesses (including Birthrights that act as Paths) as many times
on their chosen proxies is a gamble, and the more plausible as he likes without risking Path Suspension or Revocation at
deniability they can build into their schemes, the better. the cost of one Momentum per such Stunt. In exchange, at
the end of the scene, he gains the Burn Notice Condition.
Still, with no guidance, their Heirs wouldn’t be able to
carry out their missions. Dragons can tap other beings with By default, a guide has the following elements.
relevant resources or knowledge to cross paths with their • Asset Skills: as Path Asset Skills, and they grant ac-
Heirs and offer their aid, or arrange for an instructional tome cess to the guide’s Stunt (see below). One-dot guides
to conveniently fall into the brood’s lap. Sometimes, Heirs grant one Asset Skill, while those at 2+ dots grant
acquire guides in other ways — one might intercept another two.
Heir’s intended guide using counter-intelligence their own
patron provided them, while another might unearth an an- • General Benefits and Invocation: Guides can
cient spirit who knows secrets some Dragons would kill to grant access to equipment, locations, allies, contacts,
get their hands on. A guide can even be a Dragon, if one de- and narrative editing the same way Paths do, using
cides it’s worth dipping a toe in directly, or a more powerful the same guidelines for what requires invocation
Lesser Wyrm with a better idea of the bigger picture than and what doesn’t. Narrative editing usually takes the
greener Heirs. form of the guide showing up or pulling strings to
help the Heir out.
Guides are usually characters, but they can be even
stranger things, such as disembodied souls, sapient trea- • Guide Stunt: Every guide grants access to a unique
sures, or the touch of prophetic dreams. A guide could even Stunt, accessible by invoking the guide when the
be some aspect of Memory itself that comes through more player rolls one of the guide’s Asset Skills; the player
clearly or more often than usual; for instance, while most may wait to invoke until after he makes such a roll.
Heirs experience ancestral memories as brief visions or a • For each dot above two, the guide also gains one of
strange, leading sense of déjà vu, one with a Memory guide the following elements; a guide can only have one
might actually immerse completely whenever the player each of these elements:
accesses the Birthright under circumstances that resonate
strongly with a draconic patron, effectively allowing that • Dragon Magic: A guide can grant access to a new
patron’s memories to possess her for a time. Dragon Magic in which the Heir can learn Spells,
although never a Flight signature one. If the Heir
The dot value of a guide is an indicator of its overall loses his guide’s favor, through either Burn Notice
usefulness to the character, though that doesn’t necessarily or story events, he can’t use or learn any Spells in
translate into raw power. A guide with a low rating could be a that Dragon Magic until he makes amends.

Birthrights 129
 of multiple reptilian Guides. It often surprises outsiders that
Dragons also send birds with great frequency.
GUIDE CONDITIONS Ati-a-muri (•)
Quid Pro Quo Horomatangi’s loyal servant, Ati-a-muri is often sent to
The draconic lifestyle doesn’t lend itself to guide Heirs to the Lóng Flight. He often appears as a fellow
favors without strings attached. Your guide has traveler and puts his Heir students to tests of wit and strength
scratched your back, and now they expect you to ensure they can handle draconic responsibility.
to scratch theirs.
Effect: The Storyguide gives the character a Asset Skill: Integrity
new short-term or Draconic Deed in addition to Guide Stunt (1 success): You may purchase this Stunt
the one he already has, representing the favor with successes on any roll to resist being emotionally ma-
he owes his guide. Ancient machinations ensure nipulated, creating a +2 Complication for those attempting
he will pay his debt; he takes a Complication to influence you. Foes who fail to buy it off suddenly find
of a severity equal to the guide’s dot rating to themselves unable to find you for the remainder of the scene,
any action that doesn’t make progress toward
unless you voluntarily interact with them.
achieving the new Deed.
Resolution: The player achieves the Deed Blackbirds (•)
as above. Carrying gossip and chattering incessantly, blackbirds
Burn Notice only briefly appear similar to the Morrigan or Odin’s ravens:
The Heir has used up precious resources much smaller, much quicker, and much more annoying, they
getting himself or his allies out of trouble, and don’t so much teach their Heirs as annoy them into doing the
his guide’s put a moratorium on asking for any proper thing. They often initially appear in threes, leaving
more favors for a while. If he presses the issue, behind only one with the Heir. Blackbirds focus on the here
he could find himself completely on the outs. and now more than anything else.
Effect: The guide’s Attitude toward the
Asset Skill: Occult
character flips to negative, and the Heir loses
access to all benefits that guide would normally Guide Stunt (1 Success): You may purchase this stunt
grant, including access to Spells or Knacks with successes from any roll made to understand the motiva-
from the guide’s Dragon Magic or Calling. tions or figure out the intentions of a supernatural creature
He can still use these benefits if he spends one or individual. You gain +1 Enhancement to any Initiative roll
Momentum per use, cajoling or intimidating the made if the creature or individual in question decides to at-
guide into helping out in a pinch, but doing so tack you or your allies (but not if you’re the aggressor).
decreases the guide’s Attitude by one level. If
the guide’s Attitude reaches 0, the character Ershaj (•)
loses that Birthright altogether.
These intermediaries for the Naga appear as large ser-
Resolution: The character performs a number pents, outsized even for pythons and boa constrictors, and
of significant tasks that benefit the guide or
replenish their resources equal to the guide’s whisper wisdom and Memories into the ears of the Heirs to
dot rating; or the character loses the guide, as whom the Naga send them. Their name comes from one of
above. the Kulshedra’s intermediary forms, a lesser form of the full-
grown Dragon, and many of these Guides fancy themselves
miniature Dragons.
• Callings: The Heir can learn Knacks in the guide’s Asset Skill: Culture
Calling, and trigger Memories in it if the guide is Guide Stunt (1-3 successes): You may purchase this
suitable, such as inherited dreams or prophecies, or Stunt with successes from any Information Gathering roll.
someone from his Flight’s own past. You gain +1 Enhancement to Influence rolls you make to
• Deed Names: The Heir can invoke the guide to make affect targets of the Information Gathering roll a number of
use of her Deed Name as though it were his own. times equal to the Stunt’s value.
A guide with a rating of 3+ may also grant access to a Ghosts of the Children of Dragons (••)
unique Knack in her Calling, or a Draconic Knack if appro-
These distant, inhuman ghosts drift between Heir and
priate. Depending on the power of the Knack, it may pre-
Draconic parent, carrying with them memories which lit-
clude the inclusion of some or all the above elements, such as
erally predate humanity. They sometimes appear to Heirs
a Dragon Magic or Calling.
as overlarge reptiles or saurian creatures, sometimes as
EXAMPLE GUIDES something closer to lamia and nagaraja. Those Heirs who
Perhaps not surprisingly, many of the Guides which the Ghosts of the Children of Dragons visit have harrowing,
Dragons send to their Heirs take the form of reptiles. Any but informative, dreams, rarely knowing an uninterrupted
gathering of Heirs frequently also features the appearance night’s sleep.

130 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

 Asset Skills: Empathy, Occult are siblings to many Dragons there. The Draq send them to
Guide Stunt (1 success): You may purchase this Stunt guide and protect their Heirs, offering them martial advice
with successes from any roll made to interpret dreams. and support.
You gain startling insight from ancient memories, and a +2 Asset Skill: Close Combat, Firearms
Enhancement bonus on any one roll made for acting on that Guide Stunt (2 successes): You may purchase this
insight before the next time you sleep. Stunt with successes on an attack action. Inflict the Poisoned
Lost Souls (••) Condition on your opponent with a rating equal to half your
Inheritance, rounded down.
Ghosts, Shades, and all forms of dead seek out aid from
the Serpents before heading off to various Underworlds. In Calling: Destroyer
exchange for this assistance, the lost souls are sent to guide Lamia (•••)
Serpent Heirs for short periods of time, sharing with them
whatever knowledge they have. These Children of Dragons live in remote areas in the
world, clustering high in the mountains and making lairs in
Asset Skill: Academics, Leadership deep woods; they remember when they lived openly, in great
Guide Stunt (1 success): You may purchase this Stunt mound-temples, and raised their children in proper rever-
with successes from any roll made to inspire or influence ence of dragonkind. The Heir who overcomes their natural
a crowd. You gain the help of the Birthright Pawns 1 (Any reticence to assist any of humankind finds them thoughtful
Archetype, with the Helpful Tag) appropriate for to crowd and deliberate creatures, as resentful of the role humankind
you were speaking to for the remainder of the session. has assigned them in myth as their draconic parents.
Multiple uses of this Stunt may replace the Pawns with a Asset Skill: Empathy, Medicine
different type of Pawn, but do not stack.
Guide Stunt (2 successes): You may purchase this
Mist Hounds (••) Stunt with successes from any roll made to treat emotional
Mist Hounds act as the ultimate spies for anyone who is or physical wounds. You may spirit the target of your roll
willing to offer them proper pay. They traffic in information away to safety; if there are immediate impediments to doing
more than anything, and willingly guide Lóng Heirs in ex- so, you automatically overcome them unless they are of a
change for secrets. higher Tier, in which case you gain +3 Enhancement for rolls
to escape them and bring your patient to safety.
Asset Skill: Athletics, Subterfuge
Dragon Magic: Transformation
Guide Stunt (1 success): When you attempt to hide,
either physically or through verbal deception, you may Mokele-mbembe (•••)
purchase this Stunt. Inflict a +2 Complication to see through These water-dwelling Legendary Creatures have all but
your deception. Gain a +2 Enhancement for the rest of the disappeared from Africa, though they still dwell in Strange
scene to deceive those who fail to buy off the Complication. Places found near rivers or in caves. Best known for their
Sacred Engineers of the Dragon King (••) fighting prowess and ability to swim rivers with astounding
speed, mokele-mbembe make good backup when an Heir
This ancient organization appears to most to simply knows she’s going to be in a fight.
function as a means for engineers to meet socially, like a
Shriner’s society for people who own slide rules. The Sacred Asset Skill: Close Combat, Pilot
Engineers take as students those Heirs who devote them- Guide Stunt (3 successes): You may purchase this Stunt
selves to the repair of the world, with chapters secreted with success from any roll made to attack an enemy you hav-
away in every major city in the world. In Jerusalem, they en’t yet attacked this Scene. Your enemy gains the Condition
have perfected the irrigation system vintners rely upon. In World Wounding for the rest of the scene. Whenever you at-
Tokyo, they work on earthquake preparedness. In Florida, tack an enemy suffering from World Wounding, your attacks
they tackle the problem of rising sea levels. gain the Shockwave, Brutal, and Messy tag.
Asset Skills: Science, Technology Calling: Destroyer
Guide Stunt (2 successes): You may purchase this Vishapakar (•••)
Stunt with successes from any roll made as part of a Crafting
roll for architecture, landscaping, or other large-scale proj- This name, used both by the Heirs of Vishap and their
ects. You immediately complete an additional Milestone. families, forms a major support system for all the Lindwurm
Heirs. Skilled in research and devoted to uncovering the
Aqrabuamelu (•••) secrets of their long-lost Dragon Mother, they assist worthy
Aqrabuamelu are Legendary Creatures with the head Heirs in following leads on missing Lairs and uncovering
and upper torso of a human and the body of a scorpion. They artifacts. They’ve worked together for generations and do so
stand outside the gates of Kur and generally act as guards to exceptionally well.
the underworld. While the Aqrabuamelu might currently Asset Skill: Occult, Science
serve the Gods, they deal with the Draq frequently as they

Birthrights 131
 Guide Stunt (3 success): You may purchase this Stunt Talking Head (••••)
with successes from any Information Gathering roll. Pick
any Clue uncovered from the roll; you immediately have ac- Talking Heads are the literal remnant of lost Naga heads,
cess to any mundane resources needed to take advantage of steeped in ancient magic. Naga send these heads to lead their
the information uncovered, gaining +3 Enhancement on any Heirs back to the Divine Realm. They use their magic to keep
one roll if you directly act on that information. them safe and ensure they can make their way safely.

Calling: Mystic Asset Skill: Occult, Science

Guide Stunt (1 success): You
Arke (••••)
may purchase this Stunt with suc-
This strange bird-like human- cesses from a roll to discover or
oid sports shimmering feathers in investigate traps, hazards, or other
her hair and trailing down her neck, environmental danger. For the
opal talons tipping each of her fin- remainder of the scene,
gers, and large, iridescent-feathered you gain Hard Armor
wings sprouting from her back. against that danger
The Gods shattered the bones and forms of damage
of those wings, however, and like it. If you already
Arke moves with great have Hard Armor,
pain, leaning on an elab- that Armor becomes
orately carved cane. She Resistant against
claims descent from a long- the type of damage
ago congress between Iris the trap or danger
and the Python of Delphi. represents.
Arke talks endlessly to Dragon Magic:
anyone who’ll listen about Flight
the golden days when she
had a place on Olympus Knack: Warning Sense
and in the halls of the (Guardian Knack)
dragon kings, but clams Bi Xi (•••••)
up whenever pressed on
why, exactly, she doesn’t One of Ryūjin’s nine chil-
have a place there any- dren, Bi Xi is a turtle who like,
more. Conversation with Ao, can hold a great deal of weight
the rainbow-shimmering on his back. He is a lesser Dragon
creature leads to strange in- amongst the Lóng Flight, and has
sights as thoughts prism along eyes everywhere in the form of stele
unexpected pathways. Arke that dot the countryside all throughout
shows special favor to those who the northern parts of Asia. He can travel
bring her the means to alleviate the between them with ease, and even travel
pain of her broken wings, and would through depictions of them in modern times.
favor greatly indeed those who found He isn’t just strong, he’s helpful, using his wide
the means to heal them. network to aid Dragons in need throughout The
World. It doesn’t take much for an Heir of any Flight to get a
Asset Skills: Occult, Persuasion chat with him, and with the proper payment, he’s more than
Guide Stunt (3 successes): You may purchase this Stunt willing to lend his strength in aid.
with successes from any roll made to make plans or prepare Asset Skills: Medicine, Survival
for the future. You gain the Condition Prismatic Possibilities.
When the circumstances you’re preparing for occur, you may Guide Stunt (1-5 successes): You may purchase this
resolve the Condition to ask what would occur if you took Stunt with successes from any roll made to prepare an ally
a particular course of action. If the Storyguide is unable to for trouble. Until the end of the Scene, for each success you
provide useful information, you gain Momentum instead. may choose to have a harmful effect or attack targeting your
ally target you instead, as long as you are in the same Range
Unique Knack: Add a +3 Enhancement to your rolls to Band as your ally.
reveal a single concealed or hidden person or item in your
immediate surroundings: the hidden thing or individual ap- Unique Knack: Once per session, ignore wound levels
pears to have a rainbow haze illumined around them in your from a single attack equal to your Inheritance, gaining a thick
vision. carapace similar to a turtle’s shell.
Calling: Guardian

132 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

Komodo Dragon (•••••) five dots’ worth of benefits at a time regardless of how many
hoards they’ve contributed to.
Not the venomous, four-legged lizard found in Indonesia,
Komodo Dragon is the code name given to Heirs who came SYSTEMS
close to ascending to Lesser Wyrm but chose instead to return Like guides, a hoard functions like a Path. The player
to a human life. These Heirs who have abandoned their dra- can invoke it, and can push its benefits to even greater limits
conic side have not lost their knowledge, even if their power in exchange for a Condition that complicates things for the
is greatly diminished. Many do not survive such a choice, as character.
their draconic patron doesn’t take kindly to what they see as a
The Path Condition for invoking a hoard more than
betrayal. Others, though, slipped through the cracks, knowing
once per session is Covetous Neighbors.
the system well enough to skirt past notice. They are masters
of the unseen, keeping themselves away from the draconic life A hoard grants the following benefits:
as best as possible, though they dip back in regularly — they • Asset Skills: The first dot of Hoard grants Persuasion
just can’t help it. If an Heir can find a Komodo Dragon, she as an Asset Skill; wealth is a powerful motivator. The
deserves whatever help he can give her. second dot grants Subterfuge, as she can more effec-
Asset Skills: Leadership, Subterfuge tively wield bribes and exert financial pressure. The
Guide Stunt (5 successes): You may purchase this third dot grants Leadership, attracting followers and
Stunt with successes from any roll made to hide the move- employees eager for a cut.
ments, activities, or presence of others. As long as those • General Benefits and Invocation: A hoard grants
you are trying to protect don’t act to directly harm others access to equipment, locations, allies, contacts, and
or actively draw attention to themselves, beings of lower narrative editing the same way Paths do, using the
Tier than yours simply can’t find or detect them. Beings of same guidelines for what requires invocation and
equal or greater Tier suffer the Condition Wait, They Can’t what doesn’t. Narrative editing usually takes the form
Actually Be… if they discover or detect your protected targets. of throwing money at a problem to make it disappear,
The Condition resolves if they attempt to initiate violence making an advantageous trade, or having just the right
against your protected group, causing the aggressor to count relic on hand at the right time — whether for its powers
as though they had rolled no successes on their Initiative roll. or for leverage against those who want it.
Dragon Magic: Illusions • Hoard Stunt: A hoard grants access to the Hoard
Unique Knack: When you give others advice on how Stunt, accessible by invoking the hoard when the
to hide, move unseen, or otherwise remain undetected, they player rolls one of the hoard’s Asset Skills to encourage
gain +3 Enhancement to all rolls to avoid notice as long as behavior or shift someone’s Attitude, with a difficulty
they follow your advice. of (6 – number of Hoard dots the character is willing
to invest). This stunt sweetens the pot for subsequent
HOARD dealings, granting +1 leadership Scale on a number of
future Social rolls against the target equal to successes
Not everything a Dragon leaves to his Heirs is unduly
spent, which vanish if unused by the end of the arc.
esoteric or comes through convoluted circumstances.
In exchange, Hoard dots equal to those successes be-
Sometimes, she just inherits riches like anyone else. The
come unavailable until the end of the arc, effectively
difference is, a Dragon’s hoard comes with a long history of
lowering the character’s rating temporarily. Using the
intrigue, thieving and counter-thieving, and deal-making. On
stunt repeatedly against the same target doesn’t allow
the bright side, an Heir with a significant hoard has more
these future rolls to stack; only the largest investment
leverage over anyone who covets her treasures, and more
applies. If the hoard is shared, all contributing players
potential connections to her Memory. A hoard can contain
must agree to the use of this stunt.
any combination of wealth, Worldly treasures of cultural or
monetary value, and items of mystical power. • The Hoarding Instinct: Once per session, when-
ever the character acquires a significant new source
Unlike a guide, a single hoard can belong to more
of wealth or valuable item through play, treat her
than one broodmate. Any player who wants to can pitch
Hoard rating as one higher than it is until the end of
in Experience to purchase dots of this Birthright, and any
the session. If she uses the Hoard stunt during this
character who contributes dots to the total can access the
time, the additional dot is invested last; if she does
full, combined amount. Players can effectively increase the
invest it, the stunt’s benefits vanish at the end of the
rating of a hoard above five dots this way, but each character
session when the extra dot vanishes.
still only has access to five dots’ worth of benefits; which is to
say, six players could contribute Experience and all of them • Collection of Recollection: The player may add
could access the hoard, but only at a rating of Hoard 5 even Momentum to the pool when she invokes a Memory
though technically it’s a six-dot hoard. Players who contrib- Condition equal to her dots in Hoard. For example, a
ute dots to a communal hoard may also purchase separate character with two active Memory Conditions and
hoards of their own if they like, but they can’t use more than two dots of Hoard could put two Momentum into the
pool each time she invokes a Condition putting for a

Birthrights 133
 total of four Momentum in the pool for the session. If Alternatively, the Magical Equipment benefit may be
the character has the Lair Birthright (p. 134), she may used to gain access to a single Scion Boon or Knack at the
combine her Hoard and Lair dots for this purpose, to a Hero level (see Scion: Hero) as long as the Heir keeps the
maximum of five total dots. object on her person, but doing so risks Scions or titanspawn
For each dot above two, the hoard also gains one of the wanting it back. The Storyguide may spend a tension point
following elements; a hoard can only have one each of these once per episode to bring a character into the scene who will
elements: try to take it by any available means.

• Dragon Magic: Magical treasures in a hoard can

grant access to a new Dragon Magic in which the
LAIRS
Dragons have been biding their time in the shadows
Heir can learn Spells, although never a Flight signa-
for centuries or longer, carving out safehouses and palac-
ture one. If key treasures are stolen or lost, through
es in hijacked Terra Incognita or squatting in abandoned
either Covetous Neighbors or story events, she can’t
Godsrealms. They call these places Lairs, and their Heirs may
use or learn any more Spells in that Dragon Magic
claim the same, either within The World or on its outskirts.
until she retrieves or replaces it.
Memory leads some Heirs to discover Lairs that belong
• Callings: Draconic treasures can bestow access to
to or were co-opted by their Handlers. Others obtain their
any Calling available to Dragons, allowing the Heir
own through connections or force of arms. A Lair is any kind
to learn its Knacks and trigger Memories in it if ap-
of secure place where an Heir can keep his hoard, make plans
plicable. As with Dragon Magic, losing key treasures
with his brood without fear of eavesdroppers, and lick his
removes access to these Knacks and Callings until
wounds. Some example types of Lairs include usurped bun-
they’re retrieved or replaced.
kers, apartments decked out with surveillance equipment,
• Magical Equipment: Many tomes and relics exist remote caves, partially intact castle ruins, stolen or discarded
in The World that aren’t draconic in nature, and Midrealms or Titanic Lairs, temples to the Heir himself or
nothing stops an Heir from getting her hands on appropriated ones to some other God, a now-unused branch
them. The character gains access to a piece of rare of an Axis Mundi, or hidden Liminalities.
equipment which gives her an Enhancement bo-
Heirs don’t need the Lair Birthright to have a secure
nus equal to her Hoard rating on actions using it.
place to live or a home base for their brood. The Birthright
Additionally, the item allows the character to access
just grants mechanical benefits to having such a place.
a single Calling Knack or Dragon Magic Spell fitting
with her Hoard’s Calling or Dragon Magic without it Like Hoards (p. 133), a single Lair can belong to more than
taking up a slot normally reserved for learning those. one broodmate, and players can pool their dots and access the
same way. This comes with the same benefits and limitations,
except that all contributing characters can access all features
of the Lair even if it has more than five dots’ worth of features.
Each player may contribute a maximum of five dots.
CONDITION: SYSTEMS
COVETOUS NEIGHBORS By default, every Lair grants the following benefits to its
Heir:
You’ve relied too heavily on treasures
from your hoard or flaunted your wealth too • Home Field Advantage: While inside his Lair, the Heir
flagrantly, and it’s attracted unwanted attention. gains Enhancement 1 to all attempts to hide from some-
Effect: The Storyguide introduces a narrative one, corner or trap them, herd them to a specific room,
twist in which a SG character has learned the or otherwise trick them using the environment. Any
location of the hoard and wants something from Field Complications introduced inside the Lair don’t
it, has already stolen something important from apply to the Heir or anyone he designates as welcome;
it, or has history with its treasures and catches he can extend or revoke this welcome at any time.
wind of their renewed use. That character now
possesses leverage or an advantage over the • Security: Increase the Difficulty of any attempt to
Heir, gaining an Enhancement to all rolls to find, break into, or rob the Lair by one.
influence or oppose him equal to (the hoard’s
• Other Birthrights: A Lair can pair with other
rating/2, rounded up). Treat the hoard’s rating
as one dot lower than it is for all other purposes. Birthrights to increase the effectiveness of both. If an
Heir has both a Lair and a Hoard, he may combine their
Resolution: The Heir retrieves the item, dots for purposes of enhancing his Memory Condition
makes a significant sacrifice or concession
invocation rolls. If he has both a Lair and Pawns, he can
to the offending character to appease them
(which could include simply giving up the use his Lair’s resources while he’s not there according
Hoard dot to them permanently), or gains a to his pawns’ standing orders, and the pawns gain +1
suitable replacement for the item. Enhancement to all rolls the player makes for them
to guard or make use of the Lair. If he has both a Lair

134 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

 and Tradecraft, the Lair acts as a hub to coordinate •• Attunement: The Heir is stronger in his Lair, gaining
the network and its resources, but also puts more eggs +1 to one type of Scale (which may include size while he’s in
in a single basket; his player may generate Tradecraft his draconic form) while inside. The player may choose this
Enhancements a number of times per arc equal to his feature multiple times for different types of Scale.
Lair rating, and gains a number of free Lair feature dots •• Mobile: The Lair is mobile, whether because it’s an
appropriate to his espionage resources equal to his RV or because it perches on a floating sky-island that moves
Tradecraft rating. However, every failure on rolls that based on the tides.
take advantage of Tradecraft is a botch, and each such
botch denies him access to the extra Lair features until •• Remote Viewing: The Heir may take a simple action
the character takes a significant action to restore the and spend one Momentum to transport his senses back to his
security of his Lair and its secrets. Lair. He can see, hear, and smell everything within the Lair as
though he were there, but can’t sense his own surroundings
LAIR FEATURES or defend himself while he does so. If he possesses supernat-
Each Lair also has a number of features whose dot costs ural senses, he can use them as normal to sense things in the
add up to the Lair’s total dot rating. The player or players Lair. This effect lasts until the end of the scene or until the
choose these features whenever they purchase more Lair Heir takes a simple action to end it, whichever comes first.
dots. If a feature is lost through story events, contributing
••• Borrowed Power: The Heir may use his powers at
players may reassign its Lair dots to new features at the end
reduced cost within the Lair. Powers that require spending
of the session.
Inheritance only require imbuing it; powers that require
•-••• Additional Defenses: The Lair possesses additional imbuing Inheritance only require spending one Momentum;
mundane security features, such as reinforced steel doors and and powers that require spending Momentum cost one few-
deadbolt locks, traps, exterior camouflage, surveillance camer- er point, to a minimum of 0.
as, or electronic locks requiring a specific passcode, access card,
••• No Mortals Allowed: The Lair is located in a place
or even retina or fingerprint scans. Increase the Difficulty of at-
where ordinary mortals can’t go on their own, whether it’s
tempts to find, break into, or rob the Lair by an additional +1 per
in a Terra Incognita or has an entrance no mortal can find
dot of Additional Security. By increasing the total cost of this
without magical help.
feature by two dots (which may exceed the 3-dot maximum),
the Lair may also possess mystical defenses, such as guardian •••• Hibernation: The Lair contains a living chrysalis,
spirits or wards; any attempt to find, break into, or rob the Lair a pool of sacred water, a stone sarcophagus, or other enclosed
suffers a Complication with severity equal to the rating of this space where the Heir can retreat to hibernate. While slumber-
feature’s mundane security increase. If it’s not bought off, the ing there, he heals Injury Conditions at twice the usual rate,
intruder suffers the effects of a single Spell the Heir knows that regains one spent Inheritance per full day of slumber, and re-
can affect others, chosen when this Lair feature is purchased. solves the Taken Out Condition without the injury getting in
his way after one full day of slumber. Once per arc, whenever
•-••••• Fields: The Lair includes one or more specific
he hibernates for at least a day, he triggers a Memory (p. 124).
types of Fields that create Complications for intruders. The
Any character with an Inheritance rating can hibernate there.
Complication’s severity equals the feature’s rating, and the
player may choose this feature multiple times to represent •••• Soul Egg: The Heir’s Lair is the seat of his power,
separate Fields. housing a piece of his soul at its core. He can’t be Taken Out
while within his Lair unless the soul egg is first destroyed,
• Alert: The Heir chooses one type of threat or prob- which requires 15 successes and a complex action to break
lem that could befall his Lair, such as “automated with Athletics + Might (see Scion: Origin, p. 58). Destroying
defenses have been breached” or “someone activat- the egg immediately inflicts Taken Out on the Heir, but re-
ed the powerful relic.” Whenever that event occurs, turns the soulstuff to him; he may re-house it later through
no matter where the Heir is, he knows about it (al- ritual. However, taking possession of a soul egg gives
though he doesn’t know any details), and adds two someone power over its Heir; if another character with an
Momentum to the pool. Inheritance rating holds the soul egg, they may use any Spell
• Kill Switch: Whether it’s a literal button he can or Knack the Heir knows, and any action he takes against
press or a psychic command, the Heir can destroy them comes with a +4 Complication; if he doesn’t overcome
his Lair with a simple action no matter where he it, they may order him to perform any one action he’s capable
is. Anything inside the Lair at the time (servers full of that doesn’t harm him or his allies within the same scene.
of classified data, a dangerous artifact, etc.) is also
destroyed, buried, scattered, or otherwise highly PAWNS
difficult to access. Trivial targets inside the Lair Just as Dragons act through their Heirs, Heirs can act
die immediately; others are Taken Out. Upon acti- through their pawns: employees, students, mercenary bands,
vating the Kill Switch, in addition to reassigning paid informants, servants, exceptional pets, or even mindless
his lost Birthright dots as usual, the Heir regains a magical drones. They might inherit these pawns through a
spent Inheritance point and immediately fills the convoluted series of planned events beyond their ken, or might
Momentum pool to its maximum capacity. earn them through machinations of their own. Pawns may or

Birthrights 135
may not know who they’re really working for, and once they’re reassign that pawn’s dots to other Birthrights at the end of
embroiled in the Heir’s schemes, they have trouble extracting the session (including new pawns, if she wants).
themselves unless the character lets them go. Of course, doing
so leaves loose ends, and loose ends are dangerous.
CREATING PAWNS
First, describe your pawns with a short phrase that
Pawns can take many forms, from a remarkably loyal ser-
defines the kinds of actions they can take: an intelligence
vant to an entourage of flunkies. They can be mortal, Denizens,
organization can provide classified government information,
or purely supernatural beings, depending on the use to which
a sword-wielding champion can protect the Heir and her
the character puts them and their Worldly or Otherworldly
assets, and so on. Pawns can use equipment if it fits their
connections. Pawns are Storyguide characters, but they don’t
nature, and start with whatever’s appropriate.
make rolls or act on their own. Instead, they grant their Heir
additional options, and function as a sort of living equipment. Pawns start with one of the following archetypes, deter-
mining in which Arena they can act:
USING PAWNS
• Heavy: Physical
Rolls to command a pawn to do something use a dice
pool of one of the Heir’s Attributes in the appropriate Arena • Entourage: Social
+ the higher of the pawn’s rating or the Heir’s Leadership • Consultant: Mental
Skill. Commanding pawns is a simple action, but the player
can take a mixed action for the Heir to also act while com- PAWN TAGS
manding them. Pawns don’t get a spot in the initiative roster A pawn has a number of tags equal to its dot rating. Like
and don’t act independently — they always act on the Heir’s tags on weapons or armor, pawn tags describe the important
turn, and their action always takes up that turn. If the Heir is elements that distinguish one from another. Some have spe-
Taken Out, her pawns can keep acting on her turn, but their cific mechanical effects, while others provide context for the
dice pool becomes her Attribute + their rating. Storyguide to create Complications and Consolations.
Pawns can take one Bruised and one Maimed Injury If a tag says it requires another tag, the pawn must al-
Condition before being Taken Out. Their Defense is equal to ready have the prerequisite tag. If a tag says it replaces anoth-
half their dot rating, rounded up. If the Heir is present in the er tag, the pawn still has to already have the prerequisite, but
scene and she or her pawn suffers an Injury Condition, the the new one supersedes it.
player decides whether the Condition affects the Heir or the • Archetype: The pawn gains an additional archetype
pawn. Pawns who are Taken Out typically return to form at (Heavy, Entourage, or Consultant).
the beginning of the next session. If being Taken Out means
they’re permanently removed from play, the player may • Access: The pawn can grant the Heir and her brood
access to some locale, information, or resource that’s

136 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

 otherwise difficult to obtain. Specify what kind of ac- ROLEPLAYING PAWNS
cess your pawn grants: either a single Terra Incognita,
The player dictates what her pawns do when the dice
Overworld, or Underworld; a broad class of human
come out. Otherwise, they’re Storyguide characters, and the
institution (police stations, the hottest clubs, etc.); or a
SG can use them to inject drama into the story. Dissatisfaction,
specific type of information or resource (foreign intel-
dropping out of communication, mutiny, or kidnapping can
ligence, medical records, blood donations, etc.). Pawns
result from Complications, but unless the troupe is actively
can have multiple instances of this tag.
interested in stories of operatic betrayal, pawns are generally
• Defensive: The pawn gains +1 Defense. assumed to stay loyal.
• Group: The pawn is actually a group of 5-10 individ- For groups of pawns, the player should name and de-
uals. The player can use a mixed action to command scribe a few key members. The Storyguide should flesh them
her pawns to take two actions at once. out and use them mercilessly as reasons to invest players in
the pawns’ well-being.
• Helpful: As long as a complex action fits the pawn’s
description, gain one additional interval to complete it.
TRADECRAFT
• Indirect: The pawn has no direct contact with the An activated Heir steps into a world of complex machi-
Heir. They provide more security, but may misinter- nations the Dragons have set in motion, arranging for useful
pret orders, miss dead drops, or get mixed messages resources to fall into her hands when she needs them and
from proxy messengers. All rolls to discover or in- dropping hints that give her access to established lines of
terfere with the pawns’ actions, or track them back covert communication. They have no wish to expose their
to the Heir, increase their Difficulty by 1. All rolls to plans to their enemies, so they provide their Heirs with the
command them come with a Complication of sever- proper tools to practice effective espionage.
ity 1 appropriate to their nature.
The Tradecraft Birthright manifests as a series of cryp-
• Knack: Choose a single Calling or Draconic Knack tic clues, dead drop coordinates, useful gadgets, and shady
that fits the pawn’s description. They may use it on informants who call the Heir in the middle of the night from
the Heir’s behalf. If the Knack requires a dice pool, burner phones and never meet with her in person. She might
it uses the Heir’s Attribute + the pawn’s dot rating. wake up one morning to find an anonymous letter with no
Pawns can have multiple instances of this tag. The return address in her mailbox, giving her the written key to
Knack can only be a Scale Knack if the pawn’s dot decrypt an encrypted message she hasn’t even encountered
rating is •••• or •••••. yet. It can be a frustrating life, constantly working to make
• Mob: Replaces Group. The pawn represents 20-50 sense of a network of spies and counterintelligence without
individuals. They have Scale one level higher than context; but when the moment comes that an Heir absolutely
the Heir they serve when raw numbers matter. needs a crucial illicit recording from the tapped phone of a
The player can use a mixed action to command her Scion she’s never met, she’ll have it.
pawns to take two actions at once.
SYSTEMS
• Savage: The pawn is especially brutal. On actions Tradecraft ranges from one to five dots. Once per scene,
meant to harm others (physically or emotionally), the player may substitute her Tradecraft rating for any Skill
rolls to command the pawn gain Enhancement 2. on a roll to find clues in a procedural investigation.
Creatures often have this tag.
Moreover, she may roll to find retroactive clues. Once
• Smooth: The pawn improves the Attitude of per arc, upon uncovering a lead, the player may declare that
Storyguide characters by 1, as long as they’re present her extensive spy network has already given her character
and the character is receptive based on the pawn’s the pieces she needs to put the puzzle together. She rolls
description. Against particularly opposed charac- (her Tradecraft rating + an appropriate Finesse Attribute)
ters (e.g. a hair-metal band against a classical-music to interpret the cryptic messages or consult her conspiracy
snob), they might worsen the Attitude instead. wall, and gains a total banked Enhancement equal to the suc-
• Terrible: Choose one area in which the pawn has cesses to apply in any combination to any roll following up on
Scale (e.g. Size, Speed, Intellect). The pawn’s Scale that lead, whether it’s to find clues, chase down an enemy, or
is one level higher than the Heir’s. convince an authority figure to help. However, this can’t add
more than Enhancement 3 to any single roll.
• Tough: The pawn gains +1 Armor.
Finally, any roll another character makes to track the
• Unruly: The pawn doesn’t take orders well. All Heir down via paper trail, mystical powers, asking around, or
Difficulties on actions to command the pawn in- other means, or to identify her based on clues and evidence
crease by 1, but add a Momentum to the pool when- of her Deeds, suffers a Complication equal to her dots in
ever the player fails such a roll in addition to any Tradecraft. If not bought off, this Complication alerts the
other Consolation she would earn. Heir to whoever’s poking around.

Birthrights 137
 “Come not between the Dragon and his wrath.”
— King Lear, Act 1, Scene 1

Though not a full Dragon, an Heir has access to a great

many draconic traits bestowed upon her by her Dragon an-
cestor. These powers are part of her inheritance as much as CLASH OF WILLS
any Birthright; even if she rebukes her draconic nature, she
cannot deny the power coursing through her veins.
As a general rule, Knacks and Spells cannot
be applied to anyone two Tiers higher than

CALLING KNACKS you. If something breaks this rule, it will say

so within the mechanical text. In the event that
two supernatural abilities are in opposition with

H eirs derive their non-magical power from Knacks in the

same way Hero Scions do. Their Calling Knacks will be
familiar to any player who has picked up and read through
each other, this is called a Clash of Wills.
For the purposes of Knacks, a Clash of Wills
is resolved by making opposed rolls of Knack
Scion: Origin or Scion: Hero. However, Heirs do not divide Skill + Inheritance or Calling dots, whichever
the powers from their Calling into Heroic and Immortal is higher. If no Knack Skill applies, substitute
categories. Instead, Calling Knacks cover any special ability Integrity.
based on their heroic archetype, and they have access to a For the purposes of Spells, a Clash of
new kind of Knack, Dragon Knacks, which fuel their draconic Wills is resolved by making opposed rolls of
form and can be transformed into permanent effects at the appropriate Attribute + Inheritance (or Legend).
cost of their humanity. The Attribute used is decided at the time of the
Clash, and is often the most appropriate for the
KNACK SKILLS situation the Spell is being used in. Resisting a
Clash always uses a Resilience Attribute.
Many Knacks reference Knack Skill rolls. The
Storyguide and player choose the most appropriate Skill for
each Knack, based on the character’s Deed Name and Paths, dice, you gain the ability granted by the Knack. Enhancements
but also on the Skills listed in the Calling section. This Skill add bonus successes equal to the Enhancement rating,
is chosen when the Knack is activated and may be a different which apply after a roll has been made and netted at least
Skill each time, allowing characters to express their abilities one success, thereby transforming what might be a failure
with tremendous flexibility. Storyguides are advised to adju- into a success. Some Knacks bend this rule, allowing the
dicate this with leniency. Enhancement to apply before the roll, allowing for the possi-
MOMENTUM EXPENDITURE bility of an automatic success. When this is the case, the text
will state it. In the event of two effects stacking, where one
AND ENHANCEMENT applies before the roll, only apply the Enhancement from
Some Knacks are powered by Momentum. You spend the single Knack before the roll. As stated in the core rules,
from the communal pool as usual, except instead of adding Enhancements only stack up to 5, though Enhancement
from Scale may exceed this limit.

COLLECTOR
HEIR KNACKS AND Collector Knacks improve your ability to gather and cu-
rate your hoard, as well as focusing your mind on commerce
HERO GAMES and numbers. They are driven by the concepts of ownership
Some of these Knacks appear in Origin and and analytics.
Hero as players may note. A few have been Bottomless Stash: You never need to roll to acquire
reprinted whole cloth, with no changes. Others mundane supplies or goods, as you always know where and
have had name changes to be more thematic how to find them. Unless the item is exceedingly rare (or
for Dragon
Dragon,, and others minor adjustments being blocked from access by a rival), you get what you need
thanks to a better understanding of how Scion
plays. with little complication — this does not make materials cost
less, or arrive any faster should they need to be transported
Power creep, the reader laments, these to you. If someone or something is preventing you from ac-
versions are better! It’s inevitable that the
quiring materials, make a Clash of Wills.
designers develop a stronger understanding of
their own material as a game line progresses. Discerning Collector: Choose a type of object to
Consider this explicit permission to use any hoard. Whenever you take actions to acquire more of
of the updated versions in Origin and Hero this object for your hoard, you gain your Collector dots in
games. Enhancement to any applicable rolls made to add it to your
collection. This can be any attempt, from a legal attempt

Calling Knacks 139

to negotiate price, to less scrupulous methods like theft. for the purposes of destroying inanimate objects. If you have
Combat rolls do not apply. Rending Claws transformed, gain +1 Enhancement to attacks
Infinite Pockets: Produce any item from your hoard made against objects or armored targets.
in an instant, though it must be able to fit in your pocket or Devourer of Stone: You are capable of biting through
your hand. To pull something much bigger out of a suitcase, and eating anything inedible: glass, stone, wood, steel, etc.
backpack, carpet bag, or musical instrument case, etc. spend and consuming it as though it had nutritional value. You
Momentum. Alternatively, spend Momentum to instead pro- cannot eat anything you can’t fit into your mouth. This
duce the same-sized object from a part of your body (usually does mean that in full dragon form, you can bite through
the mouth, though producing it from an ear, nostril, or palm buildings, armored vehicles, and military-grade equipment.
is just as common). Larger items may not be produced from Spend Momentum to be able to consume anything that has
your body. been intentionally poisoned.
Obsessive Tally: You are capable of impressive feats of Enhanced Impact: Whenever you successfully deal
mental math, able to count any number of objects in mere Injury with your Knack Skill, you also knock the target back
instants. Your mind filters important data from irrelevant one range band. This does not do any extra damage, but can
information, leaving only the greater pattern behind. For put someone in a tight spot.
any roll where this would apply, add +2 Enhancement which Leeching Strength: You have the power to drain the in-
applies before you roll — for example, an Analyze roll during herent properties from an object. When you use this Knack,
Procedural play. This does not allow you to do impossible make a Knack Skill roll. The object must be something you
feats, such as numbering all the stars in the sky or counting can hold in one hand. On any successes, you destroy the ob-
every grain of sand on the beach, but will allow you to notice ject (by crushing, consuming, smashing, etc., at your choice)
a trend in a killer’s behavior, or predict the actions of an en- and absorb the essence of its qualities. These devoured
emy spy. If you are able to perform Collector Feats of Scale, properties persist for the duration of the scene. For example:
this Knack may be used as such, overriding the previous consuming the power out of a burning torch would give you
statement. the Elemental (Fire) damage tag to your attacks or eating a
One for the Collection: When you acquire an object — diamond might grant Hard (1) Armor, etc. The Storyguide
whether legitimately, through barter or purchase or illegally and the player adjudicate which Tags and properties an item
through theft — you may tuck it into a pocket and return bestows, though it should make sense for the object’s profile.
it instantly to your hoard. It must fit into a pocket or your Terrible Dragon Roar: You attack your foes with a
hand. Spend Momentum to stuff a much larger object into forceful shout, or shatter walls with the power of your voice.
a larger container (a musical instrument case, a duffle bag, Spend Momentum and make an attack using your Knack
etc) and return it to your hoard. A second purchase of this Skill, if it is higher than Close Combat or Athletics. When
Knack allows you to consume the object to banish it to your used against an enemy, it is an attack with the following
hoard instead. Tags: Lethal, Loud, Messy, Piercing, Pushing, Reach. When
Scent of Treasure: When you pursue an object for used against an object with a Scale less than your Destroyer
your hoard, make a Knack Skill roll. For each success, ask dots, roll Knack Skill. With any successes, it shatters in an
the Storyguide one of the following questions, which must instant.
be answered honestly: Render of Cities:
• How far away is it? Prerequisite: Terrible Dragon Roar.
• In what direction is it? You become a whirlwind of destruction, adding your
• What lies between here and the object? Destroyer rating to force Scale for the purposes of demoli-
tion and mass destruction. In a fight, spend Momentum to
• Who has it now?
add the Shockwave tag to all attacks you make until the end
• Who else wants to obtain it? of the Turn.
Wireless Alarm: You’re alerted the instant anyone World-Eater: When you destroy something, make a
steals or touches anything in your hoard and can spend Knack Skill roll. On any successes, you do it so completely
Momentum to appear wherever your items are stashed. that no trace of the thing remains. At five or more successes,
You are also always able to identify a stolen object, even if it you may spend Momentum to erase the thing from the mem-
wasn’t taken from you. ories of others. This only affects small scale things, unless
you also have the ability to perform Destroyer Feats of Scale.
DESTROYER
Destroyer Knacks bestow the power to crush and GUARDIAN
destroy objects and enemies alike. They are driven by the Guardian Knacks fill you with the power to protect what
concepts of destruction and forcefulness. is yours: your loved ones, your lair, and your hoard. They are
Armor-Shearing Jaws: Your Natural Tag attacks auto- driven by the concepts of protection and vigilance.
matically gain the Piercing Tag and count as 1 Scale greater

140 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

 Bestow Responsibility: When you task a target of low- keeping your vigil. You may only keep vigil over one thing
er Tier with protecting something important to you (such at a time.
as your lair or hoard), they protect it as you would, taking Living Pillar:
actions relevant to your interests. You automatically know if
the character tasked with protection is in trouble, wounded, Prerequisite: Vigilant Protector.
or has failed in their given task. When you protect someone else with your body, you are
Clarity of Purpose: Dedicate yourself to an ideal of immune to environmental hazards: The flames of a burning
your choosing (fight for love and justice, defend the weak, building do not scorch you, a landslide does not crush you,
save The World from invasion). When you take action to water cannot drown you, and so on. As long as you keep
defend this ideal, gain +1 Enhancement to all applicable rolls your target close (within arm’s reach), they benefit from the
and any Stunts you may have gained from Knacks, including same immunity, but still need to eat, sleep, etc., so it’s best
transformations. to leave a hazardous area as quickly as possible. If you have
Elemental Immunity transformed, you may instead spend 2
Imbue Talisman: Bless an object (usually from your Momentum to apply this immunity to your protected target
hoard and given to someone you wish to protect, but not without them needing to be near you.
required) and make a Knack Skill roll. If any successes are
achieved, it then grants the bearer +2 Enhancement to rolls Warning Sense: You sense the presence of danger be-
made to defend or protect against a particular person, thing, fore it emerges. Spend Momentum and double the successes
or situation as defined at the time of blessing. on any roll to detect ambushes or to discern whether a per-
son means harm.
Honed Alertness: While you protect someone, neither
you nor the character in your care can be ambushed. If an
enemy has an effect that would contest this, make a Clash of
HEALER
Healer Knacks improve the health and recovery of
Wills. You may spend Momentum to grant either Hard (1)
yourself and those around you. They are driven by the con-
armor or (Guardian dots/2, rounded up) to Defense to your
cepts of rejuvenation and regeneration.
protected target until the end of your next turn.
Absorb Ailment: Touch an ailing target and make a
Vigilant Protector: When you stand guard over a per-
Knack Skill roll. On any successes, you absorb whatever is
son, place, or thing (eggs, your hoard, a bodyguard’s charge),
afflicting the target, taking on the Injuries, poisons, or dis-
you do not need to eat or sleep so long as your vigil persists.
eases they might be suffering, and you must contend with
This benefit extends so long as the protected target remains
their effects yourself. The target recovers as if they had never
within your sight. You may do other things — talk, interact,
been affected in the first place.
move around, etc. — but must devote most of your time to

Calling Knacks 141

 Combat Medic: When you tend to an ally’s wounds in a confession from the target. Spend Momentum, and they
in the heat of battle, once per turn remove any +1 Bruised simply cannot lie to you at all. The Storyguide should also
Injury they may be suffering — including damage sustained notify you when a lie has been told, though it does not au-
to armor — without needing to roll. You may not make Mixed tomatically reveal the truth, but also reveals nebulous truth,
actions when utilizing this Knack. such as “he has been convinced this is true” — which should
Herd Immunity: Designate up to your Knack Skill in always be a means for characters to pursue the person who
targets to be in your care. While under your protection, they manipulated the target in the first place.
get +2 Enhancement to all rolls to resist disease and poi- One More Question!: When questioning a target that
son, and to recover from injury which lasts as long as Herd has broken a rule or law — either one you established, or one
Immunity is one of your active Knacks. Storyguide charac- belonging to a nation, state, etc. — they are compelled to keep
ters you protect in this way are automatically protected — answering your questions as long as you keep asking them.
that is, the Storyguide does not need to make rolls when they The questions need only be vaguely related to the broken
would be affected by disease or poison. rule or law. The target must use a Basic Action to answer the
Instant Diagnosis: When you spend time interacting question, which may be part of a Mixed Action. They do not
with an ailing target, you diagnose what is wrong with them, need to answer honestly but they do need to answer. Targets
as well as any other pertinent medical information. In the of the same Tier or greater can make a Clash of Wills to break
event that you are diagnosing a patient suffering from a su- free of the compulsion. You may use this Knack in combat as
pernatural disease, this may require a Knack Skill roll, which well as in any Intrigue or Procedural scene.
is opposed by whomever afflicted the victim. The Pain of Dishonesty:
Internal Refinery: When exposed to a poison or dis- Prerequisite: Lie Detector.
ease, make a Knack Skill roll. A success instantly cures your- Spend Momentum and anyone who lies directly to you
self. By spending a point of Momentum, you then also gener- suffers a +1 Injury Condition. You choose whether or not
ate one dose of a cure or antidote, which you can secrete and to inflict the damage or Condition, automatically alerting
administer to another person. If you have the Dragon’s Fangs you of the lie (though it does not reveal the truth). You also
transformed you may instead spend Momentum to absorb know the severity of the lie, and therefore can choose not to
the poison and inflict it via the bite attack. harm someone who is lying to preserve someone’s feelings
Rapid Regrowth: When you attend to a wounded as opposed to lying to obstruct a criminal investigation. If
target — including yourself — make a Knack Skill roll. With the target is another player’s character with whom you have
any successes, the target ignores any Injury complications Bond, the Bond lessens by 1 unless the character chooses to
(though this does not remove the injury) until the end of the reveal the truth.
scene. At the end of the scene, they roll Athletics or Integrity Petty Tyrant: While in your Lair, you may establish
(whichever is higher) + Stamina + your Healer Calling. They up to your Judge Calling in arbitrary rules, which you may
heal Injuries based on the number of successes achieved (so change or adjust at the start of any scene. Any Storyguide
4 would heal Maimed, 2 heals Injured, and so on). character who doesn’t follow your rules gains a +2
Violent Purification: When you suffer from a disease Complication of “Rulebreaker” to all actions while within
or poison, make a Knack Skill roll with a Difficulty equal to your domain, if a target refuses or is unable to buy off the
the remaining value of the Condition or Complication. If Complication, they are compelled to leave your Lair and
successful, the disease or poison is violently expelled from must do so immediately. If they cannot do so immediately,
your body in a hideous miasma. Anyone exposed to the they must make every effort to do so as swiftly as possible.
ejection from your body must roll to resist being poisoned or Other players’ characters are not required to obey your petty
diseased themselves.

JUDGE THAT OFFENDS ME!

Judge Knacks give you power over laws, rules, and the
truth. They are driven by the concepts of ordinance and Terror of the Guilty allows the player to
judgment. define something they find abhorrent, or
perhaps even offensive. Ideally, this should
Enforcer’s Eye: When observing a crowd or another be something moral or ethical, though players
group of characters (such as assembled personages at a can be expected to try to slip something past
party), you automatically identify anyone with a criminal the Storyguide that doesn’t fit the spirit of the
background. Gain +1 Enhancement to any actions taken to Knack.
either further pursue their criminal activities, or to bring The Storyguide has the final say in what is
them to justice. If the target is of a Tier higher than you or an acceptable objection and what isn’t, but
is concealing their identity via magic, make a Clash of Wills. we advise not allowing a player to get away
Lie Detector: Anyone of a Tier lower than you must with chasing antagonists out of a scene over
overcome Complication 2, “Under Scrutiny” when lying to something that’s far from morally reprehensible.
you; failure or inability to buy off this Complication results

142 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

edicts. This Knack applies even if you have tricked an enemy poise, or composure, and to keep a “poker face.” This also
into breaking your rules. applies before you roll.
Seat of Power: While in a place in which you hold Fearless Presence:
power (your lair or any other establishment or organization Prerequisite: Perfect Poise.
under your control, etc.) the atmosphere for dealing with
you can never be better or worse than neutral at your choice, As long as they can see you, your followers of lesser Tier
and any positive or negative atmosphere is increased or de- are fearless and do not panic or flee. They will walk into the
creased by 1 to the regular maximum or minimum of +/-3. Underworld, plunge into a Titanic monster’s mouth, or face
down a wrathful storm brewed up by a petulant god so long
Terror of the Guilty: Anyone guilty of a wrongdoing of as you lead them.
your choosing who is of lower Tier than you cannot bear to
be in your presence and will flee in panic and terror or break
down weeping and confessing. The wrongdoing must be
MYSTIC
Mystic Knacks grant you power to command knowledge
something abhorrent to your personal ethics and/or morali-
of The World and its magic. They are driven by the concepts
ty, or applicable to the laws of your place of origin. To apply
of understanding and knowledge.
this to anyone of the same Tier or higher, spend Momentum
and win a Clash of Wills. Joyous Revelation: Your draconic nature exults when
you succumb to the power of Memory. When you resolve the
RULER Revelation Condition and you assume your draconic form,
Ruler Knacks grant you the power to direct others and you may choose to gain Enhancement instead of additional
lead them fearlessly. They are driven by the concepts of au- dice when you spend Momentum. Enhancement gained this
thority and command. way applies before you roll.

Invulnerable Master: While leading followers loyal Linked to the Past: Your connection to draconic
to you (Storyguide characters gained through Birthrights memory runs deeper than others, allowing you to delve fur-
or roleplay, not bandmates), you can spend 1 Momentum to ther into the web of connection. You may gain 1 additional
shrug off a +1 Bruised injury or 2 Momentum to ignore a +2 Memory Condition, and may invoke one Memory Condition
Injured injury when they would be inflicted. twice per session. A second purchase of this Knack allows
you to make a Knack Skill roll — on any successes, one of
Invoke Anger: Target one enemy that you can see. your broodmates may also invoke one Memory Condition a
Make a Knack Skill roll, resisted by the target’s Integrity. On second time per session.
a success, invert the target’s attitude to a negative one. Once
the target has been enraged, you may spend Momentum to Omniglot Translation: When you converse in or read
drive the target to attack another character in the scene. a foreign language, your communication is flawless, without
a trace of an accent. You can turn out translations in your na-
Irrepressible Charisma: When you make a first im- tive language in a matter of minutes without needing to roll.
pression, roll your Knack Skill. On a success, the target re- If you are translating mystical runes or the handwriting of
members you favorably, improving the Attitude of everyone Gods, you still do so swiftly, but must make a Knack Skill roll.
you interact with for the first time by 1.
Presence of Magic: You always know when you are
Loyal Servant: When you dispatch a subordinate to de- near an object or place of true magical or sacred power. How
liver a message or speak as a proxy on your behalf, they rep- this manifests is up to you. Ask the Storyguide if an object is
resent you and your interests as if you were present. You au- magical or sacred, and she must tell you honestly “yes” or
tomatically know if the character you have sent in your stead “no.” This bypasses the need to make any kind of Occult roll
has been ignored, mistreated, or if someone has not-so-pro- to identify a place or object of magical or sacred power.
verbially shot the messenger. Gain +1 Enhancement to all
rolls to get vengeance for the slight until the end of the story Sage Counsel: When someone approaches you in need
or until you successfully get even, whichever comes first. of advice, they gain +1 Enhancement to resolve the problem
themselves if you work together on a solution. If they can’t
Pack Alpha: When you display superior might or your solve it, you gain the same bonus to all rolls to resolve the
impressive physique before a group of onlookers (of your Tier issue by yourself. These bonuses apply before rolls are made.
or lower), make a Knack Skill roll. On any success, they become Spend Momentum to impel a Storyguide Character to come
Pawns (as the Birthright) with a rating equal to your Ruler to seeking your counsel.
Calling at the time of acquisition. They remain loyal to you un-
til the end of the story and can be purchased at the equivalent Immortal Mastermind:
Birthright cost with experience when this effect wears off. Prerequisite: Sage Counsel.
Perfect Poise: You cannot be shaken by panic or fear When you make a plan of action and direct others to
unless it is from another supernatural source — in which follow, it grants them +1 Enhancement to all actions. Anyone
case, you gain +2 Enhancement to resist it (such as making who doesn’t follow your plan gains +1 Difficulty to all actions.
Clash of Wills rolls) that applies before you roll. You also Bandmates are not under any obligation to follow your every
gain +1 Enhancement to all Social rolls involving grace, word, but do gain the benefit if they opt to participate. When

Calling Knacks 143

dealing with an enemy, you are free to create a plan in order
to bait your opposition into suffering the Difficulty — just as PREDATOR
planned. Predator Knacks make you an unparalleled hunter, ca-
pable of stalking the most dangerous prey. They are driven
NOMAD by the concepts of stealth and killing.
Nomad Knacks grant you the power to travel vast dis- Apex Predator: When a target of lower Tier who you
tances with ease. They are driven by the concepts of journey- have been pursuing attacks you or otherwise attempts to
ing and navigation. hunt you in return, increase the Difficulty of all Stunts they
Ever Moving: When you move from place to place and apply against you by +1. Spend Momentum to increase it by
don’t stay in one location for more than a day, targets of less- an additional +1.
er Tier cannot follow your trail and cannot find any record of Blood in the Water: When you pursue, hunt, track, or
you: no receipts, no stray hairs or fibers, and so on. Enemies harm an already injured target, you add the value of their
of the same Tier or higher make a Clash of Wills in order to current Injury Condition as Enhancement to relevant rolls,
track you down. including attack rolls.
Friends Anywhere: When you arrive in any location, Implacable Killer: Pick a target that you are hunting.
you always have friends and allies you can rely on. You may As long as you hunt, stalk, ambush, or otherwise assault
spend Momentum in place of invoking a Path to declare a them indirectly, gain your choice of either Hard (1) Armor
Contact of your choosing (which does not need to be related or +2 Difficulty on the target’s use of the Inflict Damage or
to your Path) with a rating equal to your Nomad dots. Critical Hit Stunts. If you stand and fight your prey head-on
Internal Compass: You always know your precise di- and fairly, this effect immediately ends.
rection — whether that be navigating while on foot or driving Most Dangerous Prey: Choose an enemy. While you
a car, or working your way out of a petty God’s labyrinthine pursue them, gain +1 Enhancement to all rolls made against
prison. You do not ever have to roll to navigate somewhere, the target (including attack rolls) until the end of the session
or to find your way out of being lost. If you are entrapped in a or until you catch them, whichever comes first. You gain
magical maze, make a Clash of Wills with +2 Enhancement. access to the following Stunts, which may be applied to any
The Long Road to Anywhere: You make an extended attack action made against your quarry:
journey without stopping, but must rest upon arrival. When Stalk (1s): After resolving your attack, spend a success to
you arrive, you can ask hospitality of anyone of a lower Tier take an additional Move action.
than you, and if they refuse you have the option to make the
Entrap (any successes above Defense): You trap the tar-
target suffer +2 Difficulty to all actions until you choose to
get in place. They may not make Move, Rush, or Disengage
remove the penalty.
actions. To end the effect, the target must make Athletics
Cross the Distance: When you take a Move action, + Dexterity rolls vs. your Knack Skill until they succeed or
cross the distance instantly. This movement ignores hazard- until you choose to end it, whichever comes first.
ous and difficult terrain and crosses distance where there
Quenched with Blood: When an enemy is Taken Out
may not be a safe place to walk — such as across a chasm.
by you, spend Momentum and heal 1 Injury, starting with the
So long as you can see your destination and it is within a dis-
most severe. This does not heal any Injuries taken to Armor.
tance you can Move, you appear there unharmed. This may
only be used to augment the reflexive Move action, and does Perfect Camouflage: You blend in seamlessly with
not apply to Rush or Disengage. your surroundings, granting +3 Enhancement to avoid no-
tice by the person you are pursuing, which applies before
Traveling Companions: You can always find conflu-
you roll. Targets of a lower Tier simply cannot spot you. Gain
ences of fellow travelers. You’re always able to encounter
access to the following Stunt:
traveling bands, biker gangs, a bus full of dragon enthusiasts
at any point after your Nomad dots in days of travel. These Vanish (successes equal to the target’s Composure):
companions act as temporary Pawns with a rating equal to After resolving an attack, you vanish from the target’s line of
your Nomad rating which may be purchased as a Birthright sight. They may not target you with any action until the start
at the end of the story. of your next turn.
Unfettered: Obstacles cannot stop you, locks do not de- Send the Pack: Make a Knack Skill roll. On a success,
ter you, and a closed door is nothing but an invitation. When designate a target that you can see with unaided sight.
facing a mundane obstacle that would prevent you from Friendly characters you designate up to your Inheritance can
getting where you want to be, or is between you and your pursue them without ceasing and at no increased Difficulty.
goal (an item you intend to steal, a comrade in danger, etc)
you ignore it. You do not need to roll to bypass any obstacle, PRIMEVAL
pick locks, or get past a closed area. If the area is blocked The most esoteric of the Callings, Primeval Knacks
by supernatural means, you automatically make a Clash of allow you to inhabit an aspect of The World: the oceans, a
Wills, and add your Nomad dots as Enhancement. tsunami, a storm, etc. They are driven by the concepts of
embodiment and environment.

144 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

 A Dragon’s Territory: The Field you are fighting in
becomes your territory. When an enemy enters your terri-
tory, you have the option to make one attack against them, OBSERVATION
regardless of which range band they have entered and which
may not be boosted by any Knacks that allow you to make
Storypath avoids directly using any “notice”
rolls; however special abilities such as Watcher
extra attacks. You use this ability even if you have already Knacks call out a character observing an area.
taken your action this round and may do so no matter how Follow the guidelines for Analysis, Surveying,
many enemies enter your divine territory, but you may only (Scion: Origin, p. 74).
or Research steps (Scion:
make one attack per enemy.
If that does not suit the Storyguide’s needs,
Calling Wind and Flame: Make a Knack Skill roll. rolling Intellect or Cunning + Composure will
With any successes, you summon an environmental disaster do the trick instead.
relevant to your Primeval element: a windstorm, hurricane,
storm surge, wildfire, lighting strike, etc. This imposes a
Complication on the Field equal to your Primeval rating that
lasts for a scene.
WATCHER
Watcher Knacks give you incredible power of observa-
Consuming Embodiment: At the start of any turn, make tion, allowing you to keep a close eye on your enemies from
a Knack Skill roll. Your body dissolves, unfolding into a danger- any distance away. They are driven by the concepts of sur-
ous miasma of environmental danger as you fill the Field with veying and analysis.
your elemental form. This lasts for a number of turns equal to
the successes rolled. All characters taking actions while within Complete Privacy: When you pursue information,
your miasma suffer a Complication equal to your Primeval any interactions you take cannot be listened in on, your lips
dots, which inflicts a +1 Elemental Injury if not bought off. cannot be read, your phone can’t be tapped, etc. by use of
Spend Momentum to exempt friendly characters. While in mundane means. Add +2 Difficulty to attempts to tail you.
this form you may not make attacks or be the target of attacks. This protects only against covert attempts to invade your pri-
vacy and offers no protection against airport security going
Master of the World: While inside a Field, you may through your luggage or rivals breaking into your apartment.
define up to three points of Enhancements or Complications
(or a combination of each). These must appear where you can Eyes in the Blinds: Spend Momentum to invest a frac-
perceive them and must conform to the Features of the Field tion of your power into a small token (a coin, a figurine, dice,
— it makes sense for a shotgun to be behind the bar, but not a an arrowhead, etc.). Place this token anywhere in a Field
rocket launcher. The hardwood floors of a burning building you are aware of, and for as long as it remains in place you
could be expected to be weak, but the flames can’t be cold. Only have the power to observe the goings-on in the Field as if
three total Enhancements or Complications can be applied to you were present. This lasts for the duration of a day in-game
a Field at a time, regardless of how many Scions possess this time, or for a session of play, whichever comes first. You do
ability. Spend Momentum to add elemental Enhancements or not have to deliver the token yourself, and may send an ally
Complications, such as flooding an area with seawater. or animal companion to deliver it instead. If the token is
destroyed or otherwise removed from the Field, the effect
Messenger of the Infinite: You gain diplomatic im- ends. If an enemy knows to sniff out the token, they roll one
munity when dealing with supernatural creatures, Gods, of their applicable pools. The Difficulty to notice the token is
and/or other Dragons so long as you treat with them while equal to your Watcher Calling dots. If a supernatural ability
representing your elemental aspect or embodied principle. would automatically detect this observation, make a Clash
Creatures of lesser Tier must treat you well and with respect, of Wills.
while characters of the same or greater Tier may make a
Clash of Wills to resist. This immunity ends when you take Flawless Observer: During Procedural play, when you
hostile action against another character. look for clues using the Analysis, Surveying, or Research
approaches, add (Watcher/2, round up) Enhancement to
Purifying Force: Spend Momentum to cleanse a field apply any of the finding clues Stunts, or any other Procedural
of physical impurities: pollution, adulterants, invasive spe- Stunts you may have from Birthrights or Magic.
cies, etc. This might cleanse an area’s drinking water, remove
dangerous additives from a food supply, or expel choking Indisputable Analysis: You spend a moment observing
weeds to their native clime. This Knack may be used as a Feat the scene you wish to analyze, and then make a Knack Skill
of Scale if you are able to perform Primeval Feats of Scale. roll. You then apply the successes on this roll as Enhancement
to all rolls made to analyze and investigate the incident (for
Something from Nothing: Spend Momentum and the purposes of information gathering, etc.) for the rest of
spontaneously create a small amount of your chosen ele- the scene. These successes apply before you roll.
ment: a gust of wind, enough electricity to charge a phone,
enough light to fill a room, a torch-sized flame, a bucket of Keen-Eyed Watcher: When you enter a Field, you
water, or a basketball-sized stone, etc. For more ethereal extend your senses to determine what might await you. Ask
things, like light or electricity or air, the summoned material one question from the following list for free. You may roll
lasts for the duration of the scene. your Knack Skill and spend one success per additional ques-
tion. The Storyguide must answer these questions honestly:

Calling Knacks 145

 • What kinds of hazards (such as terrain) are present? HEALER
• Where is the nearest exit? Panacea: When you work to cure a disease or fight an
• Where is the safest way in? illness on a large Scale (curing an epidemic, stopping a God-
driven plague), you do so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you
• How many hostile enemies are present? to perform Healer Feats of Scale.
• Who (or what) is the biggest threat? JUDGE
Surveyor’s Watchful Eye: When surveying a person,
Iron-Fisted Rule: When you reshape laws or challenge
place, or thing, you do not need to rest or sleep, and any
the structure of society on a wide Scale (tearing down a God’s
attempts made to alter or interfere with the subject of your
hegemony, smashing the patriarchy), you do so as a Feat of
observation immediately provokes a Clash of Wills which
Scale. This allows you to perform Judge Feats of Scale.
automatically identifies the name and location of the inter-
loper. If they win the Clash of Wills, you know one or the MYSTIC
other, at your choice. Eternal Genius: When you unravel a mystery or tackle
Unobtrusive Visitor: When you would observe or a complex, scholarly problem on a massive Scale (untangling
infiltrate a location where you do not belong, spend a the secrets of quantum physics, solving a trickster God’s ci-
Momentum and blur the line between what is expected and pher), you do so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you to perform
unexpected. You take on the aspect of someone unassuming Mystic Feats of Scale.
and invisible: a janitor, gardener, housekeeper, etc. So long
as you collect information or remain an observer and do not
NOMAD
take hostile action, anyone in the same Field as you over- Nameless and Faceless: When you vanish from the
looks your presence. This lasts until you take violent action, minds of many or remove all traces of your passage on an
or until you leave the Field, whichever comes first. epic scale, you do so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you to
perform Nomad Feats of Scale.

DRAGON KNACKS PREDATOR

Relentless: When you pursue or hunt a target on a
D ragon Knacks fuel Dragons and Heirs’ true monstrous
nature. They grant characters access to their terrible
draconic forms, as well as the ability to perform Feats of
massive Scale or of great Size (chasing your target across
dimensions, hunting a mountain-sized Titanspawn), you do
Scale on par with any child of a God. so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you to perform Predator
Feats of Scale.
KNACKS OF SCALE PRIMEVAL
As long as an Heir has one of these Knacks of Scale pur- Force of Nature: When you affect aspects of The
chased and active, she may perform Feats of Scale as noted World on a massive or impossible scale (asking mountains to
on p. 121, through the invocation of her Calling keywords. step aside, rerouting the course of a river), you do so as a Feat
You can also use the personal focus of the Deed name as a of Scale. This allows you to perform Primeval Feats of Scale.
metric for determining the kinds of things she might be able
to do on a vast scale. This also determines what Skills are RULER
applicable, should a roll become a Feat of Scale. On My Command: When you command others or
COLLECTOR make demands on a huge Scale (commanding an army of
thousands, calling a whole city to your aid), you do so as a
Insatiable Collector: When claiming an object on a Feat of Scale. This allows you to perform Ruler Feats of Scale.
huge scale (purloining a forgotten ruin of a lost civilization,
stealing Relics from the Gods themselves), you do so as a Feat WATCHER
of Scale. This allows you to perform Collector Feats of Scale. Sight Unseen: When you observe something or some-
DESTROYER one or extend your perceptions on an impossible scale (gaz-
ing into the future, observing a distant star), you do so as a
Unstoppable Force: When fighting a massive force, Feat of Scale. This allows you to perform Watcher Feats of
such as a divine army arrayed against you, you do so as a Feat Scale.
of Scale. This allows you to perform Destroyer Feats of Scale.
GUARDIAN TRANSFORMATION KNACKS
Vigilant Dragon: When you protect a person, place, As an Heir slowly gains power, she becomes increasing-
or thing that can be measured with Scale (your draconic ly a monster of legend, and less the human being she used to
parent’s lair or hoard, keeping a watchful eye on a city all be. Like Calling Knacks, Transformation Knacks are reflex-
night), you do so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you to per- ive unless they state that they require activation. If a Knack
form Guardian Feats of Scale. requires activation, make a Knack Skill roll. On a success, the
effect goes off immediately. On a failure, the Knack becomes
a Basic Action which can be part of a Mixed Action.

146 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

 Dragon Knacks with a Transformation ability become
permanent effects, no longer occupying a Knack slot. Once
a Knack has been transformed, any Momentum cost it may
NEW TAG
have had no longer applies. If it has an activation roll, this no Elemental (1): This weapon deals elemental
longer needs to be made, though if it calls for an attack roll or damage, in addition to any other type of
any other Knack Skill roll, these still apply. Transformations damage tag it may have. This bypasses any
cost 10 Experience. Starting characters may not begin play armor type that does not have the appropriate
with any transformed Knacks. Resistant (Elemental) Tag.
Some Transformation Knacks can be purchased mul-
tiple times, conferring different benefits each time. Each
repurchase costs 5 Experience. This new purchase enhances TRANSFORMATION KNACKS
the existing Knack and does not take up another Knack slot. Bottomless Lungs: Your ability to hold your breath
If the Knack has a Transformation effect, it need only be transcends that of mere human ability. When you’re sub-
transformed once. merged in water, you may move, travel, observe, fight, etc.
A Transformation effect is permanent and obvious. underwater for a scene without needing to roll to determine
Though characters may be able to conceal some aspects how long you can hold your breath. If the time spent under-
behind mirrored sunglasses, hats, or heavy scarves, other water lasts longer than one scene (for example: a complex
things like multiple heads, leathery wings, or wicked talons action involving an investigation in a sunken ship) make a
are harder to hide. Whenever a Transformation creates a Knack Skill roll at the start of the scene. On any successes,
Complication, the group gains Momentum. the effect carries over. While thematically designed for
water, this Knack may also be used to bypass poison gas or
KNACK SKILLS deadly spores, or anything else where holding breath for
While Calling Knacks easily lend themselves to Knack an extended period of time would be a notable advantage.
Skills, Dragon Knacks have no direct association with a Transformation: The sound of your breathing carries a
particular skillset. Whenever a Dragon Knack calls for a strange echo or reverberation, notable even when you are at
Knack Skill, the player may choose any Asset skill provided rest.
by her Flight or Dragon-related Path that would be most
Brutal Might: Your draconic nature fills the power
appropriate.
of your muscles, allowing you to lift, throw, carry, or break
tremendous objects, creatures, or places. You can hurl a
car into the face of your enemy, smash through the side of

Dragon Knacks 147

a mountain, or carry a giant to safety. Gain +1 Scale when or Shift Attitude. Against targets of lower Tier or trivial
making lift, break, carry, or throw actions. Transformation: targets, you no longer need to make a roll to succeed when
Gain impressive and fearsome musculature, notable even using the chosen area. When you spend Momentum to add
under heavy clothing. dice to any rolls pertaining to your chosen area of influence,
Devastating Dragon’s Presence: The first time you you add two dice instead of one. This Knack may be pur-
enter a fight (typically when you roll initiative), make a chased a second time to add another area of influence, but
Knack Skill roll. For each success, designate one target you may not be purchased more than twice. Transformation:
can see to gain a Complication equal to your Inheritance di- Your appealing draconic feature — such as beautiful horns,
vided by 2 (round up). Whenever they make an attack action majestic antlers, a terrifying frill, appealing pheromones, or
targeting you without buying off the Complication, they are shifting, colorful scales — appears in your human form.
struck with fear and must target another character with the Eel’s Trickery: No bonds can hold you for long. When
attack. If there are no other characters present in the scene restrained or imprisoned make a Knack Skill roll. On any
to attack, they instead cannot spend Tension or choose the successes, you slip your bonds or slither your way free of
Inflict Damage stunt. Transformation: Develop a frighten- whatever has trapped you. Anyone attempting to grap-
ing and exaggerated feature: severe eyebrows, a penetrating ple you or control a grapple you’re a part of does so at +1
stare, a fearsome mane, etc. Difficulty. Transformation: Your skin becomes glistening
Dragon’s Breath: Spend Momentum to make a breath and slippery.
attack using any Knack Skill or Athletics (whichever is high- Elemental Immunity:
er). Your breath weapon has the following tags: Elemental Prerequisite: The Dragon’s Scales.
(Your choice), Lethal, Messy, Ranged (Short), Shockwave.
Transformation: Your chest or throat takes on a draconic Gain immunity to any Injuries specific to the Elemental
aspect, typically changing to a bright color, or becoming tag, and any other appropriate instances of element-related
scaly. hazards or harm. If you choose fire as your element, then
you do not suffer “Third Degree Burns” as an Injury; if you
Dragon Sight: When you use your senses to inves- choose water, you cannot drown, and so on. This does not
tigate, analyze, or research a topic or subject, you gain +1 protect you from the Lethal, Bashing, or Aggravated tags.
Enhancement to applicable rolls. This applies before the Transformation: You take on a permanent aspect of your
roll. When purchasing this Knack the first time, choose a chosen element: unnaturally red hair for fire, white irises for
benefit. These benefits can be purchased multiple times. air, bluish skin for water, etc. at your choosing.
Transformation: Your iris and pupils change to reflect the
nature of your altered sense. Yellow irises and slitted pupils Fade Away: When you hold still or rest, so long as
are common traits. you do not take aggressive physical action (such as combat
movement actions, or making attacks) you disappear from
• Pit Viper’s Sense: Gain the capacity to sense the sight, vanishing entirely — such to the point that not even
body heat of any character or creature present in the touching you reveals your location. You become invisible to
Field. This Knack’s Enhancement applies when you anything of lower Tier. Anyone of the same Tier or higher
use your sense to track a target’s body heat. must make a Clash of Wills to notice you. Taking physical
• Dragon-Sage’s Sense: You identify the presence actions ends this effect. Transformation: A major part of
of magic using your senses (typically sight). Any your body shifts colors subconsciously.
activation of overt magic (such as spending or im- Great Slithering Bulk: You shift your form into an
buing Legend or Inheritance) becomes apparent elongated, snakelike shape. This Knack requires activation
to you, even if the effect is subtle. This Knack’s at the start of the scene. Outside of a combat sequence, no ef-
Enhancement applies to any rolls to analyze or fect can knock the character down; not even the most violent
identify magical items, creatures, or people. If the earthquake. In combat, you are immune to the effects of the
target is concealing its magical nature, make a Clash Knockdown/Trip Stunt. Spend Momentum to treat yourself
of Wills. as +1 Size greater for the purposes of carrying or dragging
• Horizon Sense: You are able to observe a target huge items or initiating a grapple against a larger target.
at incredible distances, provided you have an un- Transformation: The lower half of your body transforms
blocked line of sight. You gain the following Stunt to into a powerful serpentine tail.
any observation-related rolls: Gripping Coils: When grappling a target, a portion
Enhance! (1s): You “zoom” into the target, allowing you of your body lengthens into a grasping, scaled coil. Spend
to perceive sight-based details as though you were at Close Momentum. This Knack allows you to drag a grappled target
Range. along with you for one Movement action without a resis-
Draconic Majesty: Your draconic appearance draws tance roll. If you are the subject of a grapple, you may also
the eye and pleases the senses, making others more suscepti- spend Momentum to gain immunity to the Pin, Position, or
ble to your influence. When you purchase this Knack, choose Takedown Stunts. Transformation: A major part of your
an area of influence: Encourage Behavior, Encourage Belief, body (torso, arm, leg, neck, etc.) elongates and takes on a
scaly texture.

148 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

 Great Form of the Dragon: Versatile tags. Spend Momentum to also add the Elemental
Prerequisite: Inheritance 2. tag, if that suits your Dragon type. Transformation: Your
hands or feet permanently shift into dangerous claws or
Your proficiency over your draconic form tran- talons.
scends that of the average Heir. Reduce the severity of the
Complication for lacking aspects of your form to (4 – num- Snapping Hydra’s Form: This Knack requires activa-
ber of Knacks Transformed). Great Form of the Dragon can- tion at the start of the scene. You grow one or more addition-
not be transformed until Inheritance 5, at which point the al heads, which typically have a draconic or reptilian form.
character physically achieves her true dragon form and must Snapping Hydra’s Form conveys one of the following ben-
rely on other magic in order to retain anything resembling a efits at the time of purchase. This Knack may be purchased
human shape. multiple times. Transformation: You permanently grow
the additional heads.
Massive Beast Shape: You grow to impressive size, be-
coming capable of tremendous feats of strength and stamina. • Two Heads are Better: Gain +2 Enhancement for
Spend Momentum. This Knack requires activation at the mental or perceptive tasks where having additional
start of the scene. Gain +1 size Scale where a huge form would heads would help (such as detecting ambushes or
be beneficial. This Knack may be purchased more than once, reading several books at once).
to a maximum of +2. Transformation: Permanently gain the • Vicious Biting Assault: Attacks that have the
size Scale boost from this Knack. Natural tag made with the additional head(s) gain
Modest Human Guise: This Knack requires activation the Shockwave tag.
at the start of the scene. For the duration of the scene, sup- Skink’s Regrowth: You’re capable of recovering
press all transformed Knacks and return to your ordinary from even the most serious of injuries. In a fight, spend
human form. Anyone seeking out magical creatures suffers a Momentum to clear one Injury Condition beginning with
+1 Difficulty to notice you while this Knack is active. Modest the most severe and regardless of what the Injury might be —
Human Guise cannot be Transformed. including recovering lost limbs. Outside of a fight, as long as
Poison Blood: Deadly poison courses in your veins, this Knack is active or transformed, you recover 1 additional
commingling with your blood. Once per scene, when you Injury on top of any others normally regained from any heal-
would take an Injury that would cause bleeding, you may ing. Transformation: Your skin on a major body part (limb,
immediately inflict the Poisoned Condition on the attacker torso, etc.) takes on a glistening or smooth texture, notably
with a rating equal to the number of successes over your unusual and inhuman.
Defense. Transformation: Your veins take on an unusual Sweeping Tail: You grow a huge, heavy tail. This
hue beneath your skin: black, lime green, violet, etc. Knack requires activation at the start of the scene. You
Power-Tasting Bite: Once per fight, when you inflict an may make attacks with the tail using either Close Combat
Injury, you may also devour one of the target’s Flairs. Until or Athletics, whichever is higher. The tail has the following
the end of the fight, the target no longer has access to the Flair, tags: Bashing, Melee, Natural, and Pushing. Manifesting your
and you may use it as if it was one of your Knacks. Where a tail increases the Difficulty of applying the Knockdown or
Flair would cost Tension, you spend Momentum instead. If Knockback Stunts by +1. Add +1 Enhancement to all rolls in-
the Flair summons other characters, these characters appear volving movement powered by your tail (such as swimming).
as temporary Pawns relevant to your Flight. This may not be Transformation: Permanently grow your tail.
used on members of your Brood. Transformation: Develop The Dragon’s Fangs: Your bite attack becomes deadly,
a permanent hungry look or a predatory, too-wide smile, etc. capable of inflicting serious harm. This Knack requires ac-
Powerful Swimmer: Your body remembers being a tivation at the start of the scene. Bite attacks you make gain
creature of deep oceans, and you move through water as the Lethal, Natural, and Piercing tags. You may purchase this
easily as air. Whenever you make movement actions through Knack a second time to gain a venomous bite, which grants
water, including combat movement actions, you ignore the Envenomed Stunt. Transformation: You permanently
any increase in Difficulty or Complications as a result of grow deadly fangs.
swimming. When you spend Momentum to add dice to any Envenomed (any successes over Defense): The target
rolls pertaining to actions performed underwater, you add gains the Poisoned Condition equal the number of successes
two dice instead of one. While thematically designed for spent on this Stunt.
water, this Knack may also be used to swim through mud,
The Dragon’s Scales: You transform your skin into
swampland, quicksand, rapidly thickening concrete, or any
hardened scales, turning away lethal blows. This Knack re-
other viscous material. Transformation: Your hands, feet
quires activation at the start of the scene. Gain Hard (1) armor
(elbows, knees, etc.) grow webbing or transform into fins.
for the duration of the scene. If the character was already
Rending Claws: Your hands (or feet) transform into wearing armor with the Hard tag, this becomes Hard (3)
wicked talons, capable of shredding flesh and inflicting griev- instead. Spend Momentum to add the Resistant (Elemental)
ous wounds. This Knack requires activation at the start of the tag to your scales if appropriate. Transformation: One
scene. Your unarmed attacks gain the Lethal, Natural, and

Dragon Knacks 149

significant part of your body (an entire limb, face, torso, etc.) Much Dragon Magic directly affects the Dragon using it, and
becomes scaly and obviously inhuman. only indirectly affects others, but Dragons can capably bless
The Soaring Dragon: You grow wings. This Knack re- their allies or destroy their foes.
quires activation at the start of the scene. While the Soaring Some Dragon Magic Spells stack with one another, and
Dragon is active, you may make Move, Rush, and Disengage the Dragon must learn them in order. The reason for this ad-
actions vertically as well as horizontally, which allows you dition is that some Spells for a single type of Dragon Magic
to avoid difficult or hazardous terrain. Outside of combat, represents increasing skill and power with using particular
spend a Momentum to travel long distances via the air. This abilities innate to Dragons.
takes as much time as would be narratively appropriate. Dragon Magic is divided into a range of Magics and
Transformation: You permanently grow your chosen mode Spells, each of which represents one particular aspect of
of flight. draconic physical or magical prowess. All Dragons do not
Through the Cracks: You can fit your body (no mat- possess all Magics. Different Dragons possess knowledge
ter your current Size) into any space that your head can of an affinity with different mystical elements, or an under-
also fit into. While slithering through cramped and tiny standing of magical forces like luck or transformation. In
spaces, you can only make reflexive Move actions. Spend addition, each Flight possesses its own special Dragon Magic
Momentum to make other movement actions such as Rush. that is uniquely its own.
Transformation: At random intervals, your joints bend in
rubbery, unusual directions. INHERITANCE COSTS
Tunneling Wyrm: You grow claws meant for breaking Heirs use Inheritance points to activate their Dragon
and turning earth, allowing you to burrow into the ground. Magic and associated Spells. Most Spells require you to tem-
When you make a Movement action, you may do so under- porarily Imbue points of Inheritance. The effects of these
ground (provided the Field allows for such, and the ground Spells last until the Heir reclaims her Inheritance or until
is of a material you can break), allowing you to avoid ob- the power naturally ends. Whenever the Spell’s effect ends,
stacles and hazardous or severe terrain. You may travel via because of the natural time limit, or because the Heir ended
tunneling at your running speed. A second purchase of this it early, the imbued Inheritance is returned to her. A few
Knack grants the Sinkhole Stunt to Close Combat attacks. especially potent Dragon Magic Spells require you to spend
Transformation: Your hands change into powerful digging Inheritance points from your pool to use. These don’t return
claws. when the power ends, and must be recovered in other ways
(see p. 118).
Sinkhole (any successes over Defense): The target gains
a Complication equal to the number of successes spent on
this stunt. Whenever they make Movement actions without
MAGICS
buying off the Complication, you may move them 1 Range Dragons Magics each bestow a variety of abilities to the
Band in any direction after they complete the movement. Heir who knows them. These individual abilities are called
Spells, and always require the Heir to cast them by taking
Venom Spit: You jet poison from your mouth, either an action. When a character gains access to a new Dragon
from glands, sacs, or the ends of your fangs. Make a Knack Magic, she gains a single Spell from the list. Any time a
Skill or Athletics roll with the tags: Arcing, Lethal, Ranged character would be able to learn a new Spell through an
(Short) which also grants the Envenomed Stunt (p. 149). Inheritance increase, she can choose to learn a Spell from
Transformation: A major body part becomes brightly col- any Dragon Magic she has access to.
ored and marked with black bands or spots.
Spells are listed after each Magic type and include the
Seizing Jaws: When you make a grapple attempt, you following information:
may do so with your mouth, clamping down on your oppo-
nent with primal strength. This allows you to make Mixed • Cost: Spells often have a cost associated with them,
Actions while controlling a grapple or while being grappled, either by imbuing or spending Inheritance.
as both your hands remain free. Transformation: Grow • Duration: Spells may last for a single turn or until
a wide, narrow-lipped mouth or beak, like a turtle’s or a imbued Inheritance is reclaimed. The default dura-
snake’s. tion for most Spells is one scene.

DRAGON MAGIC • Subject: Most Spells target the user, but some target
one or more other characters or even environments.
If the Spell targets someone other than the Heir, the
I n addition to Birthrights and Knacks, Dragons possess a
series of powerful innate magical abilities by virtue of the
fact that they are huge, exceedingly ancient, and profoundly
Spell will list it.
INCANTATIONS
magical reptiles. Just as Gods and Scions possess Purviews, Spells require the Heir to do something to invoke the
Dragons and Heirs possess Dragon Magic. Dragon Magic Magic she is calling forth. She might need to ask the ele-
includes everything from their ability to control one or more ments to do her bidding, or touch a small totem, or plunge
elements, or to master the mysteries of luck or transformation. her hand into icy cold water. Whatever her incantation is,

150 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

she is always prepared to do it. Using a Spell is a Simple ac- Your words carry a magical effect, bolstering people and
tion which cannot be performed as part of a Mixed action. creatures under your command. All people who you com-
The need to concentrate on the incantation is too strong. mand (through Birthrights or Paths) and all animals with a
If something, such as an Injury Condition or being positive Attitude toward you within Medium range gain +1
bound and gagged, prevents the Heir from performing her Scale on all actions made in accordance to you wishes. If all
normal preferred incantation, she can use any other incanta- your targets are trivial, this Spell requires you to only imbue
tion preferred by her Flight. If she is unable to perform any an Inheritance instead of spending.
of those incantations, she is unable to cast her Spell. MENTAL COMMAND
• Draq: Destroy an object, light a fire, perform an act Prerequisite: Master of Beasts
of violence
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
• Joka: Consume something, be it food, drink, or
Subject: Multiple targets
knowledge
You can compel any number of trivial targets and ani-
• Lindwurm: Curse an enemy, roar, touch gold or mals within Medium range to act in a specific way. You give a
jewels single command, and as long as they are able to complete it,
• Lóng: Chant, Plunge hand into water, write they do so. Your targets do not take actions that directly en-
danger their lives, but will attack a superior foe or take risks
• Naga: Dancing, meditation, prayer
to complete the task. You cannot give different commands
• Serpent: Destroy a piece of modern technology, to different targets. If an animal is a Legendary Creature, it
plunge hand into soil, touch a plant provokes a Clash of Wills.

ANIMAL CONTROL MERGE WITH BEAST

Your magic gives you a primal connection to all living Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
things. You have a special connection with the animals of the Duration: Indefinite
world, but you are not limited to mere beasts in your mastery
Subject: One non-legendary creature
of control.
You can temporarily possess and control a single animal.
FRIEND OF BEASTS This animal must be in Short range when you initially use
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance this Spell, but until you reclaim your Inheritance, it allows
you to mentally control and access the senses of this animal,
Duration: One day
regardless of range.
Subject: One animal
You can use the animals’ senses to experience the world,
You share a connection with an animal that rivals that dictate their actions, and even use your Spells and Knacks
of your connections with humans. You can form a tempo- through them. The animal remains aware of what’s going
rary Bond with an animal, as though it were a person. Any on, and can communicate mentally with you. You retain
successes not spent when the Bond fades are converted to consciousness and control of your body while possessing
positive Attitude from the animal to you. an animal, and can take actions through either body, even
MASTER OF BEASTS simultaneously. However, all such attempts always count as
mixed actions.
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite DECAY
You can speak to and understand all animals. Animals You can summon entropic forces to bring death, anni-
that don’t have a Legend or Inheritance rating treat their hilation, and decay. You can corrupt and destroy nearly any-
Attitude toward you as one point higher when determining thing, leaving devastation in your wake. Your magic erodes
whether you can persuade them to take on a task. Unless not only objects, but people, bonds, and relationships.
specified, this bonus does not stack with other magical ACCELERATED DECAY
Attitude bonuses. Once you reclaim the Inheritance from
this Spell, your animal helpers will still try to complete your Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
requests, but may become distractible or less reliable, at the Duration: Instant
Storyguide’s discretion. Subject: A single object
MASTER’S SONG You can destroy an inanimate object up to your size
Prerequisite: Friend of Beasts Scale +1. It rusts, rots, or decays to uselessness, or for partic-
ularly perishable objects, into dust or rot, in less than a min-
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
ute becoming useless. This Spell does not work on magical
Subject: Multiple animals items, but affects everything else, from clothing or food, to
handguns or automobiles.

Dragon Magic 151

FRAYED UNTOUCHABLE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance or Spend 1 Inheritance Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant For the rest of the scene, you become immune to all poi-
Subject: One target sons and diseases, including those that are magical in nature.
If someone would inflict a magical poison or disease on you,
Your magic corrodes the relationships that tie people gain a +3 Enhancement to your Clash of Wills. Additionally,
together. When you cast this spell, you change your tar- if you activate this Spell while suffering from a poison or
get’s Attitude toward a single person switches to negative. disease, the Condition resolves immediately, even those that
If the Attitude was already negative, it shifts down by 2. If are magical in nature.
you spend an Inheritance when activating this Spell, then
immediately destroy a single bond your target has with ELEMENTAL
that person. The Bond’s strength drops to 0, no matter how
strong it was. Non-trivial characters gain a Clash of Wills. On
MANIPULATION (AIR)
a success, the Bond simply erodes by 1. Mighty winds are yours to command. You can cause
winds to blow or to cease blowing and can even summon
TOXIC CORRUPTION powerful highly focused winds capable of moving people
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance or None and relatively large objects.
Duration: Condition BREATH OF LIFE
Subject: One range band Cost: Free
You create a wave of noxious gas which sickens and Duration: Indefinite
weakens your opponents. Make a ranged attack using
You can normally breathe in any circumstances, regard-
Athletics or Survival against all targets within a single
less of the presence of safe air. You are immune to all dam-
Range Band up to Long Range. You may inflict the Poisoned
age or Conditions caused by smoke, bad air, or toxic gases
Condition (Scion: Origin p. 125) on anyone whom you inflict
that are not part of a supernatural attack. In addition, you
an Injury Condition. You can choose the effect at the time of
can breathe normally underwater, or even in the vacuum of
inflicting the poison, such as doing damage, causing paraly-
space. Also, if you imbue a point of Inheritance, you can cast
sis, or any similar effect.
this spell on any single individual within one range band.
You can also use this Spell to poison food or water or to
kill all plants or small animals within Medium range. Doing SKYWARD GALE
so is free. You simply stare at or walk by a garden and watch Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
it shrivel and die. Used in this fashion, ground remains Duration: One round
infertile for several months unless physically or magically
cleansed or purified. Subject: One Range Band
You can create a powerful updraft that can either lift tar-
TOTAL ANNIHILATION gets into the air, or support them during a fall, so they suffer
Prerequisite: Accelerated Decay no harm, regardless of the distance they fall. This Spell can
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance lift any object no larger than a normal sized person that is
within a single Range Band up to Long range away from you.
Subject: One Field
Once the lift ends, the target falls to the earth and suffers an
You fill the Field with a decaying force. Impose the appropriate –2 Injury Condition. Alternately, you can use
Entropy Field Condition with a rating equal to one third your these winds to cushion falls, permitting one or more targets
Inheritance (round up) on a single Field. Inanimate objects no larger than a normal person that are within Close range
age at a rapid rate, breaking down, rusting, and wearing out. of one another to fall any distance and land without harm.
Animate objects creak to a halt or break as their moving parts
wear out. Characters in the Field must make a resistance WIND BLAST
roll each round using Medicine or Survival + Stamina and Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
overcome the Field’s rating as Difficulty. Those who fail the You shape an ephemeral weapon out of pure air. The
roll gain the Withered Condition. Anyone with the Withered weapon has the Ranged (Short), Pushing, and Shockwave
Condition suffers +1 Difficulty to perform complex or mixed tags. The weapon’s shockwave effect applies to uses of the
actions involving physical activity. Additionally, attempts to Shove and Knockdown Stunts, and applies to the knock
heal wounds or resolve Conditions suffer a +1 Difficulty on down effect of the Pushing Tag. You cannot use this ability
the affected person. Each round the affected person remains against targets with greater size Scale than you.
in the Entropy Field, this Condition’s rating increases by +1
to a maximum of +5. The Condition resolves when the char- Also, you can use these wind attacks for narrative effects
acter receives medical care and the healer overcomes the like ripping cloth, blowing shingles off a roof, tipping over
Condition’s rating with a Medicine + Intellect or Dexterity furniture, or turning an orderly desk into a scattered mass of
roll, or the person receives magical healing. shredded paper.

152 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

WIND OF WINGS ELEMENTAL
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
MANIPULATION (EARTH)
Subject: A single Range Band You understand the nature and secret language of
You can buffet an area with wind. Select a Range Band elemental earth, and all The World’s stone, metal, clay, and
no further than Medium range away. That Range Band earth are yours to command. You can create structures made
becomes difficult terrain with a +2 Complication to move- of earth, or breach walls made from stone, metal, or concrete
ment due to buffeting winds. If not bought off, the char- with a gesture.
acter is subject to the Shove or Knock Down Stunts, your
choice. The force of the wind you create blows leaves, sand,
ADAMANT BONDS
ash, and similar light materials around and can obscure Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
visibility in the right location. However, this wind can also Duration: Indefinite
improve visibility by blowing away smoke or fog, but causes
You can imbue any one of your existing Bonds with the
any fire in the area to spread rapidly.
durability of solid rock. When you cast this Spell, increase
WORDS ON THE WIND the value of the chosen Bond by half your Inheritance (round
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance up). This Spell ends when you reclaim your Inheritance.

Subject: One target ANIMATE EARTH

You can command the winds to carry words spoken by Prerequisite: Command the Solid Earth
any single voice that you have previously heard. This Spell Cost: Imbue or spend 1 Inheritance
automatically fails if used on a subject in a sealed environ-
Subject: Earth within Medium range
ment like an airplane, a submarine, or a closed vault, or in
an Otherworld, unless you are in the same Otherworld. By imbuing 1 point of Inheritance, you can animate the
Otherwise, for the next scene you can hear whatever the earth itself, causing dirt, stone, metal, or mixtures of all three
subject is saying. However, you cannot hear what anyone to become a human or Dragon-shaped creature that is utter-
says around them, the winds only provide you with one ly mindless and entirely under your control. This creature
voice each time you cast this Spell. counts as a Professional Archetype (Scion: Origin, p. 145),
and it excels at lifting, moving, and throwing heavy objects.
Animated constructs all possess the Heavily Armored
and Natural Weapon Qualities, and gain the Subterranean

Dragon Magic 153

Movement and Sure-Footed Quality when they are walking By harnessing your innate draconic power and your
on the ground. terrible roar, you can shape and rend earthen materials
Creatures you create using this Spell can walk, run, around you. You can rend and tear the area, leaving yawning
climb, burrow, or swim, but cannot fly or even jump. You can pits or devastating shards creating difficult terrain with a + 3
give the creature simple, obvious directions, like telling it to Complication to movement. If someone does not buy off this
attack someone you indicate. If you do this, you can also act Complication, you may choose one of the following options:
normally, but you must take an action to tell the creature to Deal an Injury Condition, knock them prone or into a pit, or
change what it is doing. Alternately, you can effectively pos- slow their movement by half. If a character falls into a hole,
sess this creature, using its senses and controlling its body as they must spend a Simple action as their movement to get
if it was your own. In this case, you can use your Knacks and out.
Dragon Magic through it. However, you cannot act yourself Conversely, you can smooth out the roughest terrain,
unless you either perform a mixed action or spend one or remove natural obstacles, or crush stone to dust. You can
more actions not controlling the creature, which will stand remove up to + 3 Complication from the Field that originate
motionless unless given simple instructions. from uneven or unstable earth, holes or pits, or metal shards.
If you instead spend 1 Inheritance, you can create a You may also destroy natural or worked stone barriers, metal
number of animate earth creatures equal to your maximum encasements, or anything else that comes from the natural
Inheritance. However, all of these creatures must act togeth- earth. This Spell does not work on concrete, plastic, or syn-
er, you cannot direct them separately. Regardless of how thetic materials.
many such creatures you animate or how you use them, all
creatures made using this Spell are obviously made of dirt,
ELEMENTAL
rock, concrete, or metal, and cannot disguise themselves as MANIPULATION (FIRE)
any sort of living being. You can bend the element of fire to your command,
ARMOR OF EARTH creating and destroying this element at a whim. You can
transform it into your weapon, direct it to avoid harming you
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance or your fellows, and control its destructive and restorative
As long as you are standing on the ground (the bottom forces.
floor of a building counts) or an earthen surface, you can also
use this Spell to cause the earth to surround you, making you
ASHES TO ASHES
appear to be an animate creature of Earth. Doing this pro- Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
vides you with 1 point of Soft Armor, 2 points of Hard Armor, Duration: Instant
and +1 Enhancement on all Might and Stamina rolls. This
Subject: One target
Spell also increases your size Scale by 1 and all of your Close
Combat attacks gain the Pushing and Reach tags. You have gained precise control over the process of
burning. You may make an attack on a living or inanimate
COMMAND THE SOLID EARTH non-living target, with the Piercing, Ranged (Short), and
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance Aggravated tags. A successful attack on a trivial or non-living
Duration: Indefinite target grants access to the following Stunt:

Subject: Earth within Long range Incinerate (Successes equal to the target’s Stamina or
Durability): The target is burned so completely that it is
You can alter the earth, metal, and stone around you in reduced to nothing but ash.
complex ways. You can either cause a building or other struc-
ture that’s within Long range to topple in whatever direction Conversely, you may use this Spell to restore a burned
you desire, or turn the local earth, metal, and stone into walls, object to its previously unburned state. However, this Spell
ramps, ditches, or even simple buildings or statues. As long does not fix damage from other causes — if a table was
as you concentrate, you may reshape and make your result burned and then crushed (or the reverse), use of this Spell
appear more finished. You cannot do this as a Mixed Action leaves you with an unburned, but still crushed table. This
with other actions. Once you finish, the manipulating the does allow you to remove any Injury Conditions caused by
Earth, the spell ends, and you can reclaim your Inheritance. a fire attack, though it cannot restore life to the dead, but it
The effects of your changes are permanent. You can use this will turn a charred corpse into an unburned one.
Spell multiple times to create vast cave complexes or huge EMBER SKIN
towers suitable for even the most demanding Dragon to live
Cost: None
in.
Duration: One scene
EARTH ROAR
You cannot take damage or suffer any form of harm
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance from fire, heat, or smoke inhalation. You can walk through
Subject: One Field wildfires or industrial microwaves unharmed, swim in
magma for as long as you can hold your breath, and perform

154 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

similar feats of fireproof heroism. Extreme cold is likewise COOL DOWN
harmless to you. Everything you wear is also immune to fire,
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
and you possess the ability to create or douse small flames
within Close range at will. You can light or put out a can- Subject: A single target within Medium range
dle or a cigarette with a glance. Finally, you can sense the You temporarily imbue someone the positive nature
direction, location, and approximate size of any fire within of cold. In addition to remaining comfortable in the hottest
Extreme Range. weather, this person also ignores Bruised and Injured Injury
FIERY AWE Conditions as the cold eliminates their pain. Also, for the
duration of this Spell, the subject is incapable of feeling an-
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
ger, hatred, or rage and any magical or mundane attempts to
You can channel all of the terror and grandeur of a cause them to feel any of these emotions.
vast fire into yourself. While your appearance remains un-
changed, everyone interacting with you can feel your power.
FLASH FREEZE
You gain an Enhancement to intimidation actions equal to Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
one half your Inheritance (round up). Duration: Condition
FIRE MASTERY Subject: Multiple targets
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance You cause an instant temperature drop causing a wave
Subject: One fire of cold to fill the area. Within Short range, inanimate objects
caught in the freezing blast are frozen in place and cannot
Fire listens to your command, allowing you to stoke
move. Trivial targets are similarly frozen in place by the
or dim them on a whim. When you first use this Spell, you
cold. Anyone of your Tier or higher gains a Clash of Wills.
create a fire in a single Range Band within Long range or
All affected targets gain the Chilled Condition. While under
increase an already existing fire’s size and intensity causing
the effects of this Condition, the character makes all physi-
it to spread. Alternately, you can put out a fire the size of a
cal and mental actions at +2 Difficulty. This Condition ends
campfire within Long range, or stop the spread of a particu-
when the person leaves the area of the cold, or until you
larly large conflagration.
reclaim your Inheritance.
For the duration of the scene, you can control how the
fire spread (either speeding it up, or slowing it down) with
ICE SCULPTING
a Reflexive action. You can even make a fire you previous Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
put out spring back to life, or put out a fire you started. You Subject: One target of up to Scale size 2
cannot control where this fire goes, or move the fire.
You can create and shape ice into magnificent works of
FIRE SHAPING art. When you activate this Spell, you can either mold and
Prerequisite: Fire Mastery shape existing ice or snow, or conjure a sizeable amount to
work with. You create exceedingly realistic and detailed ice
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
sculptures, which wow those who see them. Anyone who
Subject: One fire sees your sculpture raises their Attitude toward you by +1.
You can shape any fire and bend it to your will. You You sculpted ice does not melt for the duration of this Spell,
can clear a safe path through a burning building or move a but melts normally when the effect ends.
fire to a different location. You can also cause a fire to strike You can also use this Spell to perform a variety of nar-
out at targets within Medium range. You can make these at- rative effects, like blocking off a hallway with a wall of ice,
tacks using Athletics, and they have the Arcing, Aggravated, freezing a door shut, making a sturdy bridge, creating cover,
Ranged, and Pushing tags. If the fire is small, such as a torch, or transforming an area into difficult or dangerous terrain.
you can use it to attack a single target. If the fire is the size of
a campfire you can use it to attack one target and everyone
RIME
within Close range of your target, and if the fire is size of a Cost: None or Imbue 1 Inheritance
bonfire or larger, your attack gains the Shockwave tag. You cannot take damage or suffer any form of harm
from extreme cold and can comfortably swim nude in arctic
ELEMENTAL water or safely bob for frozen apples in a vat of liquid nitro-
MANIPULATION (FROST) gen. Extreme heat is likewise harmless to you. Also, you pos-
You have learned the powerful songs of ice. This knowl- sess the ability to chill small inanimate objects within Close
edge grants you the ability to control cold. In addition to range at will, and can cool or even freeze a glass of liquid
finding exceptionally cold environments comfortable, you or simply make the air around you significantly colder than
can create blistering cold and shape ice and snow and direct the surrounding environment, providing you with portable
its power to aid or harm others. climate control.
You can imbue an Inheritance to radiate an aura of icy
cold for the scene. This cold imposes a + 2 Complication to

Dragon Magic 155

anyone who strikes you from Close Range. If the attacker fails cast this spell, pick a target and gain control over the flow
to buy off the Complication, they take an Injury Condition of the water within. You can cause pipes to swell and burst,
from the cold. water to flood out of faucets, and running water to stop
immediately. You can also cause blood vessels to rupture,
SEARING COLD dehydrate a victim as they sweat water out, or take control of
Prerequisite: Flash Freeze a person’s muscles and make them move.
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance When used on a person this Spell is a simple action that
Duration: Instant resolves immediately. You can choose to either force the tar-
get to take a single Move action, dictated by you or Inflict an
Subject: All enemies in one range band
Injury Condition as though you purchased the Inflict Injury
You can drain away the heat of the world, icing over Stunt on an attack. Non-trivial targets gain a Clash of Wills.
landscapes and freezing enemies from the inside out. Make When used on an inanimate object or source of water, you
a ranged attack on single Range Band within Long range of gain control over its flow for the rest of the scene or until you
you. The attack has the Piercing tag and either the Bashing regain your Inheritance. Narratively, this Spell could be used
or Lethal tag (your choice). Within the Range Band, water for causing distractions, flooding an indoor area, or gaining
freezes over, covering the area in a slick rime, making it dif- access to water in an otherwise inaccessible place.
ficult terrain in which all movement actions are made at a +2
Difficulty. OCEANIC MAJESTY
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
ELEMENTAL Subject: A body of water
MANIPULATION (WATER) You exert your will over water, controlling the tides or
You understand the mystical nature of water and can currents that move through it. You can calm all water out to
command it to do your bidding. Tides rise and fall at your Long Range, making it still and placid even in the face of a
pleasure and you can also learn magics that allow you to hurricane, or change the direction that currents flow in, let-
dwell underwater as easily as on land and to extend your ting you temporarily reverse the direction of a river or cause
perceptions throughout a body of water. a riptide to drag lost swimmers back to shore. Reclaiming the
Inheritance imbued in this Spell causes the water to revert
FLASH FLOOD to its natural behavior.
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
As a Simple action, you can call up a great wave to crash
Subject: One Field down on your foes in a single Range Band up to Long range.
You call water from the sky and the earth to fill a single This attack has the Bashing, Pushing, and Shockwave tags.
Field with rushing waters. Anyone caught in the water must
take a move action with + 2 Complication to remain in place,
VISION OF THE DISTANT SHORE
and other types of movement have a + 3 Complication. Failure Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
to buy off this Complication results in the character being If you immerse yourself in any body of water smaller
swept out of the Field by the rushing waters. Characters in than an ocean, you can see the shores or banks, regardless
the Field cannot make Rush actions, and vehicles do not op- of how far they are from you. You can either use this Spell to
erate unless designed for water transportation. observe a particular location along the shore or bank, and see
This water gets into everything, shorting out elec- and hear everything occurring there as well as if you were
tronics, damaging fragile items, waterlogging firearms, and observing it in person, or you can observe large regions,
dousing fires. perhaps including the entire shore. Used in this fashion,
you can only observe large or dramatic events, like disasters,
You can also use this Spell in reverse, sending water
large-scale mobilizations of soldiers, or riots. If you see such
deep into the earth or evaporating into the air. Doing this
an event, you can then focus in on it and observe it in more
can turn difficult terrain into ordinary terrain, and instantly
detail. However, you can only observe a single location in
dries people and equipment, restoring fragile water-dam-
detail each time you use this Spell.
aged items to their pristine dry state.
WATER MASTERY
HYDRAULIC OVERRIDE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Prerequisite: Oceanic Majesty
Subject: Water that you can touch
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
You can shape water to your will and can also cause it to
Duration: Instant or one scene
briefly become as solid as steel. This water can take exceed-
Subject: One target ingly precise shapes that conform to its environment. As a
Your control over magic is fine and precise. You can result, you can command a small amount of water to enter a
control the flow of water at even the smallest level, moving lock and become a key that fits and can open it. Alternately,
water in pipes, and even within a creature’s body. When you you could transform a larger amount of water into a crowbar

156 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

to pry a door open, or a sturdy lock that prevents anyone PARALYZING GAZE
from opening a door for the duration. You cannot make wa-
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
ter into any sort of complex mechanism, but in addition to a
watery key being able to open the lock it is in, tools made of Subject: One character
water provide +3 Enhancement to the use you make them When you make eye contact with another character
for. Finally, you can pour water on the ground and trans- (if used in combat, requires a roll — successes must exceed
form it into an area of difficult or dangerous terrain. In an the target’s Defense), you may functionally incapacitate that
emergency, you can also transform water in a Close Combat character. The actual effects vary; you may paralyze the tar-
weapon with appropriate tags. get with fright, force her to cower in fear, or leave her writh-
ing in terror. In any case, she is unable to break away from
FEAR your gaze. However, you cannot take mixed actions while
Your magic gets inside people’s heads and manipulate using this Spell, and cannot Move without using a Simple
their fear. You can control these particular emotions either action — otherwise, you lose eye contact, and your target is
heightening a sense of fear burgeoning on dread or calming freed at the end of the next round. If the target is Blind, this
panic. It can be as subtle as a gentle presence that seems to Spell does not work on them. Characters of the same Tier
heighten emotions, or as terrible as an aura that makes you or higher than you gain a Clash of Wills to resist your gaze.
appear terrifying.
READ THE ROOM
CALM MIND Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One Field
You become immune to all forms of fear for the rest of
You can change the atmosphere of a room to either
the scene. If a magic would attempt to inflict a fear effect on
create fear or calm it. When you activate this Spell, select
you, gain a +3 Enhancement to your Clash of Wills. Mundane
an Atmosphere, Dread or Calm, to apply to the Field, with a
situations never bother you and attempts to influence you
rating of 2, positive for Calm and negative for Dread. If this
with intimidation or threats fail immediately. You can flee if
changes the Atmosphere, gain +1 Enhancement to actions
the odds are against you, or if you otherwise feel like doing
that coincide with the new Atmosphere’s effect. Such as
so, and you know if something might otherwise make you
intimidating someone in an Atmosphere of Dread or empa-
afraid, but you can banish your fears with a thought.
thizing with someone in an Atmosphere of Calm.
INTIMIDATING PRESENCE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
FLIGHT
You can cause objects to move through nothing more
Duration: Condition
than your own force of will. You can lift, throw, or carry
Subject: Multiple targets anything that you can see, including yourself. While some
Without revealing any of your draconic features, you dragons have wings that allow them to lift themselves into
instill a sense of dread in those who see you. Anyone who can the air under their own power, you can use magic to achieve
see you gains the Afraid Condition with you as its subject, the same feat.
non-trivial targets gain a Clash of Wills to resist gaining the ACROBATIC FLIGHT
Condition. Characters with the Afraid Condition suffer a +2
Prerequisite: Aerial Mobility
Difficulty to target the subject of their fear in any kind of neg-
ative way, this includes physical attacks and Intrigue actions. Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
The Condition ends when the person leaves the presence of Your flight becomes sinuous and acrobatic and you can
the subject of their fear or you reclaim your Inheritance. attack and retreat with blinding speed. In combat, you can
LOOMING PRESENCE use your reflexive Move action to cross two range bands, and
gain +2 Enhancement on Disengage rolls and Rush actions if
Prerequisite: Intimidating Presence
you are flying. Once per scene while you are flying, you may
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance make a Feat of Scale (p. 121) using one of your Knacks of Scale
Subject: Multiple Targets for the purposes of speed without taking a Complication.

You exude an aura of menace which fills your enemies AERIAL MOBILITY
with barely controlled panic. When you activate this Spell, Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
you can choose up to your Inheritance in allies to exclude
Duration: Indefinite
from the aura. Anyone who can see you who was not exclud-
ed is immediately wracked with fear of you and your allies. You can fly, using movement actions to ascend upward
Trivial targets flee from your presence immediately, while into the air or horizontally through it. You can Rush or
non-trivial targets face a +3 Complication on any action that Disengage vertically or horizontally while flying. You can
does not help them flee your presence. If they fail to buy off use this Spell to bypass dangerous or difficult terrain. This
the Complication, they are rooted in place in fear. Spell ends when you reclaim your Inheritance.

Dragon Magic 157

COMPANION FLIGHT Spell lasts until you reclaim your Inheritance as long as you
maintain your course.
Prerequisite: Aerial Mobility or Telekinesis
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance TELEKINESIS
Cost: None or Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
Duration: Indefinite
Subject: Multiple targets within Medium range
Subject: One target within Medium range
You can allow your companions to fly alongside you.
Grant a number of willing targets equal to twice your Objects move at your command. You can freely move
Inheritance to fly. All targets must remain within Medium any object you could comfortably hold in one hand that is
range of you, usually requiring you to cast this Spell in com- within Short range, without imbuing any Inheritance. By im-
bination with Aerial Mobility. Your companions are fully able buing Inheritance into this Spell, you can move any person
to control their own flight. Also, any further spell that affects or object that is your size Scale or smaller within Medium
your movement, like Acrobatic Flight or Swift as Lightning range. You can move this object as fast as you can run, and
automatically affects subjects of this Spell for no additional you can move it anywhere within Medium range. Attempting
cost. This Spell ends when you reclaim your Inheritance. to move anyone of your Tier or higher requires a Clash of
Wills. Imbuing Inheritance also allows you to hurl objects
SWIFT AS LIGHTNING you could hold in one hand with great force, permitting you
Prerequisite: Aerial Mobility or Telekinesis to use them as Thrown weapons. Because of the precision
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance of your control, attacks using this Spell automatically gain
the Arcing tag. This Spell ends when you reclaim your
Subject: One target, or self Inheritance.
You can move things at unnatural speeds. When using
your magic to move an inanimate object, it moves with ILLUSIONS
blinding speed, unable to be seen by the naked eye. When You have mastered controlling the senses, able to fool
moving yourself or someone else, they move at speed Scale them, create false images and illusions. Your illusions fool
+2. Additionally, you buffer your subject against the ill effects even the most brilliant observer, tricking them into believing
of moving at high speed. If you use this Spell to take a long whatever you put in front of them. Additionally, you can
journey via air, your speed Scale increases to +4, and the pierce deception, revealing hidden things.

158 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

CLEAR SIGHT Also, if you wish to appear to be someone in a position
of authority, someone strongly religious may see you as an
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
important religious official, while a soldier would almost
You gain the ability to see through all illusions and dis- certainly see you as a high-ranking officer. Regardless of what
guises. In addition, you automatically know when a trivial someone sees you as, you also gain an Attitude of 3 for all ob-
opponent speaks a lie in your presence, although you only servers — this Attitude can be positive or negative, depending
know you have heard a lie, not the nature of the truth. In upon your wishes when casting this Spell. Trivial targets are
addition, you gain +3 Enhancement for detecting deliberate affected by this Attitude and firmly convinced that you are
and knowing lies in either the speech of non-trivial oppo- who they believe you to be, although they may become con-
nents or in print. fused if several of them discuss you. Characters of your Tier or
higher still see your desired appearance, but are not affected
DISGUISE by your illusory Attitude if they win a Clash of Wills.
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: One Day
IMPERSONATION
Prerequisite: Disguise
You can’t change the actual shape of people or objects,
but you can disguise them with an illusion. This illusion can Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
disguise a group of twice your Inheritance, a single object Subject: Self or touch
of up to Scale size 2, or a location no larger than a medi-
You can disguise the target as a specific individual. You
um-sized house.
must have either touched the individual or seen them in per-
Disguised people and objects appear lifelike and seem son and heard them speak for at least several minutes. This
completely authentic — a person’s hair ripples in the breeze, disguise is perfect, and includes appearance, accent, body lan-
a car’s engine throbs, a fire gives off heat. This illusory dis- guage, and even scent, so that it fools someone’s dog as well as
guise even feels real to brief, non-forceful touch, but it has their allies. Also, your fingerprints and other physical details
no physical substance and cannot exert force or cause harm. appear to match perfectly. In addition, while this Spell does
These disguises remain even after you leave their presence. not provide the subject with any special knowledge of the per-
A non-trivial character who wins a Clash of Wills can see son they are impersonating, the Spell helps convince people.
through the disguise. Also, attempts to physically interact As a result, all trivial targets are firmly convinced that you are
with a disguise may reveal it to be fake. You cannot make who you appear to be. Also, if you win a Clash of Wills with
people or objects invisible, but you can make them look like characters of your Tier or higher, you gain +3 Enhancement to
anyone or anything you want. all rolls to dispel their doubts about your identity.
EYES TURNED AWAY LUCK
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
You command the powers of luck and fortune. Your su-
Subject: Self or by touch pernatural might effectively bends the nature of reality and
You cause others to be unable to notice you. You do not the dictates of random chance in line with your desires.
become literally invisible — instead, by seeming chance and ARMOR OF FORTUNE
the massive power of your will, no one looks in your direc-
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
tion and people miss any sounds you make, as long as you
make at least a token effort to be stealthy. Trivial characters Your luck is strong enough to survive impossible acci-
have no chance to see you. Non-trivial characters gain a dents and deadly firefights. You add +1 Defense against at-
Clash of Wills, and you gain +3 Enhancement to evade notice tacks and have +2 Enhancement on any roll where you could
from those who succeed on their Clash. You can also use this suffer physical harm as a direct result of failing it.
ability on others that you touch, if they are willing. Anyone
using this Spell who actively draws attention to themselves
FORTUNE’S FAVOR
automatically ends it. Cost: None or Imbue 1 Inheritance
Even without imbuing any Inheritance, Luck is per-
ILLUSORY AURA
petually on your side. You can always find a parking place
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance faster than others, there’s always a table waiting for you at
You alter your appearance in ways to depend on both a restaurant, and you take no harm from random or hap-
your intent and who is observing you. You must decide on hazard dangers such as debris in a tornado, a freak traffic
what impression you wish your appearance to convey — at- accident, or being trampled by shoppers on Black Friday.
tractive, terrifying, trustworthy, or something more specific, You gain +3 Enhancement to all games of chance. Your
like being in a position of high authority. For the duration of luck does not protect you from damage that results from
this spell, you give all observers the impression you’re aiming an action performed with intent to cause harm, like gunfire
for, but what they see differs depending upon who is looking in a shootout, or environmental situations. This immunity
at you. If you wish to appear attractive, you look very different extends to any non-magical dangerous terrain, unless a char-
to two people with different definitions of attractiveness. acter in the scene actively created that peril with intent to

Dragon Magic 159

harm. You still face any Complications that such situations You can change your impressive draconic form into
would normally impose — you’re simply guaranteed to come something small and innocuous. This Spell allows you to ei-
through unscathed. If you imbue 1 Inheritance, you can ap- ther turn into any small lizard, snake, or amphibian distantly
ply your Enhancement as beginner’s luck at any task. If you related to your draconic parent, or just a tiny version of
attempt any action where you have 0 Skill and no relevant your dragon form. While in this small form, you are beneath
Specialization, you also gain +3 Enhancement to the roll. notice so long as you behave the way the animal you have
become should; whenever magical detection would identify
SECOND CHANCES you as a magical creature, make a Clash of Wills. You can
Cost: None move or act just like the creature you resemble, and while
Duration: Instant your other traits do not change, your Might is effectively 0
and you cannot increase it by any means while in this shape.
Subject: One target within Medium range
This Spell ends when you reclaim your Inheritance.
If you have negatively altered someone’s Attitude
toward you within the past scene, you can undo whatever SHIFT SHAPE
damage you did to their impression of you with this Spell. Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
This Spell resets the target’s Attitude toward you to what it Duration: Indefinite
was before the recent change. For example, if you made a bad
impression on someone you just met, then the Spell resets You take on another form. Like most dragons, your
their Attitude toward you to 0. You can automatically alter range of forms is usually somewhat limited. Each time you
Trivial targets’ Attitude. Attempting to reset the Attitude of learn this spell you can learn one of three types of forms. You
anyone of your Tier or higher requires a Clash of Wills. can either turn into any normal animal at least the size of
a crow or cat, you can keep your ordinary shape but trans-
STOLEN LUCK form yourself in an animate elemental material such as mist,
Prerequisite: Second Chances lightning, fire, or stone, or you can transform yourself into
an exact duplicate of a person or Denizen. This last option
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
even allows you to exactly resemble another Dragon, God,
Subject: One target within Medium range or Titan, should you wish to risk doing so. This Spell lasts
You can steal someone’s luck. You do this by imposing until you reclaim your Inheritance. In all cases, this trans-
the Unlucky Condition on someone. This Condition imposes formation is perfect in the details and undetectable through
a +3 Difficulty on all rolls of a specific type, such as move- non-magical means, but doesn’t alter any of your Attributes,
ment, information gathering, intrigue, or combat. For the Skills, or other traits. However, depending on the form you
next scene, if your target fails any of these rolls because of assume, you can gain the following benefits:
this increased Difficulty, and would have succeeded at this • +1 Scale on all actions with a single Physical Attribute
roll without this increase, then you gain +3 Enhancement on of your choice
your next action of any type.
• Any special forms of movement that shape possesses.
SWIFT FORTUNE • Any natural attacks that shape possesses.
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
• Any miscellaneous abilities the Storyguide decides
You become inhumanly lucky, especially when per- the shape should have, like a Dragon made of fire
forming difficult physical movements in complex environ- being able to ignite flammables.
ments. In effect, the World gets out of your way, allowing you
Learning any version of this spell also gives you +3
to not worry about minor random events, granting you +3
Enhancement to resist any attempt to transform your body
Enhancement with all such rolls. You gain this same bonus
against your will.
to all chases and other actions involving physical movement,
including everything from performing difficult acrobatics to TRANSFORM OBJECT
driving a car in combat.
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
TRANSFORMATION Duration: Permanent
Many Dragons can switch between human and Dragon Subject: One object with Close range
form with ease, but you have learned the secrets of the art of You can transform any object within Close range that is
altering your shape in far more profound ways. You can turn no larger than size Scale equal to your Inheritance. The trans-
yourself into almost any form and can also transform objects formation is permanent, though you can spend a Simple action
and other individuals. to return the object to its original form. You can only transform
HIDE BENEATH NOTICE objects into other objects of the same size and made of roughly
the same materials. You could turn a rifle into an umbrella or a
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
metal dumpster full of trash into a fast sports car. However, you
Duration: Indefinite can only use this Spell to transform purely mundane objects.

160 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

TRANSFORM OTHER the Stunt. Alternately, you can use your understanding of the
future to influence it, dictating who and what the target may
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
attack. You can declare both the target of the attack and a
Subject: Multiple targets within Short range Stunt for your target. Used in this fashion, this spell imposes
You can alter the form of other living beings. You can a +3 Complication on your target. If they do not buy it off, you
only transform a number of people and creatures equal to can dictate how they spend their Successes this round.
you Inheritance x 2 into other living beings of approximately GLIMPSE THE FUTURE
the same size and you cannot transform targets into crea-
Cost: Free
tures incapable of surviving in their current environment.
If desired, you can transform one or more targets into exact Duration: One session
duplicates of other individuals, including fingerprints and You sift through your draconic memories looking for a
other identifying characteristics. Also, these transformations glimpse of a future known only to Dragons. You gain insight
also transform clothes and worn objects, but not objects the into a lead you are investigating. The next time you would
targets are carrying. You can automatically transform Trivial use a relevant Knack or Spell this session to investigate that
targets. Attempting to transform anyone of your Tier or lead, or interpret clues, you may do so without paying the
higher without their permission requires a Clash of Wills. Momentum or Inheritance. The relevance of the Knack or
Transformed characters retain their normal traits, but Spell is determined by the Storyguide.
face Complications if they attempt a task their form is unsuit- You may only use this Spell once per game session.
ed to: using a computer keyboard as a chimpanzee faces a + 1
Complication, while firing a machine gun as a dog incurs a + PENETRATING INSIGHT
4 Complication. The advantages of the character’s new form, Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
such as a dog’s sense of smell, can provide Enhancement 1-3
You can also read any code or cipher with ease. During
on actions they apply to.
this scene, you can also compose a response in the same
TRANSFORM SUBSTANCE code or cipher. In addition, if you read anything not written
Prerequisite: Transform Object in code, you can use this Spell to increase the depth of your
understanding. As a result, you can use either the Extra Clue,
Cost: Imbue or Spend 1 Inheritance Interpretation, or Q&A Stunts (Scion: Origin, p. 75) on this
Duration: Three turns document. Each use of this Spell only allows you to use one
Stunt, and in all cases, this Spell fails if the document does not
Subject: Any single object within Medium range
contain additional information that you are searching for.
You can briefly transform any object within range that
is your size Scale or smaller into a single other material. You PIERCING GAZE
could turn a motorcycle into solid lead, a sword into cheap Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
flexible plastic, armor into paper, or the door of a vault into
Your senses can pierce through lies and confusion.
lightweight cloth or a particle board door into solid steel. You
Add +3 Enhancement on any rolls to determine whether a
can change both mundane and mystical objects, including
character is lying, see through a disguise, pierce an illusion,
powerfully enchanted weapons, armor, or chariots. To trans-
or otherwise pierce any and all deceptions. If you face the
form a magical object, spend Inheritance instead of imbuing
Misleading Complication, its rating is reduced by one point.
and perform a Clash of Wills against its owner. After the Spell
ends, all damage to purely mundane objects remains, but all VISION OF THE AGES
mystical objects are automatically restored to how they were Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
before being transformed.
When you look intently at something, you can see not
UNDERSTANDING merely its present, but you can also access the full range of
Draconic Memories relating to this object, allowing you to
You possess a deep and profound insight into The
learn its history and secrets. When you use this Spell, the
World and the supernatural realms beyond it. You can see
Storyguide first provides you with general information about
and understand things at a glance that others either cannot
the object and its history. Then, you can ask four additional
or require weeks of research to learn.
questions about the object and events it was involved or used
FORESIGHT in that the Storyguide must answer truthfully. These ques-
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance tions should normally be versions of the four clue Stunts
(Scion: Origin, p. 75). You could ask only questions relating
Subject: One target within Medium range to a single one of the four clue Stunts, or each of you ques-
You know what your target is going to do before they do tions could be related to a different clue Stunt ― your only
it. When the target attacks you, you can change a Stunt the tar- limitation is that each time you cast this Spell, you can only
get is using against you to a different one. For example, if they use the player inspiration clue Stunt once.
declare Inflict Damage, you could change it to Knockdown in-
stead. They must still spend the requisite successes to perform

Dragon Magic 161

WEATHER CONTROL UNNATURAL WEATHER
You know the magical nature of the weather. You can Prerequisite: Alter Weather
call or banish storms, and can even use weather as a weapon. Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Regardless of where you are, wind, rain, clouds, and even Duration: One Day
violent storms bend to your will.
Subject: One Field
ALTER WEATHER You can alter the local weather to create conditions
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance possible anywhere in the World. You could create a blizzard
Subject: One Field on a hot July day in Mexico City, or a heat wave in northern
Canada in December. The other limits on the alter weather
You can alter the weather to any state that is remote-
Spell still apply, including your inability to precisely control
ly reasonable for the location and season, allowing you to
phenomena like tornadoes. You can also use this Spell to
both create and calm inclement weather. You can’t make it
create both difficult and dangerous terrain. After the day is
snow in Death Valley or create a heat wave in the middle of
over, the weather gradually returns to normal.
a Wisconsin winter, but if a particular weather condition
is within the range of possibility for a particular time and
place, you can make it happen. However, if you create ex- SIGNATURE
treme weather like tornadoes, you merely create them; you
cannot control or direct them in any fashion. While in many
cases this effect is narrative in scope, in combat it often re-
DRAGON MAGIC
sults in Field Conditions, or may inflict Conditions on player
characters per the Storyguide’s discretion. After the scene is
E ach Flight has its own special and unique Form of Dragon
Magic, which represents the primal power and mystery
that each Flight possesses. Heirs gain access to the signature
over, the weather gradually returns to normal.
Form of their Dragon ancestor, or of the Dragon they are a
LETHAL WEATHER reincarnation of. Relics cannot provide access to these Forms
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance and no Dragon can learn more than one.

Duration: Instant DRAQ SIGNATURE MAGIC:

Subject: All enemies in one range band PANDEMONIUM
You call up a brief burst of extreme and deadly weather, You command the forces of chaos, allowing you to add
rolling an attack with Survival + (highest Power Attribute). small or large amounts of pandemonium to almost any situa-
It serves as an attack with the Aggravated, Ranged, and tion, while also keeping you safe from its effects.
Shockwave tags. This weather can take the form of light-
ning, a brief but powerful whirlwind or waterspout, or even VORTEX
a shower of baseball sized hail. You can use this Spell to Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
attack enemies inside a building, but the building provides a Duration: One day
Defense bonus: from +1 for a one-story building with a light
wooden roof to +5 for a well-made bank. When you activate this Spell, name a single aspect of
your life — which could be anything from your family, work,
LOCALIZED WEATHER relationship, or even the cafe where you get your coffee
Cost: None each morning — which explodes in chaos. Fights break out,
something needs repair, people miss appointments, or the
You can manifest tiny weather effects at will, as long as
power goes out in the building. This upheaval does not di-
they are within Short range. You could blow open a door by
rectly involve you nor does it negatively affect you. It instead
summoning a small and carefully directed gust of wind or
imposes a +3 Complication to anyone attempting to take
put out a small fire with a watermelon-sized rain cloud.
Intrigue or Procedural actions against you. Failure to buy off
RESIST WEATHER the Complication leads the person to get wrapped up in the
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance drama rather than whatever they were attempting to do.

Duration: One day MINOR CHAOS

Subject: Self and multiple targets within Short range. Cost: Free or Imbue 1 Inheritance

You, and if you desire, up to Inheritance x 2 comrades take Anytime you wish, disorder surrounds you but does
no damage and suffer no discomfort from normal extremes of not affect you personally. Minor mistakes and oddities of
weather. Not only doesn’t a blizzard chill you, but you can also chance occur with greater than normal frequency ― flipped
keep yourself and anything you are wearing or carrying from coins land on edge, two-headed calves are born, people make
getting wet in a rainstorm. In addition, you and everyone else more random mistakes than normal, electronic devices fail
protected by this Spell can ignore up to +3 Complication or +2 for random reasons, and bullets hit unintended targets.
Difficulty from weather related phenomenon. Most of these effects are merely annoying, but if you imbue

162 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

Inheritance into this Spell, then each round choose one Anyone of the same Tier or higher than you gains a Clash of
target within Short range and impose a +3 Complication to Wills to resist the Spell’s effect.
a perform their next task. Unless the target abandons that If the Storyguide has specific plans for what a mortal
task or buys off the Complication, the task goes awry in some character is doing in the scene (for example, the hired secu-
dramatic fashion, like swerving in a car chase in a manner rity you’re trying to distract with a riot), she can declare them
that causes an ally’s car to crash, or someone performing re- unavailable as targets. You have no control over what’s hap-
search accidentally knocks over an entire bookcase, spilling pening, but it’s reckless, loud, and provides a good distraction.
valuable or perhaps priceless manuscripts all over the floor.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHAOS JOKA SIGNATURE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance MAGIC: REFINEMENT
Duration: Instant The Joka’s hunger leads them to collect and store all
sorts of esoteric materials from matter, energy, and even
Subject: A single person or organization information. Over time, they have learned to refine these
You can affect a person or organization through the materials into more suitable forms, or simply eliminate them
careful application of chaos. If you know or strongly suspect completely to gain sustenance.
someone has a specific secret, you can use the power of cha-
os to ensure it comes out within three days — an email or
ABSORB INFORMATION
letter may be sent to someone other than the intended recip- Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
ient, or a damning photograph or document may fall out of Duration: Instant
someone’s briefcase and be immediately seen and picked up
Subject: One object
by a journalist. You can also use this Spell to harm an organi-
zation in a specific fashion. You can cause a single project to You can touch items containing information, like books,
become filled with delays and random minor problems, like flash drives, or even computers and instantly absorb all the
lost files, people missing meetings due to bad traffic, or an information contained within. As long as the information is
abundance of heated but ultimately pointless arguments. All not in code or otherwise deliberately concealed, you have
rolls associated with this project also increase their Difficulty exactly the same comprehension and retention of the infor-
by +2. You can also cause the same organization to lose all mation as if you carefully read the material. However, touch-
files pertaining to a particular person or event. For example, ing a computer while this Spell is active does not allow you
the police might be forced to release a suspect because sud- to absorb any information stored online, only information
denly all evidence against them mysteriously vanishes. physically stored on the computer.

PARALYZING DISORDER FINAL DESTRUCTION

Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Subject: One machine or character Duration: Instant
You overload a machine’s gears or a person’s mind with Subject: One target within Close range
the chaotic power of pandemonium. A targeted character You can destroy almost anything, it doesn’t matter if you
must struggle simply to maintain coherent thought. On each are destroying a soda can, a vault door, or a nuclear weapon.
turn, if they wish to take an action, they must combine it with You can destroy any single inanimate item, up to your size
an Athletics + Stamina roll at Difficulty 2. Trivial characters Scale +1. You can also create a hole in a wall (or other solid
are rendered catatonic for the scene. surface) of the same size. If you want to destroy a mystical
You can target machines up to the size of a private jet. artifact of any sort, the owner gains a Clash of Wills to resist
They break down completely until they receive mainte- the destruction. Anything you destroy with this Spell nour-
nance. This damage is permanent, but you cannot reclaim ishes you and is otherwise gone from The World.
the Inheritance imbued in this Spell until the next scene.
TRANSFORM ENERGY
VIOLENT ANARCHY Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance Duration: Instant
Subject: Multiple characters Subject: One source of energy within Medium range
Pandemonium breaks out. You create a scene of utter You can transform any type of energy to any other of
disarray and uncontrolled anarchy. All characters in the roughly the same magnitude. You can transform a bonfire into
Field immediately lose control over their actions and start a sufficient quantity of electricity to fully recharge an electric
acting in sporadic ways. All people and animals descend into car or into a brilliant flash of light or a loud sound that persists
a frenzied action that does not normally suit them. Fights as long as the fire would. Similarly, you can turn the sound
and orgies break out in the middle of the street, people start from a rock concert or the motion of a truck into a raging
crying in the corner, animals start intermingling with people. bonfire or a brilliant light show. When you cast this Spell,
you can choose a device or vehicle within Medium range and

Signature Dragon Magic 163

transform the energy so that it powers the target. Alternately, You can transmute a single source of information or
you can transform the energy and allow it to do what it natu- energy into matter. You can turn electronic data into a book,
rally would, but in this case you have only the most minimal scroll, or pile of handwritten manuscripts or vice versa. You
control over who the energy spreads and is directed. can do the same thing with one or your memories or the
memory of someone who is willing to allow you to trans-
TRANSMUTATION form it into matter. You cannot transform memories from
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance unwilling subjects, but you can trick or coerce someone into
Subject: One target within Short range allowing you to convert one of their memories. When you
use this Spell, the information vanishes from its original
You can turn a bonfire, the sound of an explosion or con-
source, so memories are lost, or a USB drive is wiped clean.
cert, or the light from a spotlight into a brick, wooden statue,
Restoring a memory lost this way requires the use of the
or some other object, or do the reverse. The size of the object
Absorb Information Spell or relearning the information. The
is roughly correlated with the amount of energy involved. A
information remains in its solid form indefinitely, or until
small campfire, the motion of a bicycle, or the light from a nor-
you reclaim your Inheritance.
mal room could be made into an object that fits comfortably
into a pocket, while a raging bonfire or the electricity suffi-
cient to power an entire house, the motion of a truck, or the
LINDWURMS SIGNATURE
light from half a dozen large spotlights would transform into MAGIC: AVARICE
an object the size of a small backpack or briefcase. You cannot The Lindwurms know what it is to desire something
transform larger sources of energy. Other than limitations of they cannot have. In their constant search for lost truths,
size, you can use this spell to transmute any mundane object, they have learned to harness the forces of both desire and
including statues, jewelry, guns, or swords. At your choice, you greed. They can wield both, allowing them to inflame these
can either make this transformation permanent by spending emotions within others, or to manifest their own desires in
the Inheritance or you can cast the Spell so that the transfor- a limited fashion.
mation ends when you reclaim your Inheritance.
OVERWHELMING GREED
TRANSMUTE INFORMATION Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance Subject: One Field
Subject: One source of information you touch You create an Atmosphere of greed in the area you are in.
Duration: Permanent You can choose to have this Atmosphere be positive or neg-
ative and is rated at half your Inheritance rating (round up).

164 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

If the Atmosphere is negative, people grow suspicious of one are stealing and who owns it ― this Spell only allows you to
another, looking over their shoulder and fearing that someone steal objects that you already know about.
will attempt to steal from them. If it is positive, people ignore
others who seem to not have any wealth as insignificant while
RADIANT WEALTH
hyper fixating on those who have more as potential targets. In Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
addition, this Spell increases selfishness, reducing all Bonds While your actual wealth is unchanged, you give people
except rivalry by 2 points. This greed automatically affects all who interact with you a subtle but unmistakable impression
trivial opponents, but non-trivial characters who win a Clash that you are fabulously wealthy. Anyone who is strongly
of Wills reduce all modifiers by half. moved or impressed by this fact in a positive fashion has a
CURSED HOARD minimum Attitude of 2 toward you for the duration of this
Spell, and they otherwise increase their Attitude toward you
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance by +1. Of course, someone who reacts negatively to wealth
Duration: Condition reduces their Attitudes toward you in the same fashion. In
Subject: Multiple items addition, you gain +2 Enhancement to all rolls to impress
people or to gain a variety of benefits due to people thinking
You cast a curse upon your hoard to protect it. When you possess vast wealth.
you cast this spell, select one or a group of items up to and
including everything you have in your Hoard. Anyone who L NG SIGNATURE
attempts to steal the enchanted cache gains +3 Difficulty on
all rolls directly or indirectly related to stealing from you. If
MAGIC: BLESSINGS
the thief is successful and takes one or all of the items af- Lóng love to give gifts. These gifts could be anything
fected by this spell, they gain the Avarice Cursed Condition, from material items to acts in service, and the Flight has de-
which gives them a +2 Difficulty to all their actions. The veloped magic by which they bestow these blessings. These
Condition resolves when the person returns the stolen item blessings give abundance to those in their favor and mark
back to you, apologizes and makes reparations, or you will- them for protection.
ingly forgive them for their crime. BLESSING OF DRACONIC POWER
IRRESISTIBLE CRAVING Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance Duration: Indefinite
Duration: Condition Subject: One character you must touch
Subject: One target You can temporarily give any character, including a
You cause someone to develop an overwhelming desire trivial one, one of your Dragon Knacks. Until you reclaim
for a particular object, or for wealth that a particular indi- the Inheritance you imbued in this Spell, they can use this
vidual possesses. They gain the Craving Condition which Knack as their own. You do not lose use of this Knack when
imposes a +2 Complication on all actions not directly related you use this Spell.
to acquiring the object of their desire. This Complication BLESSING OF LUCK
increases to +4 if they see the subject or hear about it either
from talk, seeing an image, or the object itself. Failure to Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
buy off this Complication leads the character to speak ex- Duration: Condition
cessively about the item or to redirect actions to obtain it. Subject: One target within Close range
This Condition ends when the target gains the object, or you
reclaim your Inheritance. While your own luck is unaffected, you can bless oth-
ers with ease. You can choose one person at a time to bless.
STOCK YOUR HOARD Choosing a new target removes your previous blessing. While
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance blessed, the target has a variety of minor good luck. They gain
+2 Enhancement when playing games of chance, there’s always
One way of improving your own hoard is taking from oth-
a table waiting for them at a restaurant, and they take no harm
ers, and this Spell allows you to excel at this. If you are stealing
from random or haphazard dangers such as debris in a tornado,
from a trivial target, which includes everything from ordinary
a freak traffic accident, or caught in a stampede. In addition,
mortals, to mortal-owned banks or museums, then you can
targets gain the Protected Condition. While this Condition
automatically and without risk steal any one object you could
affects targets, they either gain +2 Enhancement to perform a
reasonably carry away with you. Guards look the other way,
specific activity, like combat or negotiation, or their enemies
locks “accidentally” open, and security camera temporarily
suffer +2 Difficulty to perform specific activities against them,
fail or simply record everything except you. Stealing large ob-
like combat or intimidation. The target gains this Enhancement
jects like statues or yachts, or stealing from characters of your
or increased Difficulty for a number of actions equal to your
Tier or higher is considerably more difficult. In these cases,
Inheritance, at which point the Condition resolves.
this Spell provides you with +3 Enhancement to actions taken
in pursuit of the theft. In all cases, you must know what you

Signature Dragon Magic 165

BLESSING OF PERFECTION You can create a small pocket realm, no larger than a
large one-bedroom apartment. When you create it, you and
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
as many as Inheritance x 2 companions teleport into it. The
Subject: One task realm lasts as long as you remain within it, but vanishes when
You bless a task making it easier and simpler for oth- you leave, disgorging items stored within at your feet. Only
ers to perform. Anyone attempting the task, grains +3 Naga can comfortably exist in pocket realms. Trivial oppo-
Enhancement on their next roll or series of rolls that are nents automatically suffer extreme mental strain. They gain
all part of a single complex action to build, create, or repair the Delusional Condition for as long as they remain within
something, from playing or writing a song, to fixing a com- the pocket realm. This Condition imposes a +2 Difficulty
puter, forging a sword, or modifying a car. This Spell only to all actions, and resolves when they leave. Non-Trivial
applies to the task at hand, although if one character stops characters suffer no ill effects, but find the experience to be
and another picks it up, the blessing continues. This Spell is deeply uncomfortable.
free to use on trivial targets. Also, it continues working even IMPRISON
after you leave the target’s presence.
Prerequisite: Pocket Lair
DEFENSE FROM AFAR Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
Duration: One month
Subject: One target within Close range
Subject: One character you must touch
You can transport a single target into your pocket lair.
This spell immediately alerts you if anyone deliberately This target can either be an inanimate object or a living
attacks the target, and also lets you know who is attacking being. You can automatically transport trivial targets and
them. If you do not know the attacker, you automatically objects of your size Scale +1 into your pocket lair. However,
recognize them if you meet them later. In addition, the at- you can only transport characters of your Tier or higher if
tacker also suffers a + 3 Complication on all rolls to attack the they lose a Clash of Wills. This Spell ends when you reclaim
target. If the attacker does not buy off this Complication, the your Inheritance. When the Spell ends the target instantly
attacker automatically suffers an Injury Condition as your appears within Short range of you, in a location that is not
draconic power rends and tears their flesh. immediately harmful to it. If a character transported to your
pocket lair has a way to escape on your own, you immediate-
LAND BLESSING ly regain your Inheritance and know of their escape.
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: One month
JUMP
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: Any defined region no more than four square
kilometers Duration: Instant

You can bless a single defined region of land, like a small You can use your ability to create pocket realms to by-
forest, an urban or suburban neighborhood, a farmer’s fields, pass obstacles and short distances. You can move yourself
a lake, or a small town. The only limitation is that this region and a number of willing targets up to your Inheritance. You
cannot be too large, and it must be in some way distinct from can move to any location you can see, or to a space you can’t
its surroundings. When you cast this Spell choose a single see within Long Range, allowing you to move through walls
broad type of action like movement, combat, crafting, re- or enter locked spaces. You don’t need to know what is at
search, or communication and negotiation. Anyone you con- your destination, you merely need to know how far it is from
sider a friend, ally, or someone under your protection gains a you and in what direction. If there is insufficient open space
+2 Enhancement for this activity when in this region, while to enter the desired location then the Spell automatically
anyone who is either your enemy or who opposes your allies fails and do not imbue any Inheritance.
or anyone under your protection increases the Difficulty of POCKET LAIR
all such actions +2 when they are in this region.
Prerequisite: Create Pocket Realm
NAGA SIGNATURE Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
MAGIC: TELEPORTATION Duration: Permanent
Naga use their atman’s connection to the Divine Realm You can now create a permanent pocket realm. Once
to create smaller temporary realms based on their concepts. created, it and its contents remain, and every time you use
They can use these realms to bypass limitations of distance the Create Pocket Realm Spell, you can choose to enter your
pocket lair instead. You can use this realm to store items and
CREATE POCKET REALM
can outfit it to your comfort.
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
TELEPORTATION
Prerequisite: Jump

166 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS

 Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance anyone working in this organization who is stealing from it,
Duration: Two rounds attempting to undermine or sabotage it, or who is otherwise
using it for their own purposes in ways that harm the orga-
Subject: Self and up to Inheritance willing companions nization or its mission. This Spell causes all such individuals
You may bypass the limitations of space and even of to make some mistake that reveals their actions to multiple
realms. When you activate this Spell, you can teleport to an- people in the organization who are not themselves corrupt.
other location and bring a number of willing targets with you Possible sources of these revelations include people over-
up to your Inheritance. This teleportation takes two rounds, hearing a private conversation, or an email being accidental-
as you first travel briefly to a conceptual realm before exiting ly sent to multiple unplanned recipients.
again to your location. You may choose any location you have
seen or know about in enough detail to visualize, both any-
RECLAIM THE EARTH
where in The World or in any Terra Incognita. Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One Field
SERPENT SIGNATURE You empower the land to cleanse itself of unnatural el-
MAGIC: PURIFICATION ements. Plants grow, the earth opens up, and vines entangle
The Serpents remember The World before pollution anything and everything in the area. When you cast this spell,
and corruption, and can draw on the Earth’s natural resourc- declare up to your Inheritance in targets. Targets can be living
es to return it to its former state. Through this restoration, entities or objects; non-trivial targets gain a Clash of Wills.
they have also learned to restore people, plants, and animals. While in the Field, named targets suffer a +2 Difficulty to Move
actions as the very earth revolts against them. Additionally,
CLEANSE the Field becomes rough terrain and moving across it impos-
Cost: None es a +3 Complication to Move actions. Failure to buy off the
Duration: Instant Complication results in one of the following (caster’s choice):
become a named target of the Spell for the rest of the scene,
Subject: All food and drink within Medium range
inflict an Injury Condition, or use the Pin Stunt for free.
You remove all toxins, impurities, diseases, and magic
from all food and drink within range. Rotten food restores
REMOVE THE UNNATURAL
to a fresh state, poisons are made inert, and pests or infesta- Prerequisite: Cleanse
tions clear up immediately, and magical effects stop working. Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
This does not protect the food or drinks from going bad at a
future date, or from someone adding poison later. Duration: One year
Subject: Any defined region no more than four square
SOOTHING AURA kilometers
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
You can bless a single defined region of land, a small
Duration: Instant forest, an urban or suburban neighborhood, a farmer’s
Subject: Every living thing not hostile to you within fields, a lake, or a small town. The only limitation is that this
Medium range region cannot be too large and it must be in some way dis-
tinct from its surroundings. All toxins and pollution in this
You can radiate an aura of soothing and healing power.
region instantly vanish and the land automatically resists the
Plants and animals recover from injury or illness, con-
introduction of further pollutants for the Spell’s duration.
taminants leave the land, and the dying pass with ease. All
Pollutants like cleaning chemicals, pesticides, or gasoline
allies out to Medium range may resolve a single Bruised or
also vanish from containers.
Injured Condition, as well as curing diseases or the Poisoned
Condition. This Spell cannot heal Maimed Injury Conditions. In addition, all structures and roads made of created
materials, like concrete, metal, glass, or plastic collapse and
PURIFY ORGANIZATION all roads made of concrete or asphalt decay within one scene
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance of you casting this Spell. The structures begin to visible decay
and crumble, but anyone inside who does not ignore these
Duration: One week
signs has time to leave unharmed. At the end of a scene,
Subject: One organization roads become dirt tracks, and “unnatural” buildings and their
This Spell removes corruption from a single unified remaining contents are nothing more than piles of stone and
organization, which can be anything from a small neighbor- dirt. For the duration of this spell, any new buildings suffer
hood association to a large local branch of a transnational the same fate. This Spell has no effect on roads and structures
corporation. Within one week of you casting this Spell, some made of wood, stone, or brick.
accident or coincidence reveals the identity and activities of

Signature Dragon Magic 167

T he intruders hadn’t been exactly subtle, tromping
through the forest like they were the apex predators
here. That’s what they normally were, after all, out in
— maybe it was a giant bear, or another huge forest
denizen — but the guards all seemed a little too smug
for it to be anything less than an epic kill under there.
The World: people with guns and body armor, with big He faded back into the forest, intent on warning
machines to perform the tasks they otherwise couldn’t. the others. Halfway back to the shrine, he found an-
Out in the rainforest — everyday nature — that balance other pair of intruders. They were lugging a plastic
still shifted. Bobcats didn’t care about Kevlar, and an crate between them, paying more attention to the
Olympic black bear could shrug off several shots while it ground than they were to what was up ahead, which
rushed its victim. Still, guns made humans feel confident. unfortunately for them, was Jakob.
Immortal, even.
“You got a permit for that?” he asked, stepping
But here, in this part of the rainforest, they couldn’t into their path.
predict what else might be stalking them through the
trees. Several times as Ambrosia and Rhiannon led “Buddy, you’re on private property,” said the one
the way, Jakob had spotted footprints whose owners in front. “You need to turn around and go home.”
he was sure would be a couple of stories tall, if they Jakob frowned. “Last I checked, the rainforest’s
had the misfortune to encounter them. He doubted the part of the national park.”
intruders’ guns would do much against a prehistoric “Apparently you haven’t noticed we’re not in
monster. the national park anymore. This land’s been claimed,
While Rhiannon and Ambrosia explored the and you’re trespassing.” They lowered the crate to the
cavern and Eric scouted off to the west, Jakob found ground. The one in front unholstered his sidearm, but
the trail the intruders had cut through the woods. didn’t aim it at Jakob. Yet. “You want to move along,
They’d come in from the opposite direction, and had now.”
clearly passed back and forth to the shrine a few times. “What have you got there, anyway?” he asked, ig-
Trampled ground and broken branches pointed a clear noring the threat. “Some kind of treasure? I bet there’s
path to their staging area. Three giant pickup trucks some really old stuff out here, probably worth a lot. Do
were parked in a row, with two people in military-style you get a cut of it?” Jakob knew a thing or two about
gear standing around them chatting. Crates filled the greed, how it wormed its way into people’s hearts
backs of the outer vehicles. In the middle truck’s bed, and made them jealous of what others had. How it
a tarp covered something massive. Jakob’s heart sank. made them suspicious of one another. He played on
That’s why we didn’t have any trouble getting to the that now. “What’s your percentage? The same, or is it
shrine. They killed its guardian. He couldn’t be certain negotiable?”

168 SCION: DRAGON

 The one in front glanced back at her counterpart. Eric shrugged. “Turns out he shot second. Or
“We don’t talk numbers.” would have, anyway. I didn’t kill him, but it’ll take
Jakob tilted his head. “Really? Because that guy him a while to get back to his friends, whoever they
looks pretty pleased with himself. How big is the stuff? are.”
Anything that could fit in a pocket? Maybe smuggle “Lonergan Industries.” Ambrosia showed them
something out and sell it yourself, keep the whole pile the badge she’d found below. “Looks like their CEO’s
of money?” trying to expand his territory.”
She stared at her counterpart. “That does sound “We can probably scare them off,” said Jakob,
like you. What do you have hidden, Frank?” setting his burden down, “but the damage might be
“Me?” Frank spread his hands. “You’re the one done. They had something in one of their trucks. I
who was talking numbers back there, Kate. How would think it was whatever lived here.”
you know what this stuff goes for unless you’ve been Ambrosia opened the plastic crate. Inside, among
doing some research on your own, maybe setting up a jumble of worn stone figures, were about a dozen
a buyer?” sharp teeth the size of her palm. “I say we get rid of
As they sniped at each other, Jakob inched closer. them anyway. Those fuckers.”
They moved from bickering into full-on shouting; it’d • • •
only be a matter of seconds before one took aim at
the other. Stepping up behind Kate, Jakob smoothly
plucked the gun from her hand.
T he two guards in the staging area had gone from
their casual shit-shooting to high alert when the four
arrived. Frank and Kate must have hobbled their way
Frank reacted quickly, training his gun on Jakob. back and alerted the others to the trespassers’ presence;
“Hey. Easy now,” he said. “Don’t make me shoot.” they stood off to the right, consulting a tablet, probably
“You can’t,” said Jakob. The air grew bitterly cold marking down lost inventory. They were about to lose
all around them. The intruders’ ragged breath came a whole lot more.
out in little clouds. Frank hissed as a skin of rime cov- Ambrosia recognized one of the guards as she
ered his gun; he dropped it as ice licked toward his came through the trees: Byers, whom she and Mitch
fingers. “Sit down, both of you.” had run into at Lonergan’s manor. She didn’t bother
They did as they were told, sinking to the ground. with niceties. Several of their number had already
Jakob pulled zip ties from Frank’s belt and secured waved guns at her allies, and between the teeth from
their hands behind their backs, then to one another. the crate and the lump under the tarp, Ambrosia
He removed their radios and stomped on them until doubted Lonergan’s employees had much interest in
they shattered. Then, he hefted the plastic bin up onto negotiating.
one shoulder as though it weighed no more than a Rage seethed in her belly, an echo of what she’d
feather. “Now no one gets a cut,” he said. felt in that memory beneath the earth. Out in the
He left them there, still bickering, and hurried field, she kept a tight lid on her emotions and let logic
back to the shrine. In the distance, he heard the thun- drive her decisions. Here, though, were the modern
derclap-roar of Donner’s gun. equivalents of the wicked men she’d stopped long
ago, though their leader was elsewhere. Lonergan was
Jakob reached the clearing as Ambrosia and
content to rake in the profits, but Gods forbid he got
Rhiannon emerged from the cavern. Eric came strid-
his hands dirty.
ing in from the west seconds later.
Her roar shook the trees as she rushed forward.
“What’s going on?” asked Ambrosia. “We heard
Her allies were a hairsbreadth behind. Panic lit Byers’
the shot.”
eyes as he recognized who it was streaking toward
“We’re not alone here,” said Jakob. “Got a bunch him, but he didn’t turn and flee. That was fine by
of security types in trucks about a mile to the east. I Ambrosia.
bumped into a couple of them on the way back, and
A wind kicked up as she ran. Between Jakob and
I’m guessing Eric’s found more.”
Donner, quite a storm was brewing. It felt good on her
“Yeah. Just one,” he said. “A shoot first type.” face, like the currents that buffeted some past version
Rhiannon hurried over to him. She’d mentioned of herself as she soared through the clouds. For a
having EMT training, and proved it now, giving her moment, she was back in that final dive toward the
friend a concerned once over. “I only heard one gun wicked men, in a controlled plummet that was both
go off.” terrifying and thrilling.

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE 169

 Byers’ Kevlar’s wasn’t so different from those old Ambrosia abandoned the police moves. Some
steel breastplates, she realized. Even though he wasn’t days, a good old-fashioned bar brawl was the way
putting the rainforest to the torch, he’d been complicit you needed to go. The switch in styles threw him —
in killing a creature that was merely minding its own he adjusted, but not fast enough. The force behind
business out here in the wilds, all for some other man’s Ambrosia’s wild swing knocked him back, left a dent
greed. Things hadn’t changed all that much. where he slammed into the truck’s side.
Byers was ready for her, settling into a defensive In that moment, he realized he might lose. So, he
stance. He didn’t draw his gun, maybe full of some stopped fighting fair. Out came the gun.
bullshit macho need to best her hand-to-hand. That “You fucking coward,” Ambrosia sneered.
was fine. He could make that mistake. It’d be all the
sweeter when she defeated him. She left hers hol- He squeezed off a shot as she flew at him. A
stered, too. white-hot streak of pain seared her upper arm as the
bullet grazed her, but she gritted her teeth against
He had professional training, that was for sure; it. Ambrosia closed the distance in a heartbeat and
Ambrosia noticed it the night of the heist. She won- grabbed his gun hand. Heat flared beneath their fin-
dered if he had been military before he’d signed onto gers and as she pictured the bullets in their chambers.
Lonergan’s crew; A Navy SEAL or the Marines, may- “If you want to keep that hand,” she said, “let go
be. He caught several of her swings, turned them aside right now.” He howled as the metal seared his skin.
and struck while she adjusted. She learned some of The smell of burning flesh was awful, but Ambrosia’s
these same moves in her time with the SPD, and even stomach grumbled anyway.
how to counter them, but her ribs ached wherever
Byers’ blows landed. Byers’ hand relaxed beneath hers. Ambrosia let
go, and he sank to the ground, panting.
He grinned, smug and pre-emptively triumphant.
Jakob leapt atop the rightmost truck. He hefted
Wrong choice. one of the crates and flung it out of the bed, forcing

170 SCION: DRAGON

a guard to dive out of its way. He pitched another “Did we just ... declare war on a billionaire?”
at Frank and Kate. It shattered at their feet, sending asked Jakob.
splinters of plastic and stone shrapnel into exposed “Think so,” said Ambrosia. She was already plan-
skin. Frost spread from Jakob’s feet, encapsulating ning the research she’d need to do when she got back
the truck. The guard dragged himself into the cab and to Seattle, the calls she’d need to make and the favors
turned the ignition, either attempting to flee like a she’d need to call in. “You in?”
coward or separate Jakob from his allies. Either way,
it didn’t work. The engine was too cold to start, the He grinned. “Hell yeah.”
battery drained. Jakob smashed in the window and • • •
dragged the guard out by the collar.
Rhiannon skirted around Ambrosia and Byers,
climbing up into the other truck’s bed. Like Jakob, she
A week later, Ambrosia sat in Leticia Flores Gonzáles’
kitchen. Maps of Washington and printouts of
Lonergan’s holdings covered the table, along with
went for the crates. Heavy as they were, she lugged several notebooks full of Ambrosia’s research. If anyone
firehoses and air tanks around on the regular. Out of would have an idea of which Lonergan endeavors were
the trucks and onto the ground they went, spilling the shadiest, it was Leticia. Her environmental activism
their contents onto the rainforest’s tire-churned soil. had taught her to spot inconsistencies in land buys, and
Eric shot the middle truck’s rear tires, then circled how to tell when business operations weren’t truly what
around behind Frank and Kate. He herded them to- they seemed.
ward their other two colleagues, directing them with “He’s been after permits to cut old-growth trees
a flick of Giantsbane’s muzzle. Jakob held the guard that have been off-limits for a long time,” she said
he’d been tangling with by the scruff of the neck and now, twirling the macaw pin on her sweater. “His
dragged him over to Ambrosia and Byers like an un- whole team of lobbyists have been at it for over a year
ruly kitten. now.”
“You’re going to get in this truck and leave,” said “And he’s using those permits to find places of
Ambrosia. “You’ll find your last buddy on the way power and steal whatever’s there so he can sell it. It’s
out. He’ll need some help getting in. Then you’re go- only a matter of time before he stumbles across some-
ing to tell your boss this place is off-limits. He sends one’s hoard.”
you or another team back, we’ll find out.”
“He’s got resources. Friends in high places. An
“Do you think this is the only place like this he’s army of lawyers. You sure you’re ready for this?”
got?” asked Byers. “You can’t be in all of them.”
Ambrosia thought about the empty shrine in the
Ambrosia leaned down, so Byers could see the rainforest, and the relics Lonergan’s people had taken
flames flickering in her eyes. “Don’t be so sure,” she from their sacred places to turn a profit. She thought
said. “I can be very, very patient. Now run.” about what they’d found under the tarp after Byers
The four Lonergan employees scrambled into the and his crew drove away, and the deep sorrow and
truck, two in the cab, two riding in the bed. The tires pity she’d felt as they buried the slain shrine-guardian.
kicked up dirt as the driver floored the gas. She tapped a place circled on the map, one of
Lonergan’s recent real estate acquisitions. “This is
worth fighting for.”

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE 171

 St. George then looking round about,
The fiery dragon soon espy’d,
And like a knight of courage stout,
Against him did most fiercely ride;
And with such blows he did him greet,
he fell beneath his horse’s feet.
— Reliques of Ancient English Poetry
collected by Thomas Percy
and edited by D. L. Ashliman

S cion focuses on mortal beings under the backdrop of

an epic war. While unique Scions compete with each
other, their gods and deities hang above and dwell below,
Storylines: A good Storyguide should create a
Storypath — a single resource that includes all the materi-
als they need to convey the story. This should include set-
creating a mosaic of beliefs, myths, and epic stories. In ting descriptions, one or more plotlines, and Storyguide
this regard, Scion: Dragon presents a third tier in the cold characters (SGC) with fully developed sheets. Additional
war between Gods and Titans. This conflict presents new supplements may include randomized events, fictional
themes, strategies, and stories, augmenting the already rich news articles, maps, and music to provide immersion for
world of Scion. This chapter provides additional tools for locations the player characters may visit.
the Storyguide as they pertain to Dragons and Heirs. Some games are one-shot events while others are
A Scion is the offspring of a God. They are a figure of campaign style chronicles designed to have multiple game
legend, imbued with power to protect (or harass) people sessions. Scion: Dragon utilizes a great deal of cloak-and-
while serving their given progenitor. By contrast, Heirs dagger events with individual acts of espionage and covert
operate in the dark, hiding their nature from others as actions. If the players encounter an SGC and gain access
well as themselves. Heirs don’t fight monsters on the eve- to their phone or computer, a good Storyguide should
ning news, nor are they heroes people worship or deify. know what they’ll discover ahead of time. This way the
They are clandestine agents, orchestrating events from information remains readily available and consistent
the shadows, armed with their wits and protected only throughout the chronicle.
by their anonymity. To put it another way, Michael Bay Players vs. Characters: There is an old Hollywood
would be an excellent choice to direct a Scion movie. For legend regarding the 1976 film Marathon Man starring
Heirs, the ghost of Stanley Kubrick would be ideal. Dustin Hoffman and Sir Laurence Olivier. In the movie,

SETTING Sir Laurence Olivier portrays a war criminal who tortures

Dustin Hoffman’s character. In preparation for this diffi-

THE STAGE cult scene, Dustin Hoffman stayed awake for three days
to capture emotional verisimilitude. According to rumor,
an unimpressed Sir Laurence Olivier asked Hoffman, “My

S cion is a collaborative game, negotiated between the

Storyguide and the players, but the Storyguide maintains
the setting and shape of the experience.
dear boy, why don’t you just try acting?”
This story illustrates two very different views when
it comes to acting, and this lesson translates well into a
Providing the Game Space: A Storyguide is respon- roleplaying game. At the end of the day, players play and
sible for the actual playing space of a given game. This in- portray roles in the game, not their characters. Players
cludes making sure all relevant Scion books are available, who use their characters to conduct themselves in an
the players have access to dice or electronic dice-rollers, inappropriate manner sometimes use their creations as a
and maintaining a comfortable and collegial atmosphere. shield. “This is what my character would do” becomes the
The Storyguide should also make sure character sheets go-to defense of their choices.
are up to date and available to the players. Finally, a
Storyguide doesn’t need to memorize every single rule, To be clear, players can and should use their charac-
but they should have ready access to any relevant rules ters to explore different aspects of the human condition,
and books. but it does not divorce them from personal responsibil-
ity or the emotional consequences of their actions. The
Establishing Setting, Theme, and Goals: A Storyguide, along with each of the players, contributes to
Storyguide is responsible for establishing the mood of the overall enjoyment of everyone at the game. If a player
the game. Scion: Dragon has its own themes and setting, feels compelled to take actions which might jeopardize
which are different than a typical Scion game, which this participants’ trust, then the Storyguide should have a pri-
Chapter explores. vate conversation with the aforementioned player about

Setting the Stage 173

how to take actions that remain in the spirit of the mood A Storyguide can assist a player in this regard by offer-
and setting of the game session. ing moments of seemingly random clarity. For example, a
Having Fun: Beyond the preparation and execution, Dragon who a Titan severely burned a thousand years ago
the core job of the Storyguide is to provide a safe and en- may bequeath a fear of fire onto their Heir in the form of
joyable experience. When a game is too difficult for the a Memory Deed. The Heir suddenly develops this phobia,
players, they can grow frustrated, and a Storyguide who and instinctively remembers the source of that memory
becomes too protective of their creation can often hinder is in a particular location. If said Heir travels to that loca-
their own game. By contrast, the players can’t always win. tion, they may encounter individuals who are “familiar”
Character growth often comes from personal loss and de- to her, though in truth, they are merely part of a Dragon’s
feat. In the end, the Storyguide is the cheerleader for the memory. By defeating the pawns of the aforementioned
players, and their goal is to create a balanced atmosphere Titan, the Heir can complete their Memory Deed.
that is both challenging and rewarding. Snakes shed their skins, and so, to become a Lesser
Wyrm, must Heirs shed some part of their humanity.
NUTS–AND–BOLTS This represents the last great roleplay arc of this stage
of a character’s arc, and a wonderful opportunity for

B eyond theory and golden rules, the role of a Storyguide

is half preparation and half improvisation. It builds on
the layout described in Scion: Origin, but with a cloak-and-
Storyguides to collaborate with their players to tell a tru-
ly epic story. An Heir at this point has acquired enough
Deeds to become a Lesser Wyrm, and this story arc should
dagger twist. not represent a monkey wrench thrown in her path, but a
narrative cut-scene of a sort, marking the change in a cin-
The Seed: The Seed is akin to a thesis statement —
ematic fashion. Whether she shaves herself entirely bald
one sentence encapsulating the trajectory of the story. To
and burns her hair along with everything she owns on the
use Star Wars Episode IV as an example, the Seed might
pyre in which she also immolates the bodies of Scions she
be: “A young farm boy learns about their magical powers
slew in the name of her mother, or locates and uses a Joka
and joins the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire.”
artifact which devours her memories of her mortal family
The Pitch: If the Seed is a one sentence statement, and leaves said family behind without a word of goodbye,
the Pitch is the opening paragraph delivered to the play- an Heir must entirely surrender some portion of what
ers. If we continue to use Star Wars Episode IV as our ex- makes her human. In doing so, she kills the heart of what
ample, then the opening crawl at the start of the film con- made her mortal in the most literal of senses. She has by
stitutes a Pitch: “It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, this point devoted herself fully to the search for her dra-
striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory conic self. Her sacrifice of these symbols of her humanity
against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel marks the last gasping spasm of her expiring mortality.
spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate The Heir dies, and a new Lesser Wyrm walks — or crawls
weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with — the earth.
enough power to destroy an entire planet. Pursued by the
Planning: In the world of Scion: Dragon, most
Empire’s sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard
stories involve some measure of espionage. They need to
her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her
harm, spy on, or otherwise steal from a given individual
people and restore freedom to the galaxy…”
or organization. While the characters and the players
Deeds: Deeds are character goals. They are moments portraying them may not know the reason why a Dragon
a player wants to explore with their character. In addition is asking them to do a thing, the Storyguide should abso-
to short-term and long-term Worldly Deeds, Heirs pursue lutely know why. So, at a high-level view, the Storyguide
Draconic Deeds and Memory Deeds. Worldly Deeds have should first determine the Dragon at play and their poten-
nothing to do with Dragons nor their overarching goals. If tial rival. This adversary likely takes the form of a specific
an Heir wants to reunite with their lost love or track down God or Titan. Once this is established, the Storyguide can
the person who murdered her best friend, this would be flesh out the adversary’s underlings who, ultimately, will
a Worldly Deed. When a Dragon commands their Heir to be the target of the player characters.
thwart the efforts of a particular Titan, this is a Draconic
In the realm of espionage, spies and agents have many
Deed. The former deals with non-Dragon related goals
avenues at their disposal. Assassinations, theft, sabotage,
and the later deals exclusively with Dragon interests.
infiltration are all means to an end. Dragons can task the
Memory Deeds, however, are new. Memory Deeds are player characters with going after a series of targets, all of
subconscious actions taken on the part of the character, whom work directly or indirectly for the aforementioned
but are in truth, merely reflections of their Dragon progen- adversary. If the players prove too effective, the Storyguide
itor. A Dragon has centuries of memory, experience, and can simply add more underlings. And if the Storyguide
attitudes, all of which have been psychically transcribed wants to raise the stakes, they can have the adversary
onto the soul of their Heir. An Heir cannot control these employ Scions for protection or bring in an entirely new
memories, but they can learn to understand them, and in God or Titan with their own individual agendas. While
so doing, they may come to unearth their true heritage. the characters may launch their clandestine career with

174 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

a simple smash-and-grab job on a civil servant, they may aware, especially for Reincarnated Heirs, extending this
end embroiled in a covert war against an entire group. privilege across the table to other players might add a
Many games later, they come to realize the organization new layer of interest and roleplay depth. The structure of
they’re fighting against is but a proxy for a specific God or Dragon provides an environment which actively encour-
Titan, and from there the characters can begin to question ages players to work with one another in laying out po-
what this specific God or Titan did to earn the wrath of tential hooks for their Heirs to interact with one another’s
their Dragon. histories, again, especially where Reincarnated Heirs are
Execution: A Storyguide can have good sense of concerned.
where the story should go only to have the players take At a table where mutual trust between players exists
a tale in an entirely unexpected direction. Be ready for as a result of good communication and extended roleplay,
the ingenuity of the players. A Storyguide can’t account allowing players to create hooks or events for each oth-
for every eventuality and should show flexibility when a er’s Heirs where Dragons overlapped creates awesome
player offers a unique and unexpected tactic, especially roleplay opportunities in what are, essentially, your
when said tactic is particularly clever. When a player characters’ past lives. If Steve and Evelyn are playing the
takes an action, the Storyguide should weigh the merits only two Reincarnated Heirs in a Brood otherwise full of
of their action and make a final decision based on fairness Chosen Heirs, they may decide to give one another the
and game balance. freedom to create Deeds for their Draconic parent, or sim-
Finally, a Storyguide is in charge of the overall pacing ply bits of flavor from that parent’s past. Perhaps Steve’s
of a game, which players can sometimes derail with their character Dacey is a reincarnation of Andvari in this game
character choices. The Storyguide should allow the play- set in New York City. Steve hasn’t decided what, exactly,
ers to take the reins of their own game, but they may need caused Andvari to reincarnate across the sea from the rest
to eventually return players to the core through-line — the of his Flight. Evelyn decides that it has something to do
Seed mentioned previously. A good question to occasion- with the fact that the sagas tell that Andvari cursed Fáfnir
ally ask is, “Does anyone have anything else they’d like to into becoming a dragon, and Fáfnir didn’t much care for
do before moving forward?” that interpretation of events becoming the most popular
turn. It’s as if Fáfnir weren’t always a Dragon in his own
PLAYERS AS right! How scandalous.
PLOT CREATORS Evelyn confers with Steve and establishes some
ground rules and boundaries for what Steve finds fun to
While Storyguides fashion events in an Heir’s past or
engage as themes, and what they want to avoid. Steve
draconic heritage of which the player may not be initially

Nuts–and–Bolts 175
says they’d prefer to know as little as possible about what operate in a secret world, not only to their enemies, but
Evelyn decides, because they trust her. She decides and also to themselves.
confirms with the Storyguide that Andvari decided to flee Be they born, chosen, or reincarnated, all Heirs at
the bonds of his Flight to avoid the blame for Fáfnir’s de- some point come to realize their true heritage and almost
motion to ‘wasn’t always a dragon,’ and Fáfnir thereafter immediately become conscripted into a clandestine war.
snitched to the Æsir about which direction Andvari took Some Dragons speak directly to their children, though
off in. The Storyguide thinks Evelyn’s idea fits perfectly if they choose to do so, it’s usually via dreams or other
with some other ideas he’s got in mind for this Brood, and portends. More often, Dragons utilize Guides, Pawns, and
takes the backstory as is, holding on to it to weave it in other Heirs to handle new recruits. An older Heir func-
with future storylines. tions as a case worker, mentoring, training, and handling
Evelyn decides she’d like a little bit more information the younger Heir. These mentors help establish false
than Steve, just to whet her curiosity as a player, so when identities, safe houses, and code words for covert com-
Steve and the Storyguide confer, Steve tells Evelyn that munications. After a few successful missions, the mentor
the bit of backstory they made up for her has something to fades from view, allowing the Heir to operate solo. From
do with how her Dragon met his demise. Since Evelyn and then on, missions come in the form of secure messages,
Steve talked beforehand, and she told him she’d prefer not dead drops, and surreptitious intermediaries.
to engage with themes of torture, she can relax and enjoy The life of an Heir is pulled between two different
the story, knowing her tablemates have respected her worlds — their mortal realm and the agenda of their
wishes. This process can enrich the story-crafting process Dragon parent. But every time a Dragon asks an Heir to
for the entire table by both allowing greater player collab- carry out a task, the more that Heir loses some of their
oration and freeing up the Storyguide’s mental energy for naiveté. The more they steal for a Dragon, or kill for them,
weaving all of these incredible ideas together rather than the more embroiled they become until eventually it is too
having to be the sole genesis of the twists and turns in a late to go back. An Heir lives a lonely life, wrought with
character’s backstory. In the end, of course, the Storyguide doubt and confusion. They are unable to reveal the nature
is the final arbiter of what themes and storylines he wants of their work, and those few they can share it with live
to engage with at the table. equally uncertain lives.
Setting firm boundaries beforehand with regards to Intelligence operatives try to remain detached, keep-
topics which would make this exercise less fun gives more ing their emotions in check and keeping their families
freedom to everyone at the table: if Steve doesn’t want to compartmentalized. Families and loved ones are, in the
engage with anything regarding a particular topic, he’s espionage business, potential points of leverage. Agents
more able to enjoy this sort of trust-based interplay once often keep their clandestine activities a secret from their
he’s set those boundaries clearly beforehand and can trust families as much as they keep their families secret from
that his roleplay partners respect those boundaries. Even their clandestine activities. The Heir walks a precarious
with setting firm limits on comfort levels, however, play- tightrope between these two worlds. They live a real
ers might be surprised by their reactions to topics they life with a real name and an actual occupation. But they
didn’t think would bother them. also fight in a secret war, with a mind full of memorized

SHADOW GAMES code-phrases and a nearby safe house filled with fake IDs,
passports, and a small arsenal.

I n the real world of espionage, agents come in one of two

categories — official and non-official cover operatives.
SCIONS AND HEIRS
While the Gods and the Titans battle each other daily,
Governments assign official cover operatives to a foreign
Dragons have assumed a more mercurial role. They func-
embassy or consulate and provide them full diplomatic
tion nearly as mercenaries, often as independent actors
immunity. On discovery, the foreign embassy usually expels
or go-betweens. Sometimes they work for the Gods, and
the operative from the country without further diplomatic
other times they aide the Titans, no matter which side
or legal incident.
they may seem to be helping, they have their own per-
Non-official cover (NOC) operatives, however, func- sonal goals and agendas for helping the pantheons. Often,
tion without official ties to a particular government. Their on a long enough timeline, those allegiances change. As a
work is illegal, highly dangerous, and if caught, they are result, intelligence agents don’t hold grudges. They can’t
completely on their own. Their governments have plausi- afford to. The agent they tried to assassinate yesterday
ble deniability and won’t assist the NOC agent or even ac- might be a source of information they need tomorrow.
knowledge their existence. Heirs function as NOC agents, That said, when it comes to Scions and Heirs, there are
but worse, since NOC agents have at least some semblance some shared cultural through lines.
of why they are doing the things they’re doing. Not only
The Draq and the Theoi and Anunna: The Draq
does an Heir have little protection if caught, they don’t
despise the Anunna Gods. Marduk is responsible for de-
even fully grasp the motives behind their orders. They
stroying Tiamat — the mother of all Dragons — an unfor-
givable sin. The Draq would just as soon destroy all the

176 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

pantheon if they only have enough power. But they don’t, The Theoi spent a great deal of time murdering the
which means they bide their time, and spend whatever Naga, meaning that the European Dragons who weren’t
time they can wearing Titan mantles with which to make trapped in the Divine Realm died in the bloody esca-
war against them. Both the Dragons and the Gods cast pade. They refuse to work with the Theoi Gods, though
each other as villains in their own stories, and that rift is sometimes they might lend secret aid to a Titan or two if
likely to never heal. it seems like it can land a blow on Zeus, who they blame
To a lesser extent, the Draq also have a bloody history his Scions (specifically Heracles) for most of their lost
with the Theoi, who hunted their members during their brethren.
pogrom across Europe and into the Middle East. Draq are The Lóng and the Kami and Shén: The Lóng left the
more likely to work with a Theoi God or two, depending Kami and the Shén quietly, and many of them still per-
on who it is, or what mantle they are wearing at the time. form double duty as Titans to the pantheons. They aren’t
Heirs know to take jobs on a case by case basis and not to necessarily happy with how their roles were marginal-
have too high of expectations of Theoi agents. ized, especially Ryūjin who the Shén deeply humiliated.
The Joka and the Netjer and Òrìshà: The relation- They don’t look kindly on the Gods of these pantheons,
ship between the Netjer and the Joka is complicated. and refuse to work with certain members until an apol-
Ammut urges the rest of the Flight to assist the Gods in ogy is forthcoming, but due to their relegation as Titans
destroying the Titans, and Apophis urges the exact oppo- otherwise, the Lóng doubt they’ll ever see such. They are
site. The rest of the Joka fall somewhere in the middle, much more likely to help a Titan, or work to protect their
acting as mercenaries to whichever side will feed their own titanic interests than to help a God of either of these
hunger the best. Meanwhile, the Òrìshà have offered pantheons.
peace to the Joka. The Flight doesn’t necessarily trust The Serpents and the K’uh and Teōtl: The South
it, but the Òrìshà’s insistence on refusing to label anyone American pantheons view the Serpents with a certain
a Titan has won over a few of those on the fence. While reverence, claiming their presence as a universal neces-
Dragons like Ammut believe such a stance is folly, Raina sity. The Serpents, on the other hand, feel a bit like the
appreciates them and has worked with them on more than Gods have betrayed them, allowing humanity to pollute
one occasion. Joka Heirs are always wary of Scions, but and slowly destroy The World. The Serpents don’t blame
they are more likely to find allies amongst the Òrìshà’s the Gods, so much as they don’t trust them to do the right
Scions than any other pantheon. thing. While Ndengei doesn’t trust any Gods, the rest of the
The Lindwurm and the Æsir and Theoi: To say Serpents are fine working with them. Xiuhcoatl still keeps
the Dragons of Northern Europe have an adversarial re- his ties to the K’uh, carrying a mantle of a God, though
lationship with the Æsir Pantheon is an understatement. his mercenary acts come from no place of love. K’uk’ulkan
With Fáfnir’s death and Jörmungandr relegated to Titan keeps the company of the Teōtl God, Quetzalcoatl, and
and child of Loki, the Lindwurms are not much impressed considers many of the other Teōtl friends. The Serpents
with the Æsir Gods. The mythology depicts Dragons as are firmly on the side of the Gods either way, as they view
monsters, slain by Norse heroes of lore, and many lost Titans as just a different source attempting to destroy The
their lives to these myths. Unfortunately, this doesn’t World. That hasn’t stopped some Titans from reaching
preclude them from working with a God or Titan when out to them for aid, but the Serpents keep their distance.
a truth about the Dragon’s real history is at stake. Their
relationship with the Theoi is less fraught, though they
FOLLOWING THE
blame Heracles for their loss of memory with the loss PAPER TRAIL
of Vishap. They still seek restitution, though the Theoi After enough spy missions and trade craft, at some
are never likely to give it. Lindwurms have long memo- point, an Heir is going to start questioning their orders.
ries and hold old grudges, dispensing their resentment Unfortunately, Dragons aren’t generally forthcoming. A
on both groups. Scions of either pantheon better come Dragon operates from the deep shadows, using interme-
bearing choice knowledge if they hope to find help from a diaries to move their pawns and further their own agen-
Lindwurm Heir. da. One of the themes of Scion: Dragon is self-discovery
The Naga and the Devá and Theoi: The Devá are while unearthing the true motivations of a Dragon. An
unapologetic in their war against the Titans. The Naga Heir can accomplish this through a number of different
have given their aid in the form of Vasuki who sits on methods.
Shiva’s shoulders, though Vasuki has played both sides Comparing Notes: The simplest method of discov-
against the middle for as long as he’s been working for ering a Dragon’s agenda is to compare notes with other
Shiva. The Naga often unofficially help the Devá on both Heirs. If three different Heirs have clandestine orders to
sides, trading in information, weapons, money, and power. attack members of the same corporation or group, it paints
For the Naga, this is a relationship of convenience. They a clear picture. That said, getting clandestine agents to
collect and catalogue favors from the Deva into a stockpile openly discuss their work is risky. If an Heir saunters up
of chits, which the Naga eventually plan on calling in. to another Heir at a local bar and asks too many questions,
they’re likely to earn suspicions and side-eye rather than

Shadow Games 177

secrets. The trick is to earn the trust of a fellow Heir, Rosenberg trial was a national sensation, and they were
swapping stories, friendship, and perhaps a couple of convicted after a speedy 23 days in 1951. The couple filed
secrets. seven appeals, but each one failed. They were executed
The Butcher’s Bill: At some point an Heir might in 1953.
break down and make a list of every act of espionage Virginia Hall: Hall operated in occupied France
they’ve ever committed. In it, they may discover a pattern during World War II where she cooperated with the
of behavior. If they’ve struck at known Scions of a partic- Resistance in Vichy. The Gestapo put her on their most
ular deity, this may suggest their Dragon has beef with a wanted list as “the limping lady.” In 1932, she accidently
specific pantheon. If the Heir has conducted operations shot herself in the foot with a hunting rifle when she tried
to protect or safeguard a particular group, the Heir may to climb a fence after forgetting to apply the safety catch.
soon learn the particular group serves a specific Titan. By Her injury resulted in amputation. Doctors replaced her
collecting these data points, the Heir can start to put the lower leg with a prosthetic which she named “Cuthbert”
puzzle together, revealing at least part of their Dragon’s and filled with important documents to keep them secure.
agenda. Josephine Baker: Most famous for being a singing
Watching the Watchmen: Dragons like to compart- and dancer, Josephine Baker, like Virginia Hall, coordinat-
mentalize their secrets, which means they don’t hand ed with the French Resistance to smuggle messages. She
out orders the same way every single time. They utilize reported said, “France made me who I am, the Parisians
go-betweens and sub-agents. This allows them to operate gave me their hearts, and I am ready to give them my life.”
at a distance and maintain some semblance of plausible Her celebrity status gave her easy access to parties as she
deniability. One option for an Heir is to shadow these travelled around Europe performing. Another spy posing
intermediaries. They can turn their considerable skills of as her assistant would use invisible ink to write the intel-
espionage against their employers, stalking them to their ligence they overheard on her sheet music.
homes, learning more about them, and following the in- Juan Pujol Garcia: Known as Agent Garbo and the
evitable money-trail. In so doing, the Heir may identify spy who saved D-Day, he earned the name by being such
a specific bank or organization employed by the Dragon, a good actor. Garcia was a double-agent who became fa-
which may answer certain questions. mous for faking his intelligence and creating 27 imaginary

REAL-LIFE SPIES spies he said he recruited to feed him this information. So

convincing was he that in 1944, he earned both an Iron
Cross from the Fuhrer and an MBE from Britian’s Security

E veryone loves a good spy story. Between books, movies,

and television, there is plenty from which to take
inspiration. Just look at the stories of Jack Bauer and James
Service MI5. Afterward, he faked his death until 30 years
later when British writer Nigel West theorized that he
hadn’t died and discovered him living in Venezuela. He
Bond, Varys from Game of Thrones, Black Widow from died a second time in 1988.
The Avengers, and Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in
Goldmember. Television shows like Archer, The Americans, Anna Chapman: Authorities arrested the Russian
Alias, Spooks, Burn Notice, and more get into what it might model and spy in 2010, after she used her wiles to learn co-
be like to play an Heir. vert information. Rumored to have tried seducing Edward
Snowden, the NSA whistle-blower, to keep him in Russia
Less known are the stories of real-life spies. Below for questioning and caught attempting to honey pot one
are some true tales to use as jumping off points for player of President Obama’s cabinet members, the United States
characters and antagonists. deported Chapman after her arrest as part of a spy swap.
Mary Bowser: Information steadily dripped from She’s since gone on to become an Instagram influencer.
a leak in the Confederate White House during the Civil
War. Confederate President Jefferson Davis knew he had
a mole giving intelligence to the Union, but couldn’t flush
INTELLIGENCE
them out. Mary Bowser posed as a slow-witted servant
to the household unable to read or write. So, David often
GLOSSARY
left important papers out in the open. Little did he realize,
she was a bright, educated woman with a photographic
memory. Toward the end of the war, when suspicion grew
I ntelligence trade agents and organizations use a common
vocabulary. The following is a list of familiar terms and
definitions.
too much to ignore, she fled the house and tried to burn it Abort: To terminate an operation for any reason.
down on her way out.
Access: Gaining entry or proximity to an organiza-
The Rosenbergs: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were tion or information.
American communists who passed nuclear secrets to
the Soviet Union in the 1940s. Ethel’s brother, David Actionable Intelligence: Information that allows for
Greenglass, would be their undoing. After authorities ar- direct and immediate exploitation.
rested him as part of the Russian spy ring, he sold out his
sister and brother-in-law during his interrogation. The

178 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

 Active Measures: Tradecraft jargon for operations Defector: Someone who abandons their home nation
involving deception, manipulation, and disinformation. or organization and joins another.
Adherents: A counterterrorism term for individuals Directorate-General for External Security
who have formed cooperative relationships with enemy (DGSE): The primary intelligence agency of France.
agents. Disinformation: False or misleading information
Agent: An intelligence operative. used to deceive individuals.
Agent-in-Place: An employee who is manipulated Double Agent: Someone who engages in covert ac-
into cooperating with an intelligence operative. tivity for two intelligence agencies or organizations.
Analyst: An expert who examines information and Espionage: Actions directed toward the secret acqui-
produces actionable intelligence for agents in the field. sition of information.
Asset: An individual who knowingly or unknowingly Exfiltration: A rescue operation designed to retrieve
provides information to an intelligence officer. an individual in danger.
Backstop: A source who helps support a legend. False Flag: Operations designed to appear as if they
Black Operations: Unofficial covert actions not at- came from a third party.
tributed to a particular government or organization. Federal Intelligence Service (BND): The primary
Blown/Burned: When an agent’s real identity be- intelligence agency of Germany.
comes discovered or made publicly available. Force Protection: Measures used to prevent a hos-
Bona Fides: Falsified proof supporting a given tile attack or action.
legend. Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR): The primary
Bridge Agent: Someone who acts as a courier be- intelligence agency of Russia.
tween case officers and agents. Ghoul: An agent who researches obituaries and
Brush Pass: The clandestine passing of items or in- graveyards for names of deceased persons to use for cover
formation between two individuals. identities.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service: The pri- Handler: A case officer who manages agents and
mary intelligence agency of Canada. assets.

Case Officer: Someone who organizes and manages Human Intelligence (HUMINT): Intelligence
multiple agents or assets under their command. gained from information collected by individuals.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): The primary Infiltration: Inserting an agent into an area while
intelligence agency of the United States. avoiding detection.

Chief of Station: In the CIA, the agent in charge of Informant: Someone who knowingly or unknowing-
multiple officers, placed in a foreign city. ly provides information to an agent.

Cipher: A system for masking a message by replacing Intelligence: The product of collected data and
numbers or letters. information.

Clandestine/Covert: An operation designed to be Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI): The primary in-

secret. telligence agency of Pakistan.

Classified: Information protected by law from public Legend: A fictitious identity used by a clandestine
access. agent.

Clearance: Authorized access to information. Ministry of Intelligence: The primary intelligence

agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Counterintelligence: A means of identifying an ac-
tive intelligence operative. Ministry of State Security (MSS): The primary
intelligence agency of China.
Countermeasure: A means of negating or mitigating
an enemy action. Mole: An agent who infiltrates an organization to spy
on it.
Cut Out: An individual used to pass material or infor-
mation between two parties. Mossad: The primary intelligence agency of Israel.

Dead Drop: A location used to plant items or infor- Naked: An agent who works without backup.
mation, which later, another individual retrieves. Non-Official Cover (NOC): An agent who secretly
Deep Cover: The act of infiltrating an organization operates in foreign territory.
for an extended period. Official Cover: An agent who openly operates in for-
eign territory.

Intelligence Glossary 179

 Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT): Intelligence
gained from information collected by public sources. SURVEILLANCE
Everyone leaves a paper trail. Garbage left on the curb
Operation: A mission with a specific objective.
can reveal what take-out place a target prefers or what
Plaintext: A message before encryption. bills they pay. When someone uses their computer, an IP
Provocateur: An agent used to provoke a rival into a address registers their location. When someone uses their
specific course of action. phone, a cell tower is pinged. Bank records, travel itiner-
ary, and social media help paint a picture. And a picture is
Research and Analysis Wing (RAW): The primary
of great value to a spy.
intelligence agency of India.
An Heir’s task may revolve around the collection
Recognition Signal: A pre-arranged phrase used
of information on a particular individual or group. This
between agents who need to meet.
demands patience and an ability to blend in with one’s
Recruitment: The method by which an agent ac- surroundings. Following a target may require controlling
quires an asset. a herd of animals, a camouflage Knack, or a disguise spell.
Redaction: Sensitive information blacked out or de- Heirs need to mask their activities spying on a target while
leted before distribution. simultaneously avoiding being spied on. Intelligence work
calls this ‘coverage.’ Conversely, an Heir can monitor a giv-
Safe House: A secondary secure location. en location, allowing their target to come to them. Heirs
Signals Intelligence (SIGINT): Intelligence gained who work in pairs or groups can assist in this, switching
from information collected by communication systems, out tails at periodic intervals to avoid suspicion.
radars, electronic communication, etc. Sometimes the tables turn on an Heir, and they need
Secret Intelligence Service (SIS): The primary in- to avoid possible surveillance themselves. In an age of
telligence agency of the United Kingdom. Also known as satellites and closed-circuit cameras, this can be difficult.
MI6. It’s why spies utilize locations satellites can’t cover, such
Sleeper Agent: An agent who, after long term deep as caves, tunnels, or freeway overpasses. Heirs can also
cover, an organization activates to perform a specific task manipulate the weather, teleport across vast distances, or
or assignment. employ a Luck spell in order to avoid capture.

Steganography: Methods for concealing the exis- Finally, an Heir can plant listening devices on a mark.
tence of a message. Inside a car, phone receiver, light socket, lamp shade,
anything the target comes into contact with is a viable
Subversion: Actions designed to mislead, under- delivery mechanism. Listening devices with batteries
mine, and sabotage an enemy organization. need to be changed at regular intervals, while bugs tied
Surveillance: The act of observing a target or area. to an electrical system transmit radio waves to a nearby
location. This also doesn’t account for the host of super-
True Name: An individual’s real and public name.
natural powers an Heir has to monitor a given individual
Vetting: The means by which an individual is ana- or location.
lyzed or evaluated.
Watch List: A list of names, locations, or phrases COMMUNICATIONS
monitored or sought by an intelligence organization. One of the principal facets of spy craft is the safe dis-
Wet Work: Actions involving direct violence and tribution of information. Passing intelligence to another
potential death. individual without notice takes certain precautions. Heirs
use brush passes to safely transfer intelligence to another
Window Dressing: Materials used to help create a person or utilize dead drops so another party can access
cover story. them later. A brush pass occurs when two agents physi-
Zoning: A means of surveillance divided into individ- cally pass each other in a public space, and one hands off
ual areas, rather than by individuals. an item to the other. This method usually incorporates
the two carrying identical items, such as a newspaper or
TRADECRAFT briefcase, wherein they collide, drop their belongings,
and then pick up the new item. At a distance, onlookers

H eirs operate on a fundamentally different level than

Scions. If the offspring of Gods are broadswords, the
progeny of Dragons are scalpels, utilized with precision,
observe the collision and do not notice the hand-off.
A dead drop requires a set location, such as under-
neath a public mailbox or behind a fake brick in an alley,
patience, and a healthy amount of plausible deniability. Heirs which is then used to plant sensitive messages or material.
operate in the shadows, monitoring locations, or assassinating The courier marks or tags a shared location, notifying his
targets, and they must worry about others monitoring or counterpart the dead drop is full. This tag usually takes
assassinating them. The following are sample aspects to help the form of something innocuous, such as a chalk mark on
illustrate the clandestine nature of Scion: Dragon. a building or a colored tape on a lamp post. Heirs also use

180 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

cut-outs or third parties who function as an intermediary invasion. The German soldiers gave to the haversack
between the spy and their asset. to General Kress von Kressenstein who, amused by
Heirs trade in information, much of which they en- Meinertzhagen’s German-sounding name, wanted the
crypt through a cipher. Ciphers need to be, by their very documents to be real. Believing Meinhertzhagen to be a
nature, challenging to translate. That said, balance is nec- double agent added credence to the ruse, and as a result,
essary especially since a simple Knowledge spell can in- the Germans redeployed their forces. When the British
stantly read a given code or cipher. Therefore, some Heirs launched their attack, the German forces were entirely
base codes on a predetermined signal. If the reader knows unprepared.
stormy weather means danger, then a message that reads Deceptions also root out spies and moles. If an Heir
“there is a 99 percent chance of rain in X location” could needs to identify a possible mole, they can sometimes
reveal the sender is in danger. If intercepted and decoded, release misleading clues. If a double-agent acts on the
it won’t reveal the true intent of the message. misleading clues, then they reveal their true intent.
When Heirs do need to meet in the open, which is
rare, they usually take one of two options. Public locations
ASSETS
are ideal because they provide multiple escape routes and Unlike in the movies, the primary method spies use
an opportunity to blend in. The second option is to meet for gaining classified information is through assets. Heirs
somewhere remote such as a sewage plant or condemned approach employees at key businesses, using a combina-
building. But when trust is an issue, the gold-standard of tion of blackmail, befriending, coercion, and mind control
meeting places is inside a public swimming pool. Why? to turn the asset against their parent agency. Getting
It’s difficult to hide a semiautomatic weapon, or anything someone to betray their own is a difficult prospect requir-
else for that matter, in a bathing suit. ing patience, finesse, and no small measure of empathy.
Some Heirs use fear to turn an asset by threatening to hurt
DECEPTION them outright, by threatening their family, or by threaten-
Dragons also use intelligence as a form of misdirec- ing to expose some secret. An accountant who’s stealing
tion, spreading false information in order to obfuscate from their own company or a cheating spouse are highly
their true intent. One of the most famous strategic decep- motivated to maintain their position, so they betray their
tions involved the invasion of Normandy during World own if it means avoiding exposure.
War II. Operation Overlord launched on June 6th, 1944 Bribery works for some Assets because of simple
and was the result of years of deliberate deception on greed, but it’s a crapshoot. Heirs usually overpay for the
the part of the Allied forces. Their strategy was to make information they’re after and there’s no money-back guar-
Hitler believe the D-Day invasion would land at Calais antee if the intelligence proves to be false. Heirs can also
rather than at Normandy by feeding false information motivate some by love or loyalty, placing their faith in a
to known German spies. The Allies purchased maps of cause, or a person, rather than in their employer. Turning
Calais in Switzerland, constructed massive fake military an individual against another is a custom process, based
encampments for German spy planes to photograph, and entirely on the character of the individual.
even employed an actor in Gibraltar to portray General Using allure and romance is another tool in the ar-
Bernard Montgomery. By the time of the D-Day invasion, senal of a spy. The two most famous examples are Mata
Hitler was convinced Normandy was a false front, and the Hari and Shi Pei Pu. Mata Hari was an exotic dancer and
true invasion remained at Calais. By the time he realized prostitute in France during World War I. She first spied
his error, it was too late. on Germany for the French before becoming a double
Strategic deception is all about making an adversary agent. Meanwhile, Shi Pei Pu was an opera singer who
believe a falsehood to be true. This requires feeding them served the Chinese secret service from 1964 to the early
erroneous intelligence which, when coupled with enough 1980s. Shi Pei Pu cultivated a relationship with a Bernard
facts, makes them appear to be authentic. Dropping off Boursicot, a French embassy clerk. Shi Pei Pu convinced
fake documents at the local embassy raises a few eye- Bouriscot he was in fact a woman dressed as a man. Over
brows, but fake documents taken off an unwitting pawn, two decades, he managed to acquire more than 150 French
or accompanied by some sense of authenticity, might documents.
be believed. During World War I, in addition to the in- Assets who can’t be turned are sometimes interrogat-
famous standoff on the Western Front, the Germans ed for information, which requires its own set of unspo-
and the British fought a lesser known battle for control ken rules. Contrary to popular belief, torture is generally
of East Africa, where both sides had colonies. The man an unreliable form of extracting information, as everyone
in charge of English intelligence was Colonel Richard reaches a point where they’ll say anything to make the
Meinhertzhagen. In 1917, he arranged for a courier to pain stop. But an Heir who walks into an interrogation
lose a haversack containing sensitive documents in the fully prepared, with full knowledge on a given target, has
Sinai Desert, knowing the German army would capture the power to make the subject feel powerless. After all,
them. The documents were of course forgeries containing if the interrogator already knows everything, then what’s
misleading information regarding an upcoming British the harm in cooperating? Even a stubborn mark can be

Tradecraft 181
tricked into revealing sensitive information. Of course, is a building block which needs to be corroborated and too
an Heir still has torture as an option. And supernatural many lies are sometimes difficult to keep track of.
powers. Heirs seeking to penetrate a secure location some-
INFILTRATION times rely on basic portrayals as couriers and custodial
staff. But they still rely on facts and details which they
One of the most famous acts of infiltration took place can confirm with a cursory glance. It’s harder to create
during the Revolutionary War. James Armistead was an a history than it is to alter it, and truths are always easier
African American double agent who worked directly for to remember. Skilled Heirs incorporate real elements into
General Lafayette. Posing as a runaway slave, Armistead their legend supported by outside allies and the occasion-
made his way into a British camp under the command of al supernatural power.
Brigadier General Benedict Arnold. Armistead overheard
Finally, if mundane avenues are unavailable, a skilled
conversations, troop deployments, and arms shipments,
Heir can infiltrate a location by flying onto the roof or
and relayed information back to General Lafayette.
swimming up through the sewage system. Supernatural
Indeed, his efforts proved critical to the colonial victory
magic and Knacks provide a vast array of infiltration
at Yorktown.
methods, depending on the relative age and skill of the
If an Heir cannot gain access to information from a Heir.
distance, or through an asset, they need to take a more
direct approach. Infiltrating a group or business often THEFT
requires a legend — a fictional background identity sup- Stealing is the most common task demanded of
ported by documentation and memorized details. This Heirs. Sometimes this requires sophisticated equipment
method can be tricky. Pretending to be a member of law and sometimes this demands a more smash-and-grab
enforcement may grant access to a given locale, but one approach. But the sensitivity of the target item generally
quick phone call likely blows an agent’s cover. dictates the level of security needed to safeguard it.
Modern ID’s and passports utilize magnetic strips, Stealing someone’s wallet or ID utilizes the same
holograms, and infrared watermarks which are difficult to method as a stage magician — misdirection. Acts of
replicate, requiring black-market professionals or friends sleight-of-hand or diversions draw the attention of the
at the Department of Motor Vehicles. In either case, target, leaving their valuables vulnerable to pilfering. One
building a legend is a lot like building a house of cards: the of the most famous acts of misdirection occurred in the
higher it gets, the more convincing it is. But every new lie 1960s. Abril Lamarque was a lesser-known magician who
stood on a stage and changed the color of a handkerchief

182 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

right before the eyes of a captivated audience. He prom- Explosives, sabotage, poison, firearms, brute force
inently displayed a yellow handkerchief and proclaimed or various Magics and Knacks are all viable forms of vi-
by the count of three he was going to turn its color from olence and assassination. While the murder of Emperors,
yellow to green. By count two, a naked woman walked Kings, and Presidents is well documented, one of the most
onto the stage. Unsurprisingly, the audience was so fixat- infamous assassinations took place during World War
ed on the nude woman they failed to notice how exactly II. During Operation Anthropoid, two Czechoslovakian
Mr. Lamarque transformed his handkerchief from yellow agents infiltrated Prague in order to assassinate General
to green. Most Heirs don’t have a naked woman on call, Reinhard Heydrich. While the General took his daily
but a spilled drink or feigned heart attack has roughly the commute, the car reached a sharp curve, forcing it to slow
same effect. down. As the vehicle slowed, the agents sprung their trap,
A second method of stealing something is through armed with both a submachine gun and an anti-tank gre-
sheer brute force, which again largely depends on the nade. Heydrich survived the initial attack but died seven
target item. Robbing someone’s wallet requires the threat days later from his wounds.
of force, but breaking into a bank vault needs sophisticat- When someone thinks of an assassin, they usually
ed equipment or a spell such as Adamant Claws. Stealing picture someone with a sniper rifle on top of a rooftop
money from an armored van or bank is a risky proposition. ledge. However, most snipers fire their rifle from inside
Strike during the day and an agent has lots of pedestrians a room through a large open window. This method hides
who could become potential witnesses. Strike at night and the shooter, masks the muzzle flash, and distorts the re-
the spy may trip an alarm, alerting law enforcement in no sulting sound. Of course, an Heir can also fire from five
time. hundred feet in the air with Flight or mask their position
Stealing information via the internet is another with thick and sudden fog. Regardless of the panache with
method of theft but is actually harder than it looks. which an Heir executes their abilities, an assassin’s job is
Skilled hackers can obfuscate their IP address, but most mostly one of preparation—choosing the right vantage
computer systems have enough security to demand direct point and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
access. So if an Heir can’t infiltrate their way into a home Of course, many Scions can survive a fired bullet from
or building, they need to find another means. The most a thousand yards away. Eliminating Scions or other super-
common method of gaining access to a computer is to natural beings takes more than a precision shot. It takes
trick someone who already has it. Getting an employee to research, planning, power, and above all, the element of
click on an email link can help deploy malicious software, surprise. A failed assassination on a Scion is a dangerous
granting the hacker access to their passwords. Another mistake to make. It allows the target to fortify their posi-
method is to maneuver an employee to physically insert tion and call for potential backup. In these scenarios, the
a foreign device, flash drive, or disk into their computer. hunter can very quickly become the hunted.
Once inserted the device can release software which
grants the hacker access.
Most Heirs prefer to steal their items or information
OPERATIONS
without capture and, ideally, without anyone knowing the
theft even took place. This means breaking into a location, I n the war between the Gods and Titans, Dragons function as
something of a third party. Some align with the pantheons
and others with the Titans. Those allegiances are specific to a
copying documents, replacing those documents, and es-
caping the scene without incident. given Dragon and change with alarming alacrity. Part of this
is by design, given it is difficult to discern a Dragon’s agenda if
VIOLENCE AND someone isn’t even sure what side they’re on. From espionage
ASSASSINATIONS to sabotage and infiltrations to direct assassinations, Heirs
are the tip of the spear. The following are sample missions,
The final tool in an Heir’s repertoire is abject vio- known in the trade as ‘operations’.
lence. When a Dragon wants to send a violent message,
they command their Heirs to break a limb or extract a BREAKING AND ENTERING
tooth. And when a Dragon wants someone to simply The Heir must steal architectural blueprints from a
disappear, they command an Heir to end someone’s life. security company. The plans are inside a secure safe on
These acts of violence are rare, usually a last resort in the the ninth floor. In order to access the safe, the Heir needs
shadow war between Dragons and their enemies. But they to infiltrate the building either during the day under false
do happen, executed on a case-by-case basis. An Heir may pretenses or at night after the building is closed. Daylight
not understand where their target fits in the game, but infiltration means stealing or manufacturing a cover iden-
they do know the price of disobedience. Some targets are tity either as a lawyer, security guard, courier, or janitorial
unarmed and innocuous, easy to track and remove. Others staff. Breaking into the building at night demands bypass-
are hardened killers, trained in the arts of counter espio- ing security systems and having to deal with hired guards.
nage. An Heir never really knows what they’re facing until Once they reach the safe, they’ll need to break inside and
they fall within striking distance. either copy the blueprints or steal them outright. From

Operations 183
there it’s a simple problem of escaping the building with- difficulty with public locations is millions of dollars is
out raising any alarms. difficult to transport and black-market gunrunners don’t
take checks.
EXPOSURE Once arranged, the transaction includes the inspec-
A third party delivers a message to the Heir, instruct- tion of payment, followed by an inspection of the goods.
ing the Heir to obtain compromising material on a local After the exchange, the Heir can take the weapons to a se-
Scion. The Scion in question works as a police officer who, cure location. However, if the Storyguide wants to present
for some reason, has crossed a Dragon. The Heir begins a challenge they can add a level of paranoia to the gunrun-
surveilling the target, tracking their day-to-day move- ners, or they can make one of the gunrunners an under-
ments. By digging into their garbage, social media profile, cover detective, prompting a massive sting operation.
and bank records, the agent can find some thread to pull on.
Perhaps the Scion, as a member of law enforcement, has BY WAY OF DECEPTION
large sums of money entering their bank account. Perhaps An Heir needs to plant false evidence on a rival
it’s far more than a police officer should. This might indi- agent. Whether a competing Heir or maybe it’s a Scion,
cate a police officer on the take extorting drug dealers and the Dragon needs to turn the rival against their employ-
petty criminals for money. Or perhaps the Scion, while er. The easiest way to do this is by sowing doubt in their
married, frequently visits the same hotel room. This may allegiance by planting misleading information. The Heir
suggest an affair or employment of an escort service. Once acquires a large amount of cash and a USB flash drive con-
the Storyguide determines the nature of the compromise, taining false intelligence, all of which suggests the rival
the Heir can acquire evidence. If the Heir can tail the agent is selling their secrets to the Titans.
Scion without them noticing, they can take photographs
of the illegal activity, handing it off the aforementioned The Heir then begins to survey the target, monitor-
third party and completing their operation. ing their movements and ascertaining the best method of
planting both the information and the cash. Maybe this
RUN! means breaking into the rival’s home or maybe this means
impersonating the rival and opening a bank account in the
The Heir receives an urgent phone call from a trusted
Caymans. But once the Heir inserts the false narrative,
ally, informing them the police are on their way to arrest
the Heir can then place an anonymous call to the rival’s
them. This is a different kind of story focused more on the
employer.
character themselves and the immediacy of survival. The
Heir has precious little time to destroy any compromising
material they might have and escape the scene. The longer
DEEP COVER
a police chase lasts, the greater the likelihood the police An organization killed an ally of the Heir. Maybe it’s a
will catch the person. Roadblocks, helicopters, and addi- street gang, or a drug cartel, but the criminals involved are
tional pursuit cars all become factors on a long enough dangerous. The Dragon instructs the Heir to infiltrate the
timeline. Given this, the Heir has a limited window to organization, earn their trust, and discover who exactly
escape the falling dragnet and must employ evasive ma- murdered the ally. The Heir constructs a fictitious per-
neuvering, camouflage, misdirection, and Dragon Magic. sona backed by credible accomplices. This helps create a
reputation which allows the Heir to get their foot in the
Once the Heir manages to escape, they’ll need to door.
ascertain what the police were looking for and why.
Snitches, allies, or counter-surveillance may reveal a false Once on the organizations’ radar, the Heir conducts
claim of drug distribution, along with an anonymous po- several side missions to earn their trust, delving further
lice informant. From there, the Heir simply needs to dig into the group with each successful attempt. But, the Heir
deep, identify the police informant, and track them down. needs to tread carefully. One wrong move and they may
If the Storyguide wants to throw the players a curve ball, expose their false front. Once the Heir identifies the in-
they can make the police informant and the individual dividuals responsible for the murder, they need to avenge
responsible for the raid a rival Heir or Scion. From there, the ally and then extract themselves from the scene.
the Heir can approach the rival using diplomacy, bribery,
or direct force to end the conflict. SEARCH AND RESCUE
An emergency call reaches the Heir, informing them
CANNONS FOR CASH a colleague is in immediate trouble. A fellow Heir, in
The Heir must set up a meeting with a black-market service to the same Dragon, is locked inside a hotel room
gunrunner and receive money to help secure payment. swarming with people. Maybe they’re police, organized
From there, the Heir has several different options. They crime, or in service to a Titan, but they are numerous and
can set the meeting in a secure location, which helps them they are closing in on the ally. The Heir must find a way to
control the terrain. On the other hand, the Heir can ar- insert themselves into the scene, rescue their colleague,
range for the meeting to take place in public, which allows and get out safely.
for multiple exit routes and lots of witnesses. The only

184 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

 One strategy is to go in guns-blazing, though, this is a survey the scene, observe the gang members, and find an
loud and bloody affair almost certainly drawing attention opportunity to snatch one. Once in custody, the Heir has
to the scene. Another idea is to use misdirection to draw a variety of methods to discover the location of the child.
away the belligerents and then utilize stealth to safely ex- The first method is to use torture, though considered
tract the ally. A third strategy is to masquerade as a mem- largely ineffective. Eventually individuals under torture
ber of the same organization. Ultimately, the Heir needs say anything, which is even more useless when time is a
to get their hands on their ally and get them out safely, factor. A second method is to create a new environment
likely through force, stealth, or misdirection. for the subject, removing their sense of time and any hope
THE HEIST of escape. With the subject’s entire future in the hands of
the Heir, their only means of freedom is through talking.
The Heir searches a dead drop and finds encrypted
A third method is a Trojan prisoner approach, or a
instructions. With the proper code book, or with the
reverse interrogation, where the Heir pretends to be a fel-
proper Knowledge spell, they decipher the plans to reveal
low prisoner in the subject’s holding cell. By talking with
the theft of a Scion artifact from a convoy taking place in
their fellow “inmate,” the Heir can trick the subject into
three days. The plans include a description of the artifact,
revealing something about the child. Finally, the Heir can
the license plate of the van carrying the artifact, the in-
use psychotropic drugs, or supernatural gifts, in order to
tended time and travel route of the vehicle, and instruc-
gain information from the subject.
tions to deliver the item to a third party.
Once the gang member reveals the location of the
From there the Heir has a great deal to do and little
child, the Heir can form a battle plan. Using stealth, direct
time to actually do it. Robbing a moving vehicle takes
force, or misdirection, the Heir can insert themselves into
timing and coordination. First, an agent needs to get the
the group, retrieve the child, and escape.
vehicle to stop, requiring a staged traffic accident, a blown
out tire, or the threat of violence. Then, an agent needs
to secure the vehicle, immobilize the occupants, grab the
ASSET ACQUISITION
artifact, and get away while avoiding pursuit. The Heir must acquire an asset belonging to a scien-
tific research facility. They’ll want to find someone with
Another option is for the Heir to infiltrate the organi- enough access or clearance to reach where the facility
zation using the convoy, though this may prove challeng- stores the asset. The first step is to begin surveillance of
ing given the small window. If the Storyguide wants to the facility, acquiring a list of employees. The Heir tails
create more of a challenge, they can replace the van with each employee until they find someone useful to their
an armored car, coupled with armed security guards and ends. Good marks are ones who have something to gain or
security cameras. If the Storyguide wants to push things everything to lose.
even further, they can make the artifact incredibly heavy
and/or cumbersome or add a Scion to the security detail. Disgruntled workers who involved in gambling
or who feel underpaid might be susceptible to bribery.
THE 1000 YARD CLUB Corrupt workers involved in drug activity or extramarital
affairs could be vulnerable to blackmail. Another meth-
The Heir receives a package via courier containing
od is to befriend an individual using friendship or false
a name, a photograph, and instructions to execute the
romance.
target by a given date. The name and the photograph is of
a corporate lawyer who works for an international firm. Regardless, gaining the trust and loyalty of a potential
The Heir first needs to acquire information on the target asset takes time, but eventually through rapport, black-
like their work habits, patterns of behavior, areas they fre- mail, or bribery, the Heir should be able to convince an
quent, etc. They need to reconnoiter their home and place asset to provide them with sensitive information on the
of business, acquire suitable weaponry, and form a plan research facility, which can then be passed on to their
of attack. This might take the form of a sniper rifle fired Dragon.
from a thousand yards away or a close-quarter attack from
inside the lawyer’s home. An alternative might include
sabotaging the target’s car or elevator shaft, killing them
UPPER TIER PLAY
in such a way it looks like an accident. A Storyguide can
complicate this affair by providing a security detail to the
target or by making the target an actual Scion.
W hile most of the information presented in this book is
for Hero level play, Dragons get powerful when they
reach Lesser Wyrm status. The following section explains
how to increase your characters to Lesser Wyrms when they
TIME IS TICKING reach Inheritance 5.
A street gang kidnaps the child of a foreign banker. By the time the characters reach Inheritance 10, they
The police, either through corruption or coercion, have become full blown Dragons. Dragons transition from
decided to turn a blind eye. The Heir must capture one spies and operatives to the shadowy manipulators hiding
of the gang members and interrogate them, learning the behind the scenes. While they can still interact with The
location of the child as soon as possible. The Heir needs to World, they do so through intermediaries, gaining their

Upper Tier Play 185

 of what she could do before. While in a human
form, she cannot activate any of her Transformation
TIERS Knacks that would show her draconic side, though
she can use her Knacks of Scale. When using a
Characters in Scion: Dragon can vary Knack of Scale, failure to buy off the True Draconic
in potency similarly to those in Scion. As
described on p. 62 in Scion: Origin, this Nature Complication results in ending the human
potency is represented by Tier. form transformation.
1 (Mortal Tier) Characters without a trace • Feats of Scale are bigger and showier for Lesser
of supernatural power. Inheritance 0. Target Wyrms than other Heirs. When a Lesser Wyrm per-
number 8. forms a Feat of Scale, she can spend a Momentum to
2 (Heir Tier) Characters who have been gain an additional +1 Scale for the action regardless
inducted into the world of Dragons or have of if the action falls in line with her Deed Name. This
accepted their Inheritance. Inheritance 1-4. does stack with the Deed Name Scale bonus though.
Target number 8. But, doing so increases her cumulative Complication
3 (Lesser Wyrm Tier) Those characters who for True Draconic Nature by +1.
have embraced their draconic nature and are • You should use the Collateral Damage rules (p. 187)
growing into their own entity. Inheritance 5-9.
at this Tier or higher.
Target number 7.
Lesser Wyrms start to care less about the needs of
4 (Dragon Tier) Characters who have
ascended into full dragon, leaving their human humans and have a stronger handle on who they are than
shell behind and entering into the shadow Heirs with lower Inheritance. At this point, the Heir’s
games that Dragons play. Inheritance 10. draconic ancestor has not just shown herself, but proba-
Target number 7. bly also brought her into the fold and shared some of her
plans. The Lesser Wyrm is on a firm path to becoming a
Dragon, and there’s no turning back now.
own Heirs. The game changes drastically once characters Lesser Wyrms are seasoned operatives, often discov-
reach upper Tiers, but we give some suggestions below on ering plots or operations on their own and dealing with
how you can change your game. them without guidance from their ancestors. These Heirs
LESSER WYRM might have missions for their Pawns, asking them to take
care of minor things while they jet-set through Terra
The first thing you’ll want to do is increase your char- Incognitae manipulating both sides of the Titanomachy
acter’s Tier from 2 to 3. Tier 3 characters have their target to their liking. They have their own goals and are starting
number reduced to 7 instead of 8. Additionally, certain to form their own plots. While they are fully embroiled
abilities come easier to Tier 3 characters than those of in their Flight’s and ancestor’s personal goals, they have
earlier Tiers. probably made enough friends and enemies to be em-
• All Tier 3 characters immediately gain the Modest broiled in those goals as well.
Human Guise Draconic Knack. If they already had
this Knack, they gain another Draconic Knack of DRAGON
their choosing. Characters with Inheritance 10 are full Dragons and
increase to Tier 4. At Tier 4, characters have a target num-
• Lesser Wyrms spend less effort to create and main-
ber of 7. Their abilities far surpass anything a simple Heir
tain Dragon Magic. The cost for activating Spells is
could do. Dragons are full on immortal legendary crea-
reduced by one step. Meaning that Spells that require
tures, prone to reincarnation, capable of creating their
a spent Inheritance now require the Heir to imbue
own Heirs, and fully entered into the shadowy manipu-
it, and Spells that require imbued Inheritance are
lations all Dragons engage in to sway the Titanomachy.
now a Simple action to complete. Spells that were
Their concerns are no longer human, and their actions no
once free, are still free, but now can be activated as a
longer always intelligible.
Reflexive action. The Heir must still perform part of
the Incantation as the Reflexive action, but the Spell Make the following changes to your Dragon charac-
is now so rote for her, just thinking the Incantation ter to bring them to Tier 4 play.
works. • Dragon Magic: Dragons master whatever Dragon
• A Lesser Wyrm is more comfortable in her draconic Magic they know and can perform any Spell within
form than in her human one. She is no longer limit- the magic for free at a whim. They do not need to
ed to transforming into her draconic form once per bother to learn new Spells, as they come up with
scene and can switch back and forth as many times new magics all the time.
as she likes. At Inheritance 9, the Heir fully trans- • Knacks: Dragons no longer spend Momentum to
forms into her draconic form. She can now imbue activate Knacks and they permanently assume their
an Inheritance to take on her human form in reverse Draconic Form.

186 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

 • Birthrights: Dragons can activate Heirs and can
take Heirs as the Pawn Birthright. Additionally, COLLATERAL
their maximum Hoard rating now increases to 10, In games of enormous power and massive effect,
instead of 5. there’s some expectation that buildings crumble, crowds
scatter, and character wreak havoc on a huge scale. As
• Draconic Power: Dragons replace their Inheritance
characters ascend to new, untold levels of power, their
rating with Draconic Power which starts at 5.
ability to contain collateral damage lessens. Lesser
Anything that would check for an Inheritance rating
Wyrms are no longer merely humans struggling with
now uses Draconic Power. Dragons no longer have
their draconic nature, but beings halfway between mortal
Remembrances.
and true Dragon, and their power matches. When Heirs
• Memory Deeds: A Dragon no longer gains Memory reach Lesser Wyrm status, Storyguides should include
Conditions as compulsions from an ancestor. the collateral pool to represent the high stakes dangers of
Instead, they can place them on intermediaries as throwing around true draconic power.
their own wants and desires. A Dragon can gain a
Memory Condition which is tied to a specific Pawn. BUILDING THE POOL
When the Pawn completes the Memory, the player At the start of any ongoing campaign or a one-shot,
accomplishes a Memory Deed. the collateral pool begins with zero dice. Whenever the
Playing at the level of Dragons drastically changes the players’ characters take any of the following actions, add
game you are playing for Scion: Dragon. Your character’s one die to the pool for each applicable action.
concerns are on a level beyond that of self-discovery or • Performing Feats of Scale
following the plots of your ancestor or Flight. While she
• Making any roll enhanced by Scale
may still be deeply involved in espionage, keeping secrets,
and manipulations, she is at the level where these involve • Taking on a Draconic Form
taking down entire pantheons, or singling out a God or • Using Transformation Knacks in front of mortals
Titan to take down or manipulate. She becomes a handler
with her own agents and operatives to fulfill minor ac- • Failing to buy off applicable Complications
tions for her. The character rarely takes direct action, but • Special Flairs or Antagonist abilities
instead sets up plots by directing her agents.
The pool builds until it reaches 10 dice, and the num-
You can handle this in a few different ways. You can ber of dice in the pool roll over from session to session
focus the game on the Dragon’s Heirs, making new char- until it hits 10. Once it has been filled, any actions that
acters and playing with the knowledge that the player’s would add additional dice instead add Enhancement.
old character’s goals are the ones your new characters are
working through. At the end of any round in combat or after all player
characters have taken their actions outside of it, the player
Alternatively, you could continue to play as the whose action caused the pool to fill then rolls all ten dice
Dragons, but instead of going on missions, you direct mis- and the Storyguide chooses from the following stunts:
sions, and your actions are to direct the flow of a scene, or
to manipulate people on a larger level than just a single Burned (3s): The character is outed as a draconic
mission. Each action roll represents a single mission en- being, their human form associated with large supernat-
acted by your character’s agents, a scene could encompass ural effects, or their draconic form recognizable to those
an entire month’s worth of plots, schemes, and missions looking. The triggering character has people looking for
to set up a specific goal. You get directly involved when him, and suffers a +2 Complication to all actions for the
the plot comes to fruition. Dragons fight antagonists such rest of the session. Failure means those people find him.
as Demigods, Gods, Titans, huge titanspawn, and other Narratively, they may simply want to study him, or they
Dragons. A group of Heirs may come from a rival and may bring someone along to slay the Dragon.
attempt to take a single Dragon down, but not a cabal of Harm (2s vs trivial targets/any successes over
Dragons. Defense): Either a major character is hurt by an environ-
Dragon goals can be as petty as revenge, or as wide mental disaster caused by the characters’ actions or the
sweeping as defeating all the Gods and returning The power unleashed causes injury (or death) to any number
World to the way it was before. But even a revenge goal of trivial bystanders.
is going to be for some slight a celestial being, or other Incite (2s): Onlookers turn against the characters,
massive legendary creature perpetuated. Think big when furious with them for their wanton destruction. The trig-
trying to decide what goals to deal with as a Dragon, such gering character has +1 Difficulty to social interactions for
as creating a new Flight, taking down a pantheon, starting the rest of the session for each time this Stunt is chosen,
another Titanomachy, etc. to a maximum of +3.
Pin (2s vs trivial targets/any successes over Defense):
A massive piece of rubble falls either on a major character

Upper Tier Play 187

in the scene, or on any number of trivial bystanders, trap-
ping them until they break free or are rescued. FIELD
Raze (Successes equal to Size): Destroy an object es-
tablished in the Field such as a building, the getaway car,
an armored vehicle, etc.
COMPLICATIONS
Scatter (2s): All trivial or non-magical targets (in-
cluding Pawns and mooks) flee the area, out of terror or
A s Heirs to Dragons, characters are likely to find
themselves in strange locales and weird spaces. They
may be delving into a millennia old lair full of traps and tricky
self-preservation. Even well-drilled military units run. passages, a thick jungle, or even just crowded city streets.
This is a fear effect for the purposes of Knacks and Spells. A scene may occur entirely while flying through the air, or
Sunder (2s): The Field is shattered and warped. Apply diving through the ocean. Considering these Field elements
an appropriate Field Complication. For example, Burning, will help bring additional action to games of Dragon as
Tight, or Unstable work well. characters deal with unique elements while also fighting
antagonists. Fields can have none or many different effects
Once the pool has been rolled, it resets to zero, and at the same time. An open expanse of grass at mid-morning
resumes filling back up as normal. may have no Field effects, while a midnight run through a
Players may engage with the collateral pool in the frozen tundra may have both the Dark and Extreme weather
following ways: Complications.
Unchecked Abandon: When a character makes any All Field effects have the same mechanic, which is
action with unchecked abandon, she may declare before that they impose a Complication to certain actions. The
she rolls any number of Enhancement, up to +5. The following example Fields state the level of Complication
Storyguide adds an equal number of dice to the pool in- they impose in the title, then describe the effect and con-
stantly, which may cause the pool to empty. sequences of not buying off the Complication.
Devil’s Bargain: Once per session, a character may BURNING (1+)
take a devil’s bargain, and any collateral they would add
Flames engulf the area, licking up the walls of a build-
to the pool during that action is instead given to the
ing or raging in a wooded area. For each round the charac-
Storyguide as Tension.
ters remain in the Burning Field, the Complication’s value
increases by 1, to a maximum of 5. This Complication

188 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

applies to all actions taken in the Field, unless the char- HIGH WINDS (2)
acter has immunity to fire or environmental conditions.
Separate from Extreme Weather, high winds make it
If not bought off, character risk an Injury Condition or
difficult to stand or move within a Field. If the characters
permanent damage to their items and equipment.
are in flight in this Field, increase the Complication to 3.
CROWDED (2) Characters suffer the Complication when making a move
The Field is crowded with people or things mak- action. Failure to buy off the Complication results in the
ing it hard to push through. The default move action is character falling prone, or if the character is in flight be-
no longer reflexive, and players must roll Athletics + ing knocked wildly off course.
Appropriate Attribute to overcome the myriad barriers. LOUD (2)
Additionally, characters cannot Rush in a crowded Field.
Music, industrial noises, or ear-splitting racket fills
Characters suffer the Complication when they take move
the Field. Characters suffer the Complication when at-
actions. Failure to buy off the Complication could result in
tempting to take social actions in the Field. Failure to buy
an Injury Condition, getting lost, getting turned around,
it off risks severe miscommunication, someone overhear-
or getting moved to another range band as the crowd
ing the conversation, of the intended target not hearing
moves you.
it at all — the Storyguide picks a new target for the social
If applied in an Intrigue Encounter, use the Loud action. Additionally, this counts as a negative atmosphere
Complication. for intrigue play.
DARK (2) SLICK (3)
The Field is in pitch darkness, either because of Something saturates the Field making it slick. It
the environment or through magical means. Characters could be ice, oil, water from heavy rains, or some kind
suffer the Complication to actions that require sight, of magical material. Characters suffer the Complication
and if the area is anything other than completely flat, when making move actions, and fall prone if they fail to
the Complication applies to move actions. Failure to buy buy off the Complication.
off the Complication could lead to an Injury Condition,
going prone, or simply missing a target. Sources of light SOCIAL CODE (2)
can eliminate this Complication depending on the source. The Field is dominated by a social norm and rules you
Small sources might eliminate it for a Range Band, but at- must follow. You might be in a Dragon’s lair with strict
tempting to take actions on something outside the light’s social etiquette and rules, a location that follows a specific
range reinstates the Complication. Characters may have cultural norm, or a space filled with a majority culture,
supernatural abilities that provide light for themselves or race, or gender that the character does not share, and act-
others which negate this Complication. ing outside the expected social code could cause issues.
Characters suffer the Complication when attempting
EXTREME WEATHER (3) social actions. Failure to buy off the Complication results
The field is in an extreme state. It could be the in a -1 shift in attitude of those who witness the faux pas, a
frigid winds of the arctic, or the unbearable heat of the change in the atmosphere to hostile, or another appropri-
desert, either way, acting is difficult. Characters suffer ate social consequence.
the Complication on all actions taken while in the Field
unless they have an immunity. Failure to buy off the TIGHT (2)
Complication could lead to an Injury Condition, slowed The Field is physically limited in space, preventing
movement, or a debilitating Condition from dehydration easy movement and even squeezing the characters as they
or frostbite giving a +2 Difficulty for actions until treated. move. Characters cannot take actions large weapons at
all, and taking on a Draconic Form immediately causes
GAS CLOUD (3) an Injury Condition. Characters suffer the Complication
A choking gas fills the field. This could be smoke from on all movement actions while in the Field. Failure to buy
a fire, noxious fumes, poison gas, or an opponent’s breath it off may lead to an Injury Condition, losing an item or
weapon. Characters suffer the Complication on all ac- piece of gear, or the loss of their next action.
tions taken while in the Field. Unless a character doesn’t
have to breath, they are affected by this Complication, UNSTABLE (3)
holding your breath while in it may stave off poison, but The Field’s ground is unstable and threatens to
doing so still makes it difficult to act. Failure to buy off fall out from under the character’s feet. You might be
the Complication could lead to an Injury Condition, an on a rubble strewn street, a collapsing building, or at-
increase Difficulty towards actions requiring speech, an tempting to stand on a rockslide. Characters suffer the
increase Difficulty in actions due to wracking coughing, Complication on attack or movement actions that require
or gaining the Poisoned Condition at a rating based on the balance. Failure to buy it off may lead to the character
Storyguide’s discretion. destroying the part of the terrain they were standing on,
falling prone, suffering an Injury Condition, or moving
a range band in a direction of the Storyguide’s choosing.

Field Complications 189

Characters flying or otherwise immune to falling do not repertoire and often have lesser Archetypes working
suffer this Complication. for them.
WEIGHTLESS (2) Primary Pool: 9
The Field is non-standard, either in a Terra Incognita, Secondary Pool: 7
or the characters might be in free fall. Characters at- Desperation Pool: 5
tempting to make any move action must roll Athletics
+ Dexterity, and suffer the Complication. Failure to buy Health: 3
off the Complication results in moving too far or too lit- Defense: 3
tle, getting turned around, or engaging with the wrong
Initiative: 6
target. Characters with the ability to fly can ignore this
Complication. Extras: +2 Enhancement for Stunts other than Inflict
Damage
ANTAGONISTS WYRM TRACKER
H eirs pursuing the plans of their ancestors or their own
goals may run afoul a dizzying array of enemies in The
World and beyond from mundane law enforcement to divine
While an Heir may easily defeat her Rival, a Wyrm
Tracker is prepared for a fight. The Wyrm Tracker
leg breakers to titan-birthed creatures crawling out of Terra Archetype is designed to provide a challenge for
Incognitae. Some opponents, however, seek out Dragons and Heirs. They may be other Heirs, Scions, Denizens,
their Heirs, and are a problem for draconic heroes. or monstrous entities looking to make a name for
themselves by seeking out or killing a Dragon. They
DRACONIC ARCHETYPES often have multiple Qualities and Flairs and work in
pairs or lead groups of lesser Archetypes.
The following archetypes define varying power levels
of Antagonists for characters at Inheritance 1-5, or Heirs.
Primary Pool: 11
Use these archetypes to quickly create your own antago- Secondary Pool: 9
nists. For creating Antagonists for use against characters Desperation Pool: 6
at higher Inheritance (Lesser Wyrm and Dragon) see p.
186. Health: 5
SPY Defense: 4
In any normal situation, a spy is a highly com- Initiative: 9
petent individual with years of training and field Extras: Mystic Arsenal (if appropriate)
experience. They are professionals, and rarely
expect to fail at their missions. But when dealing
with an Heir, they are out classed and out matched.
The Spy Archetype fulfills the same role as the WYRM SLAYER
Mook Archetype (Scion: Origin, p. 145) in that A Wyrm Slayer has killed before and will do it
they are easily taken out in one hit. But Spies are again. They are highly dangerous individuals that
likely to have a few Qualities to show their higher present an imminent threat to a Brood. A Wyrm
competence. Slayer isn’t always seeking out Dragons or their
Heirs to kill, instead they are just that capable,
Primary Pool: 7 anything from a Demigod, titanspawn, terrible
Secondary Pool: 5 monster, or Dragon killer can fit the bill. Much like
the Monster Archetype, Wyrm Slayers should end
Desperation Pool: 3 up being a solo fight for Heirs, though may have
Health: 1 additional allies if the player characters are Lesser
Wyrms.
Defense: 1
Primary Pool: 13
Initiative: 4
Secondary Pool: 11
Extras: +1 Enhancement (Storyguide’s Choice)
Desperation Pool: 7
Health: 10
ROGUE AGENT
Defense: 4
A Rogue Agent presents a real threat to an Heir.
These represent Heirs, Scions, and other supernat- Initiative: 10
ural entities on par with Heirs who oppose their Extras: Apocalyptic Presence, Wyrm Slayers often
actions. This could be anyone from an Heir from make use of Size rules, and particularly terrible ones
another Flight to a Denizen looking to get payback may gain force Scale.
from a bad deal. Rogue Agents add Flairs to their

190 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

 such as a tonfa or a sword. This weapon counts as
QUALITIES barehanded for the purposes of this Enhancement.
Qualities define innate abilities for an Antagonist. She also gains +1 Defense and +2 Health.
These are always on, or activated for free.
DEFENSE
ATTACK Defense Qualities provide armor, defensive capabili-
Attack Qualities modify an Antagonist’s offensive ties, or natural healing.
capabilities.
REGENERATION
ARMOR PIERCING Prerequisite: Wyrm Tracker or higher Archetype
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype The Antagonist heals one Health box per round.
Attacks made by the Antagonist do not suffer Antagonists with this Quality must also take the
increased Difficulty to Inflict Damage due to Soft Vulnerability Quality (Scion: Origin, p. 149).
Armor. Damage from the defined source is not regenerated.
If the Antagonist survives the fight, their damage
heals at a rate of one box per day.
DRAGON BREATH
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype
STABLE
The Antagonist has some kind of breath weapon The Antagonist is extremely stable, either because
which she can unleash as a ranged attack. This of their body shape or training. The Antagonist is
could be anything from poison gas to gouts of flame. immune to effects of the Knockdown/Trip Stunt.
When she makes an attack with her breath weapon,
it gains the Ranged, Aggravated, and Shockwave
Tags.
TOUGH AS NAILS
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype
ENTRAP When the Antagonist takes damage, raise the
The antagonist has a natural weapon that she can Antagonist’s Defense by 1 for a number of turns
use to pin a target. It could be a web or spine that equal to the number of Health boxes currently filled.
she shoots at her target, or a stinger at the tip of a If she takes damage again before her Defense
long tail. When making an attack with that weapon, returns to normal, reset the countdown.
the antagonist can choose the Pin Stunt as though
she were in control of a grapple with her target.
UNSTOPPABLE
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype
LIFE DRAIN
The Antagonist is truly massive, likely standing at
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype least eight or nine feet tall and at least half that
The Antagonists blows drain the life out of victims, across. She has Scale 1 for size and force, which
sapping their strength even as it kills them, and increases to force Scale 2 when dealing with inan-
empowering the Antagonist at the same time. imate objects. Additionally, any allied characters
Whenever a character takes damage from the within close range of the Antagonist receive the ben-
Antagonist’s Close Combat attacks, they gain the efit of the Antagonist’s Armor (but not her Defense).
Drained Condition and the Antagonist gains a +2
Enhancement to her next Close Combat action.
Anyone with the Drained Condition suffers a +2 UTILITY
Complication to physical actions, failure to buy of
the Complication causes them to suffer an additional Utility Qualities provide various modes of movement
Injury Condition, or go unconscious (player choice). or useful Qualities that do not fall into other categories.
The Condition ends when the Antagonist inflicts an FLIGHT
Injury Condition on any character other than the one
with the Drained Condition. The Antagonist has speed Scale 1 when flying
and ignores any Complication from Difficult or
Dangerous Terrain, unless that Terrain represents
PERFECTED SOLDIER Atmospheric conditions. Additionally, if this
Antagonist chooses to Disengage vertically, she can-
Even among legendary warriors, there are those not be followed unless the pursuer has some means
who inspire awe or terror. Beyond the level of of matching her, such as wings or magic.
Super Soldier, the Perfected Soldier Antagonist is
terrifying to behold. She gains a +2 Enhancement
to Barehanded Combat. Select a specific weapon,

Antagonists 191
 ONE STEP AHEAD APOCALYPTIC PRESENCE
The Antagonist is preternaturally good at getting Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype
away. She may be faster than most, or just good
at taking advantage of the scenery. Whenever the The Antagonist is something deeply otherworldly
antagonist is attempting to escape a situation or is — there is no way it can pass itself off as something
being otherwise chased, she gains +2 speed Scale. mundane, let alone mortal. It is terrifying and
wondrous to behold, an awesome-in-the-literal-
sense revelation that leaves even the most stalwart
of mortals utterly befuddled. Only beings with
SEGMENTED an Inheritance rating (or those doing so from a
Prerequisite: Wyrm Tracker or higher Archetype great distance, where proper apprehension of the
Antagonist is impossible) may oppose or attack the
The antagonist exists in a segmented form. When Antagonist.
you choose this Quality, select a number of
Segments that makes sense (ex. a young hydra with
3 segments, one for each head). Each segment has
the same number of Health, which adds up to no MYSTIC ARSENAL
more than twice the archetype’s maximum Health. Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype
The antagonist is not fully defeated until all segments The Antagonist is experienced with mythic forces,
are Taken Out. Segments count as allies to the and uses them with a deadly precision. The character
antagonist for the purposes of Flairs that heal or has something — likely their own Hoard — that
buff allies. Certain Qualities may come from the empowers her. Generally, this is represented as a
segmentation, such as an extra arm or an extremely signature item or weapon, that gives the Antagonist
long tail. Take note that the antagonist may not have +2 Enhancement when using the item for its intended
access to those Qualities if that segment is Taken purpose. Spend 1 Tension to access a special Hoard
Out. Stunt or increase the Enhancement to +4 for a single
action. Additionally, she gains a single Dragon
Magic she can cast Spells from for the cost of 1
SLIPPERY Tension.
The Antagonist’s body is covered in a slick surface, Play fair — if the player characters defeat the
maybe scales or a slippery hide. Attempts to estab- Antagonist and take her stuff, they can add her
lish a grapple suffer a +1 Difficulty, and using the Hoard to theirs. No takebacks, though her allies may
Pin, Position, and Takedown Stunts in a grapple cost come looking for her stuff. Work with the players to
an additional success to perform. Additionally, the decide what gets added to their Hoard (or possibly
Antagonist can slither their way into tight spaces one Lair) Birthright.
would not think they could based on their size.

SWALLOWED NAME
SHATTERING TRANSFORMATION The Antagonist has mystically devoured or hidden its
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype own true name and source, making it very difficult to
verify any true details about them or magically harm
The Antagonist has a drastically more powerful form, them. Any attempts to, track, make Intrigue actions
such as a Dragon shape or other. For 1 Tension, against, or to harm them with any magical effects
they can they assume that form. Doing so grants +2 from Purviews, Dragon Magic, or similar sources
Enhancement to one action in a Primary Pool, +1 suffers +2 Difficulty. Finding out their true name
size and force Scale, and Hard Armor 3 if they don’t negates this effect. Attempts to reveal the name with
already have it. This power is always obvious and magical means provokes a Clash of Wills.
usually quite loud.

VENGEFUL BLOOD
SWIMMER
Prerequisite: Wyrm Tracker or higher Archetype
The Antagonist has speed Scale 1 when swimming
and ignores any Complications from moving under Whenever the Antagonist takes damage from a
water. For 1 Tension, the Antagonist can breath source that would spill blood (typically blades, but
under water for the rest of the scene. also bullets or particularly vicious beatings), create a
number of Spys equal to the number of Health boxes
currently filled. Such beings often spring from the
OCCULT very ground wherever the drops of blood fall.
Occult Qualities add supernatural elements to an
Antagonist.

192 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

SOCIAL FLAIRS
Social Qualities provide Antagonists with non-physi- Flairs are special abilities that allow Antagonists to
cal attacks and defenses. make special attacks or maneuvers. They cost Tension to
BY DIVINE RIGHT activate to limit how often they are used.
Prerequisite: Wyrm Tracker or higher Archetype ATTACK
The Antagonist is a leader or ruler, perhaps of Attack Flairs deal damage or target individuals.
a Worldly sect or nation, perhaps from a Terra
Incognita. In any case, she has tremendous power, CURSE
resources, and personnel to draw upon. She has Cost: None
leadership Scale 1, and if she has want of anything,
she has it. For 1 Tension, she can summon (or have Duration: One scene, unless broken
in her possession) one of the following: a group of Subject: One target
guards, a plot-specific item (not already carried by
one of the characters), a person item from a player Range: Medium
character’s Hoard, or unlimited mortal resources to Action: Simple
use as she pleases.
Cooldown: End of scene, or the curse is broken
The Antagonist places a curse on her target. The
DIPLOMYTHIC IMMUNITY effects of the curse vary, and the Storyguide is
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype encouraged to be descriptive. Non-trivial targets
gain a Clash of Wills. Curses come in the form of
The player characters may be the children of a Condition which resolves when broken (through
Dragons, but some people are still off limits. The healing or purification magic) or a specific task is
Antagonist is related to someone — almost cer- performed (determined by the Antagonist). Possible
tainly a Dragon — who is powerful, dangerous, or curse effects are:
well-connected. Whatever the reason, others are
unwilling to give evidence about her, higher-ups • Sap Strength: +1 Difficulty to all Might and
in the player characters’ own Flight discourage Dexterity actions.
further investigation, and so on. All intervals spent • Persistent Injury: Inflict an Injury Condition which
directly investigating the Antagonist incur a +2 cannot be healed through normal means. The
Complication, and if not bought off someone from Condition resolves when the curse is broken.
the Flight comes and checks in on the characters.
• Clumsy: +2 Complication to Move and Dexterity
This Quality may be specified to include only a actions, failure to buy off results in the character
single Flight, a will only affect intervals relying on falling prone.
anything associated with that Flight.
THEFT OF PUISSANCE
OBLIGATION Cost: None or 1 Tension
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype Duration: One scene or indefinite
The Antagonist is steeped in the power of reciprocity, Subject: One target
of exchange and obligation. Any agreement made
with her is supernaturally binding. When used Range: Touch
against player characters, the Storyguide may Action: Simple
spend 1 Tension to force the issue in a number
of ways — she may show up, the character feels Cooldown: End of scene or end of session
compelled to act (represented as a Condition), or The Antagonist can tap into an Heir’s native power,
retribution awaits the oath breaker. stealing part of Dragon Magic from their blood to
empower the Antagonist. Against an unaware or sur-
prised target outside of combat, an Antagonist can
WILLFUL use this power if they simply make skin to skin con-
The Antagonist is made of sterner stuff than her tact. In combat or against a target on-guard against
fellows. When she engages in a Clash of Wills, she them, they require the Heir’s actual blood, usually
adds three dice to her Desperation Pool. from having inflicted an Injured or Maimed condition
on the Heir, and then succeeded at a Close Combat
action against them for making contact.
When the Antagonist activates Theft of Puissance,
they pick one of their targets Knacks or Spells. For
the rest of the scene, the target loses access to the
Knack or Spell and the Antagonist gains access to

Antagonists 193
 it, and does not pay any costs associated with it the Subject: One element in a Field
first time they activate it. For the cost of 1 Tension,
the Antagonist instead gains access to the Knack Range: Close
or Spell indefinitely. The affected Heir still regains Action: Simple
access to their powers at the end of the scene, but all
their actions that would use the Knack or Spell gains Cooldown: 3 turns
a +1 Complication: Power’s Echo: The Antagonist The Antagonist may roll to attack but save her
knows the character’s location and their use of the successes to set a trap. Roll her attack pool and
affected power. note successes, then designate a certain element in
the Field, such as a car, a doorway, or a ladder.
If a character interacts with that element, apply
DEFENSE the successes of the attack to Stunts as though the
Antagonist succeeded, using the character’s Armor
Defense Flairs provide protection to the Antagonist. if applicable. For 1 Tension, the trap resets with the
MASS CONCEALMENT same number of successes and can be triggered
a second time. Players may detect a trap with a
Cost: None reflexive Subterfuge + Cunning roll, Difficulty of the
Duration: One scene Antagonist’s successes on the Tripwire roll.
Subject: Field If Tripwire is used to prepare an ambush, it can only
be used a single time, effectively creating a sneak
Range: Medium attack unless noticed by the player characters. When
Action: Simple combat begins, Tripwire immediately refreshes.
Cooldown: End of Session
The Antagonist creates a massive shroud, the nature UNDER PRESSURE
of which may vary — a thick fog will do as well as Cost: None
supernatural darkness, for example. This shroud
extends throughout the Field and imposes an Duration: One round
Obscured Field Condition. All characters suffer a Subject: Self
+3 Complication to take combat actions within the
Field, failure to buy off the Complication leads to Range: Self
one of the following at Storyguide discretion: attack Action: Reflexive
a different, unintended target; attack one inanimate
object (of size Scale equal or lower); take an Injury Cooldown: The Antagonist is not attacked at all for
Condition. Additionally, actions to hide or perform one round
stealth actions gain +2 Enhancement.
Activate this Flair when two or more characters
attack the Antagonist in a single round, even if those
attack deal no damage. She receives +2 Defense
SIDESTEP against the second attack, and against all other
Cost: 1 Tension attacks that round. In the next round, the Antagonist
receives a +3 Enhancement to her Primary combat
Duration: Instant pool.
Subject: Self
Range: Self
SOCIAL
Action: Simple
Social Flairs allows the antagonist to make non-phys-
Cooldown: End of Scene ical attacks on a target.
Activate this Flair after the Antagonist suffers dam- MASTERMIND
age. The Antagonist takes a step sideways and im-
mediately exits the Field and scene. The Antagonist Cost: None or 1 Tension
is no longer in the scene. Characters attempting Duration: Instant
to follow or track the Antagonist must succeed on
a Clash of Wills. The Antagonist may re-enter the Subject: One investigation
scene later unless there is some limitation on the Range: Indefinite
Field which prevents entry.
Action: Simple
Cooldown: End of Session; or the player charac-
TRIPWIRE ters confront the Antagonist directly
Cost: None or 1 Tension The Antagonist has shielded herself from scrutiny,
Duration: Indefinite be it through cutouts, agents, or magical means.

194 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

 Investigations looking into her find themselves going Range: Touch
subtly awry — information is lost, leads turn up
bogus information, clues point to the wrong person. Action: Simple
For 1 Tension, the Antagonist may alter the Clues Cooldown: The Antagonist takes damage
in a single Investigation, so that they appear to
implication someone working for her rather than the The Antagonist clears half (round down) the Health
Antagonist herself. track of another Antagonist. For 1 Tension, she may
clear the entire Stress track. Not only can this bring
Antagonists back into a fight they were Taken Out
of, it can even resurrect explicitly dead Antagonists
MIND CONTROL — gapping wounds knit, severed limbs (or heads)
Cost: 1 Tension reattach themselves. Resurrecting a Wyrm Slayer-
level Antagonist always costs 2 Tension, and only
Duration: Condition restores half of its Health track.
Subject: One target
Range: Medium
UTILITY
Action: Simple
Utility Flairs give Antagonist access to useful abilities
Cooldown: End of Session that are neither attacks nor defenses.
The Antagonist takes over the mind of a single indi- SORCERY
vidual to do her bidding, imparting the Controlled
Condition. Non-trivial characters provoke a Clash of Cost: 1 Tension
Wills. While affected by the Controlled Condition, Duration: Varies
the character suffers +2 Difficulty to take actions
not specified by the Antagonist. The Condition Subject: Varies
ends when the character performs an action the Range: Varies
Antagonist specifies, or the Antagonist is Taken Out,
dies, or otherwise chooses to end their control. Action: Varies
Note: When using this Flair on player characters, Cooldown: One scene
negotiate with the player on the kinds of actions the Choose a Dragon Magic (p. 150). The Antagonist
Antagonist wants them to take to ensure they are may use Spells from that Dragon Magic for the cost
comfortable with the action. of 1 Tension.

SUPPORT THEY’RE HERE

Support Flairs allow the Antagonist to help its allies Cost: 1 Tension
and buff itself.
Duration: Instant
HUMAN GUISE Subject: One target
Cost: 1 Tension
Range: World
Duration: One scene
Action: None
Subject: One target
Cooldown: End of Session, or the Heir uses a
Range: Close Transformation knack
Action: Simple The Antagonist shows up at the worst possible time
Cooldown: One scene for their target. Based on their nature, they may sim-
ply walk up out of the darkness, slither out of some
The Antagonist changes their target’s appearance to occult pathway, or simply smash through the nearest
that of a normal mundane human. All supernatural wall. If the Antagonist intends to attack, they gain +2
traits disappear to the naked eye, and effects such Enhancement for their initiative roll.
as Scent the Divine fail to work without a Clash of
Wills. The Antagonist may target herself with this
Flair. WEATHER TYRANT
Cost: 1 Tension
HEALING WAVE Duration: One Scene
Cost: None; 1 Tension; or 2 Tension Subject: Area
Duration: Instant Range: Long
Subject: One ally Action: Simple

Example Antagonists 195

 Cooldown: One Session tracking and isolating Heirs, using stealth, trickery, and
social engineering to get close enough to strike.
The Antagonist can alter the weather, generating
dangerous conditions. While in many cases this ef- How any individual Pearl Thief learned about the
fect is narrative in scope, in combat it often results in existence Dragons and their Heirs varies, but many are
Field Conditions, or may inflict Conditions on player catspaws of greater threats and potential enemies. It’s
characters per the Storyguide’s discretion. common for a would-be treasure hunter or blood-drinking
mortal sorcerer to find themselves set on a path towards
a particular Heir by enemies of that Heir’s ancestor or
WORLD SHAKING Flight. Their ability to hijack draconic powers have many
Cost: 1 Tension different sources, but usually work similarly, requiring
Duration: Indefinite access to an unsuspecting target, or at least their recently
shed blood.
Subject: Terrain
Particularly successful Pearl Thieves may be Villains
Range: Medium or even Rivals, with additional (stolen) Knacks, the
Action: Simple Sorcery Flair, and Archetype appropriate die-pools. Such
individuals are often wily survivors, having escaped not
Cooldown: End of Scene only retribution from their victims, but also the leash of
The Antagonist disrupts the ground, transforming it whatever would-be master that thought to control them.
into Difficult Terrain out to medium range. She may They often understand young Heirs better than the Heirs
center the disturbance anywhere within her line of themselves might, and are incredibly dangerous.
sight. This is not a subtle Flair: Using it significantly
damages the ground and any nearby structures. Archetype: Professional
Qualities: Shroud, Twitchy
Flairs: Theft of Puissance
EXAMPLE Drive: Obtain wealth and magical power for

ANTAGONISTS themselves
Primary Pool (7): Subterfuge, Surprise Attacks
(+1 Enhancement)
A s in Scion: Origin, the following sample Antagonists
are intended to be guidelines and tutorials rather than
hard-and-fast rules to live by. Storyguides should design
Secondary Pool (5): Escaping Danger, Occult
Lore, Situational Awareness
Antagonists to fit their chronicles and players, not vice versa! Desperation Pool: 2
NEST RAIDERS Health: 2
As long as there have been Dragons, there have been Defense: 2
those who have desired what is theirs. Titans, Gods, mor- Initiative: 7
tals, and quite often other Dragons have sought hoards of
draconic treasure and the luster of draconic magic since
the morning of The World. In the modern age, however, EGG EATERS
Dragons and their Lairs are often far outside the reach of
There is no shortage of spawn from absent creators
those in the mundane. For those would-be thieves of gold
crawling out of crevices in Terra Incognita to seek youth-
and fire who know of the existence of Heirs, however, they
ful flesh and magic. It’s unclear how so many of these
offer a tempting target. Often, an Heir’s pursuit of their
creatures found a taste for draconic flesh. Some accounts
heritage or the plans of their Dragon ancestor sees them
suggest that Echidna or other trapped monstrosities
coming into contact with all manner of ancient plunder,
released them en masse in revenge for Dragons failing
and their inarguable draconic heritage comes without the
to side with them in ancient conflicts against the Gods;
complication of an entire, immediately present Dragon to
Other stories suggest that some God quietly introduced
deal with.
them to The World to drive off draconic involvement all
PEARL THIEVES together. And yet others still, that they are some ancient
Mortals and near-mortals with just enough knowl- consequence of Dragons being in The World; lost children
edge and power to be dangerous, Pearl Thieves are cov- becoming poison for their own family trees.
etous individuals, desiring ancient wealth or draconic Whatever their origin, their forms are parodies of
power for their own self-interested reasons. Whether to a Dragon’s own, twisted draconic and reptilian features
provide for a life of easy luxury, gain supernatural pow- without consistency or clear lineage. They can’t often
er through stolen magics, or some other purpose, Pearl function long in the modern World without drawing
Thieves are uniformly willing and able to ruin or end an mortal attention, but lurk at its intersections with Terra
Heir’s life to get what they want. Their methods focus on

196 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

Incognita, waiting to catch scent of their favorite prey. weal. This does nothing to stop the fire that burns in the
While they will certainly strike at unfortunates who are belly of some, the absolute certainty that it is their duty to
unaware of whatever modicum of Draconic blood they seek out the sovereign of serpents, the questing monster,
have in their veins, Egg Eaters’ preferred targets are Heirs the Dragon, and slay them. For some, it’s lit by a chance
who have recently come into their powers. Weak enough encounter; fascination with the awe-inspiring existence
to overwhelm, but with the enlivened Dragon magic that grown to murderous obsession. Others embrace the par-
the Egg Eaters, for whatever reason, endlessly seek. ticular passion for draconic hunting after coaxing from
Archetype: Spy an outside force. Many divine, Titanic, and even draconic
actors want particular Dragons or Flights slain without
Qualities: Heavily Armored (1 Soft, 2 Hard), their direct intervention in the modern age, after all, and
Natural Weapons (Claws, Teeth, and Potentially some mortals seem to possess a strange affinity for it when
Anything Else) given just the right push. Perhaps most frighteningly,
Flairs: Theft of Puissance some Big Game Hunters simply find an unceasing hunger
Drive: Eat meat and drink blood seasoned with within themselves to slay the Dragon, mount its head on
Dragon Magic their wall, and know it is good…and then devote their lives
to performing the deed.
Primary Pool (7): Close Combat (+1
Enhancement), Tracking by Scent Mortals who reach the point of practical Dragon-
slaying without obvious supernatural patron usually avail
Secondary Pool (5): Grabbing and Dragging themselves of every technological advance and modern
Away, Pursuit weapon available. They stockpile high-powered hunting
Desperation Pool: 3 rifles, ultramodern personal defense weapons, explosives,
Health: 1 and anything else that might work against the beast. They
prepare for traps and asymmetrical warfare as a matter
Defense: 1 of course. Without a ready source of magical power, they
Initiative: 4 collect those magical baubles and potent charms which
provide any edge against their ultimate prey, without con-
cern for greater mystical knowledge or universal secrets.
DRAGONSLAYERS They sharpen their skills on every dangerous animal in
The World and some that are native elsewhere, often
Gods, their Scions, and Heroes alike have fought become renowned, or at least known slayers of legendary
and slain Dragons and Heirs for many reasons across the monsters on their path. By the time a Big Game Hunter
breadth of time: to protect their own, to avenge lost loves, goes after their chosen prey, they’ve sharpened them-
or just to gain power and wealth. Even the haughtiest of selves into weapons against dragonkind to the exclusion
Dragons must admit that these are all good, or at least of all else. There is certainly a great human cost for a mod-
comprehensible reasons. After all, few mourn Fáfnir. A ern person to turn themselves into a dragonslayer, but by
Dragon might seek revenge for a fellow’s demise at the the time one reaches that state, they no longer care.
hands of a Scion defending a relic the deceased was at-
tempting to claim as their own, but such is merely the way
Archetype: Rogue Agent
of The World. Qualities: Armor Piercing, Sniper, Super Soldier
And yet, from the earliest encounters of Dragon and Flairs: Tripwire
mortal, there exists another thread that has woven itself Drive: To hunt Dragons and preserve the remains as
into the skein of fate repeatedly. Swords and arrows and trophies
killing arts wielded in no defense of hearth and home, or
even in desire for gold and treasure, but for the singular Primary Pool (9): Hunting, Modern Weapons
glory of slaying a Dragon. Arms and armies rise in pursuit (+1 Enhancement), Relentless Pursuit
of draconic murder frequently, beyond obvious benefit Secondary Pool (7): Draconic Lore, Restocking
or reason. Some Dragons, and latter-day Heirs, suspect a on Firepower, Stealth
long tradition of using mortal heroes as tools of assassina- Desperation Pool: 5
tion, while others go so far as to suggest some singular and
malefic supernatural force is behind it. Whatever the case, Health: 4
whenever Dragons walk the world, dragonslayers follow. Defense: 4
BIG GAME HUNTERS Initiative: 6
In the modern age, it’s not rational to hunt dragons.
Even for a person with definitive proof of their exis-
tence, they are elusive and distant prey, and even the ARMORED SLAYERS
most starry-eyed monster slayer can find a dozen more Killers of Dragons live in on in legend and song.
pressing and easily accessible threats to mortal life and Those who slew the scaled kings of the world to save

Example Antagonists 197

kingdoms, lovers, and the innocent are often known as identity), Institutional Disbelief, Perfected Soldier,
great heroes and sometimes greater Scions. But for those Slothful Resilience
who never put down the blade, who saw the treasures of Flairs: Here I Come, Seeing Red, They’re Here
the slain only as more fuel for the next hunt, what hap-
pened to them? What became of the names that sought Drive: To slaughter dragons and make possessions
only slaughter? of their bodies
Between stories, out of shadow, sometimes they still Primary Pool (11): Destroying Barriers, Pursuit,
walk. Ancient warriors, without legend or story or even Slaughter (+2 Enhancement)
simple posterity, wielding weapons of passed epochs with Secondary Pool (9): Intimidation, Smithing,
superlative skill and impossible might. They gird them- Tracking
selves in ancient finery and splendor over armor often Desperation Pool: 6
formed of dragonhide and wyrmbone, a barrier against
both human interaction and the frenzied assaults of their Health: 11 (3 from Armor)
chosen prey. Thusly armored, such figures walk as living Defense: 5 (1 from Armor)
shades, propelled after their prey across mystical and his-
torical ages. The mortal world seems to give such archaic
Initiative: 9
interruptions a wide breadth; whatever supernatural Extra: Superhuman murderous wraiths from the
force that has brought them alive and murderous to the deep past, Armored Slayers are usually at least
modern day also easing their way through the mundane. Force Scale 2.
Only when confronted by some remnant of their original
identity or their native name do these ceaseless footmen
falter in their quest. Otherwise, they are tireless in their DRAGÙA
pursuit of draconic extermination. These Legendary Creatures serve one purpose in The
Archetype: Wyrm Tracker World, and it is to protect people from Dragons. Their
imperative, given to them over a millennium ago has gone
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Helpless Fascination from simply, protect people by killing Dragons who get
(When confronted with their original name or too close, to seek and destroy all Dragons. They were once

198 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

Dragons themselves, or at least, the Dragons remember Heir or even full Dragon, leaving them blind or hamstrung
that they were there amongst their children during the or in terror of sunlight in place of killing them. Such un-
earliest times. But the Dragùa are one of those groups fortunates often attempt to revenge themselves on the
of children who were completely rewritten at the hands Rider later, or failing that, the communities that aided it in
of the pantheons. Now they hide amongst the human its quest. Perhaps some quirk of fair play leads the Rider
population, their strong magical wings hidden until they to spare some of its victims, or perhaps it simply wishes
need them in a fight. They use their human appearance to ensure that there are always more Dragons to slay and
to fool Heirs and Dragons alike, though a smart Heir will people to cheer on the killing.
recognize the town’s hero who seems invincible is likely a Archetype: Wyrm Slayer
Dragùa and turn the other way.
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Stand Tall (when
Archetype: Wyrm Tracker mounted), Sure Footed (when mounted), Tough as
Qualities: Flight, Mystic Arsenal (see extras), Nails, Unstoppable (when mounted)
Perfected Soldier (sword), Tough as Nails Flairs: I Have Friends, Inspiration
Flairs: Sorcery (Weather Control) Drive: Rally the World against dragons, forever
Drive: To protect the people from Dragons. Primary Pool (13): Rally Allies, Ride, Slay
Primary Pool (11): Fighting, Protecting, Tracking Secondary Pool (11): Care for Steeds, Inspire
(+2 Enhancement) Murderous Loyalty, Maim and Curse the Broken (+2
Secondary Pool (9): Flying, Surviving Enhancement for creating long term Complications
on a defeated foe)
Desperation Pool: 6
Desperation Pool: 7
Health: 11 (3 from Armor)
Health: 13 (3 from Armor)
Defense: 5 (1 from Armor)
Defense: 4
Initiative: 9
Initiative: 10
Extra: Dragùa are incredibly strong and have
a Force Scale of 1 for Might-based actions. Extras: The Eternal Rider: As long as the Rider
Additionally, they carry and throw thunder bolts as rides on or in anything, be it mortal or supernatural
their Mystic Arsenal. steed, motorcycle, main battle tank, or fighter jet, it
is Scale 3 for all actions. The Rider can break a city’s
foundation with its blows or rally its populace from
THE RIDER its saddle or seat.
Everyone knows St. George slew the dragon on Libyan
sands. Or was it, St. Theodore of Amasea, on the shores
of Akdamar? Or was it the Thracian Cavalry, along the
wine dark Aegean? If there is some single being behind
HEIRS
the continual rebirth of dragonslayers and nest hunters,
the ancient Rider is its final mask; if there is instead some
pure hunting force, the Rider is the beatific face of the
D ragon’s Heirs often act in cross-purposes against
each other, especially when from a different Flight.
Characters may find themselves fighting an Heir either in
rising tide of carnage. direct opposition for conflicting goals, or racing towards the
same goal for different Handlers.
Unlike the Armored Slayers, the Rider is not a wraith
moving through the mortal world, ignored to the best of THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
mundane society’s ability. Unlike the Big Game Hunter, OF TIAMAT, BOLLA, AND COMPANY LLC
the Rider is not a lone madman, a singular rifle in the Founded first as a mutual benefit pact, it wasn’t
night. The Rider’s words inspire others to follow, to raise long before the Brood that made up Tiamat, Bolla, and
their hands in pursuit of the great work, in the pursuit of Company LLC found their abilities could fetch a very high
that rare glory, in pursuit of Dragons defeated and slain. price on the open market. Working for any entity that
The Rider will bring peace between enemies, inspire faith didn’t cross their ancestors’ plans, for years the original
in adherents of any creed, give hope to the desperate, five Heirs made a killing in the business of supernatural
bread to the hungry, and succor to the needy, so that all spy craft.
may join hands to hoist the severed head of the serpent
The company grew from five Heirs and a mimeo-
and snake. It has found common cause with Scions of ev-
graphed contract to a staff of dozens of mortals and
ery pantheon, ridden alongside supernatural beings and
Denizens, ferreting out secrets and mysteries for the high-
Titanspawn of countless type and lineage.
est bidder. Its CEO has changed on multiple occasions,
Paradoxically, the final slayer of Dragons is also one and is currently Hina Fujiwara, a Kitsune who bought into
of the most likely to leave them maimed but alive. There
have been many accounts of the Rider sparing a young

Hiers 199
the LLC after being outed by its investigations into her
cover identity as a textile heiress. LEGENDARY CREATURES
Despite what some Dragons may claim, there are
Since the Brood first founded Tiamat, Bolla, and
creatures who have lived alongside them for nearly their
Co., however, one of the original members has died, one
entire history. Whether created by draconic misadven-
ascended to the status of Lesser Wyrm and disappeared
ture or simply cast into their corner by the vagaries of the
into some Otherworld, and the remainder have drifted
World, these beings are sometimes subjects, sometimes
away to pursue their own Remembrances…save for one.
foes, and sometimes fellow travelers with Dragon, God,
Cloaking their origin in deception and lies, devouring
and denizen alike.
their own name to make identifying their true self almost
impossible, the Chief Financial Officer continues to run OPHIDIAN LAMIAI
TB&C (no one ever uses its real name anymore) as the AND OTHER SCOURGES
power behind the scenes. Having obtained their ances- They lived beyond the bounds of safety established
tors’ appetites but little in the way of loyalty to the long by Theoi Scions, their homes deserts, wastes, and rooted
dead Dragon, the CFO is content to amass all the money in warrens beyond polis and kingdom. The cursed, the ex-
the world. Eventually, it may become a matter of choosing iled, and the warped would hear the serpentine whispers
between aging and ascendance, but until then the CFO in the dark, and follow them to the coiling and scaled em-
uses the powerful business and intelligence apparatus of brace of the desert dwellers: the dancing snakes at the edge
TB&C to enrich themselves, stay apprised of threats, and of the night. They don’t deserve you, the serpent mothers
steadily grow in power. The CFO targets young Scions, would explain, just like they deserve so few of the gifts
Denizens, and Heirs alike for use as pawns in their plans, The World has given them. And so those who dwelled in
considering themselves beyond the reach of anyone short kingdom and polis learned to dread the slithering visitor
of a Lesser Wyrm or Demigod. And with the power of a in the night, who would take that which was undeserved.
professional spy organization, millions of dollars, and a For it was not treasure and magic seized, not even mighty
bevy of supernatural servants at their disposal, perhaps lives ended by poison that archon and paterfamilias and
the CFO is right. Theoi tyrant would fear most. It was that whisper from
Agenda: The CFO continues to grow TB&C, using its darkness to the scorned sibling, the abused child, the mis-
resources to gain blackmail material on mortals and super- erable spouse, the trod upon citizens to come away, come
natural beings alike, and then leverage that information away and dance and be free at the end of the world.
for more money and resources to continue the process. It’s What Flight or individual Dragon might’ve given rise
only a matter of time before they co-opt the leadership of to the lineage of Scourges is unclear, but it is certain that
a major group of Denizens, and CFO is idly wondering if many embraced Lamia as their true mother soon after
centaur or reptilian destroyer shock troopers would make she, herself, joined their ranks. Sometimes, the Ophidian
breaking into the mercenary business plausible. Lamiai serve the interest of Dragons directly through
Hooks: TB&C begins tracking local Broods, before their actions, but far more often an Heir finds themselves
threatening to expose the Heirs to their enemies if they tasked with bargaining with them for something or even
don’t start working for TB&C. Local peddlers of influ- someone they’ve seized. It can be difficult to obtain
ence and secret knowledge begin turning up dead, with anything from them if they consider you unworthy, and
signs pointing to TB&C; have they started to move into nearly as hard to prove ‘worth’ to a people who have been
wetwork? The CFO takes a personal interest in Heirs who judging The World wanting since before humanity knew
have made a name for themselves, offering them a place in how to farm.
the company…while trying to discover their weaknesses, Archetype: Professional
in case they want to exploit them.
Qualities: Natural Weapons, Toxic
Archetype: Rogue Agent
Flairs: Long Arm
Qualities: By Divine Right, Diplomythic Immunity
(Dragons), Swallowed Name Drive: Steal away things and people of value from
the unworthy
Flairs: Shattering Transformation
Primary Pool (7): Moving Unseen, Scenting the
Drive: Sit on a giant pile of money and never die. Unworthy
Primary Pool (11): Boardroom Politics, Financial Secondary Pool (5): Coils and Fangs (+1
Exploitation, Stealing Secrets Enhancement), Whispering in Darkness,
Secondary Pool (9): Cheap Shots, Larceny Desperation Pool: 3
Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 2
Health: 5 Defense: 2
Defense: 4 Initiative: 5
Initiative: 9

200 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON

 REPTILIAN DESTROYERS RULING SERPENTS
Reptilian destroyers were always hard for early man They live beneath the earth of The World, focused
to describe in more than bits and pieces, when they left on finding and collecting treasures. They have long hid-
anyone alive to describe them. Perhaps they were twice as den from humanity’s sight, but they lurk in every nook,
wide as a man and half again as tall. Perhaps their mouths cranny, and hidden place within The World. They infest
were full of crocodilian teeth and their hands fistfuls of Terra Incognitae, and they raid lairs looking for hoards to
raptor talons. Children of a Dragon, Titan, or nameless pillage. They once paid homage to Dragons, now they curl
and ashamed God, the reptilian destroyers roamed the up in their lost lairs taking their treasures for their own.
early World alongside other monsters, until God, Hero, Ruling Serpents rarely leave a lair once they’ve claimed
and humanity’s growing strength drove them back to it for their own, but plenty are still seeking their treasure
darkness. They never really went away, retreating only and glory, or amassing a hoard of their own. They see no
into Terra Incognitae or lairs made open to them. And shame in stealing from an Heir, they aren’t a true Dragon
while humanity fears them, the world of the supernatural after all.
finds they make for formidable soldiers, fighters, guards, Archetype: Rogue Agent
and grunts. With little in the way of other work available
for them, reptilian destroyers often leap at the chance to Qualities: One Step Ahead, Mystic Arsenal,
do a little mayhem for a payday. Slippery, Stable
Archetype: Monster Flairs: Sidestep
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Natural Weapons Drive: Live easy through violence
Flairs: Here I come Primary Pool (9): Lightning Fast Speed, Serpent’s
Strike
Drive: Live easy through violence
Secondary Pool (7): Artistry, Appraisals
Primary Pool (11): Move Too Fast for Anything
That Large, Wreak Havoc Desperation Pool: 5
Secondary Pool (9): Bargain for More, Brute Health: 3
Force Armor: 3
Desperation Pool: 5 Defense: 3
Health: 6 Initiative: 6
Armor: 3 Extras: +2 Enhancement for Stunts other than Inflict
Defense: 4 Damage. Ruling Serpents often have their own
Hoard which gives them access to a single Dragon
Initiative: 9 Magic.
Extras: Reptilian Destroyers are usually size Scale
1. Particularly dangerous individuals may possess
additional force or size Scale.

Hiers 201
T he deep history of The World has led to many draconic
creations separate and apart from the mixing of mortal
human blood with that of dragons. Whether birthed in the
Additionally, while these Legendary Creatures can
learn Draconic Knacks, they cannot transform those Knacks
or take on a Draconic Form unless they are also a draconic
burning bowels of the earth, hatched in gleaming clutches amidst Heir. A Legendary Creature’s Persistent Condition pre-
dew-speckled primordial fields, or transformed from animals cludes her from purchasing the Draconic Knack, Modest
and simpler creatures, these creatures existed in a time when Human Guise.
Dragons ruled The World. They call themselves the Children of
Dragons, though the truth of that moniker is lost to time. Many
of them died long ago, but just as other supernatural Denizens
SCOURGES
of The World receded into shadows with humanity’s rise, so
too did the Children of Dragons. However, many still flourish
in Terra Incognita, secluded corners of The World, and beyond,
H umanity has never understood your kind, even when
they feared it. They told stories of devoured children
and emptied cities, of glittering treasures guarded by coils
remembering their old creators and watching the shadows that and scales and poison. There are places they would not travel,
ancient draconic plans cast across the world. where they would not dare send their armies, where they
swore there was poisoned wasteland, wrapped in coils and
GENERAL RULES watched with slit serpentine eyes. And why correct them?
Do not feel guilty for taking from the unworthy, for

L ike most Denizens from god-spawned lineages and other

preternatural children, the creatures presented here have
Persistent Conditions that reflect their inherently inhuman
stealing children away from exposure, for hiding treasures
away from conquering despoilers. Your ancestors wel-
comed those the Theoi and other gods cursed with twisted
nature. These conditions never permanently resolve, forcing forms, and those Titan children who could no longer bear
these characters to deal with their inhuman characteristics a war against the bright Olympians and their kin. The un-
and gain the corresponding Momentum on a regular basis. deserving and destructive fill the world, and your people
They also treat their inhuman nature as both a Role Path collect treasures, misunderstood and mistreated, whatever
and a Calling. If a Denizen is an Heir or Scion, this replaces form they may take, dispensing such horded gifts only rare-
one of their normal Callings, but cannot replace the Calling ly. You may continue this work in the modern day, taking
an Heir shares with their Flight or a Scion shares with their from the wicked and the stray or seeing to the careful al-
source of divinity. lowance of wonders to the worthy.
Should the works of your people serve those Dragons
who claim they created you when the world was young,
CHILDREN OF perhaps that is fine. Or perhaps you see to a future where
DRAGONS AS HEROES even they understand that nothing in the world may be
taken for granted as long as your kind watches, waits, and
The Legendary Creatures presented here are coils.
intended for use in games of Scion: Dragon
as allies or potential player characters. Example Calling Keywords: avenger, deceitful, lurk-
When playing one as an Heir, the Denizen’s ing, guardian, venomous, thief
supernatural nature replaces one of the Heir’s Path Asset Skills: Subterfuge, Survival
Callings, the Knacks presented here are on
par with other Knacks available to Heirs. If you Path Contacts: treasure hunters, river dwellers, foster
wish to use one of these Legendary Creatures children, social workers, museum curators
to make a Scion Hero, then you may do so, Persistent Condition: Serpentine Body
using the same rules and Knacks. All the Knacks
presented here are considered Heroic Knacks A large portion of your body is serpentine instead of
for that purpose. human. Many ophidians have the upper body of a human
and the legless and scaled lower body of a snake, but some

202 APPENDIX: LEGENDARY CREATURES

have more inhuman features, such as scales and snake hide
across their entire body, a serpent’s head and fangs in place
of a human face, or even a human head atop the coils of a
fully snakelike body. Barring extraordinary effort on your
part, you can’t pass for human. You gain Momentum when-
ever being a slithering person in a legged World causes you
trouble, such as when your particular arrangement of limbs
is a serious inconvenience, or when your obviously snake-
like nature causes dangerously antipathic reactions.

SCOURGE KNACKS
City Swallowing Wastes: You may spirit away things,
people, or places, carrying them with you as easily and
unobtrusively as an egg. Make a Knack Skill roll and spend
successes on a one for one basis to increase the size Scale of
an item, person, or place you wish to take with you. The de-
fault with no successes is that you may take a single person
or small object. With one success you can take an item the
size of a motorcycle, two successes, a family, car, or shack,
and three successes or more enables you to spirit away en-
tire buildings and congregations. Sentient creatures must
give their consent or be somehow incapacitated for you to
carry them away in this manner.
Mighty Coils: You gain +2 Enhancement to all Grapple
Stunts, and gain the Soft Armored 1 tag against opponents
who are Grappling or Grappled by you.
Ophidian Avenger: You may declare someone unwor-
thy of a person, place, or thing. If they voluntarily and truly
relinquish all claim over them or it, this power has no more
effect. If they do not, as long as you share a scene with them,
they suffer a +2 Miasma Complication outside of combat,
and your attacks gain the Aggravated tag against them in
combat. This Knack may affect only one character at a time.
This Knack does not function on entities of a higher Tier
than you.
Poison and Miasma: You have the following Defensive
Stunt available.
Miasma (Variable Successes): You inflict the
Miasma Complication equal to successes spent (up to +5
Complication) for any enemies who attack you from the
Range Band you are in.
Venom of the Pit: When you fight unarmed, spend
Momentum to add the Lethal tag to one attack, which also
inflicts the Poisoned condition if it inflicts damage.

MIASMA
If an enemy does not resolve the Miasma
Complication, they gain the Poisoned condition
at the value of the unresolved Complication.
Trivial characters affected instead collapsed,
incapacitated, if they suffer from the Miasma
Complication.

Scourges 203
 Warm Scent of the Unworthy: You always know if Path Asset Skills: Culture, Leadership
an object, person, or place is harmed or unappreciated by Path Contacts: artists, diplomats, former subjects,
those that consider it theirs, and gain +2 Enhancement to unusually brave spelunkers
any rolls involving stealing them or it away to safety. This
always applies against conscious attempts by the erstwhile Persistent Condition: Serpentine Body
owner to stop you, but not unrelated rolls against them.
Wasteland’s Polestar: Mundane snakes and naturally
RULING SERPENT KNACKS
Mighty Coils, Poison and Miasma, Venom of the Pit
poisonous or venomous animals never trouble you unless
you attack them directly; supernatural creatures of roughly Gifts from Below: Once per scene, you may spend a
animal intelligence behavior similarly, unless supernat- point of Momentum to have otherworldly treasures of sur-
urally compelled. During Chases, you have the following passing quality, if transitory usefulness, on hand. Given as
Stunt available: gifts, they grant you +2 Enhancement on social rolls with
the recipient of the gift for the scene, even if they would
Why’d It Have to be Snakes?! (Variable Successes): You
otherwise despise you. Given as useful tools, they grant +2
create the Covered in Snakes Complication for the target’s
Enhancement to the user for the purpose they were given
Chase actions. This creates Complication equal to the value
for the scene, before becoming merely high-quality imple-
of the Stunt. If not bought off, the Condition resolves and
ments. You cannot gift weapons in this manner.
the target suffers a –1 Injury Condition and the Poisoned
condition at the value of the unresolved Complication. Hooded Assertion of Protection: When you pur-
Otherwise, it resolves at the end of the scene, or if they posefully reveal your lineage and supernatural form
spend an action getting all these snakes off themselves. to protect someone else you consider worthy, you can
spend Momentum to allow them to ignore penalties from
Wrapped in the Coils of Night: When you hide your-
–1 Bruised or –2 Injured Conditions on the turn those
self, someone else, or something you’ve stolen away from
Conditions are suffered.
those who would seek it, those searching find only darkness
and dust. Until the person or object reenters society or the Living Doors of Infinite Vaults: Your Social and
larger world, they’re nearly impossible to find. Attempts Force actions gain +1 Scale to prevent theft, destruction, or
by lower Tier opponents to find anyone or anything you’ve misappropriation of things in your possession or individ-
hidden away simply fail. If an effect benefits from supernat- uals under your protection. Individuals must require this
ural aid or is made by an opponent of equal or higher Tier, protection to grant you this bonus; your friend the Reptilian
make a Clash of Wills roll as the defender. Destroyer, for example, would not qualify.

RULING SERPENTS REPTILIAN

Y DESTROYERS
our halls glitter with bejeweled subterranean glory. Your
lands’ waters are heady, primal wine flowing through the
depths of the earth. Their air is perfume, their storehouses Echidna’s Brood and Other Terrors from Darkness
stocked with every needful thing and every desirable one in They say your egg was a rock, heated by lightless fire
equal measure. Your kind have moved beneath The World in a dark place. They say your mother was a monster, rag-
since long ago, loving and warring with one another, the Gods, ing against the World with a brood of monstrous children.
Titans, and even the occasional extraordinary mortal; not They say your cousins are crocodiles and lizards and snakes
only to protect these otherworldly treasures, but to increase all crawling in the deep, dragging the unfortunate beneath
them, to exalt the worthy and wondrous and protect them The World. They say your kind stalked the darkness out-
even as the years march onward. side of mead hall, hill fort, and village circle, waiting to
Perhaps the great Dragons created your kind to serve strike and let the darkness in. They usually fail to mention
them when The World was young, and perhaps they that your kind were, from the first, paid well for it.
benefit from the great treasures collected and guarded in God and demon, Dragon father and Titan mother paid
Underworlds, Overworlds, and even in The World. But your ancestors in plunder and meat. These days, your kind
such origins are now immaterial: The Ruling Serpents works for more contemporary compensation for more
guard what is worthy, whether mortal, draconic, divine, or modern mayhem. There’s little call for daring the halls of
other. warriors anymore, but destroying a rival’s temple, business,
The ages have filled your home with treasures, greatly or car is still worth hard currency (or untraceable bearer
beloved and far away. But now you find yourself in The bonds) in this day and age. Mortals rarely know what to
World again, confronted with a new age of wonders to see, make of your kind these days, leaving scraps of reputation
heroes to befriend or test, mortals to cultivate and lead, and in all sorts of strange places. Swamp beasts, the lizardman
treasures to protect. in the hills, the crocodile eating the homeless of the sewer;
all totally off-base, but half-remembered mortal terrors
Example Calling Keywords: bejeweled, bountiful, that keep your kind in living memory.
companion, monarch, protector, steward

204 APPENDIX: LEGENDARY CREATURES

 Perhaps you fight against the ancient and awful repu- you may choose to drive lesser Tier foes insensate with fear
tation of the reptilian destroyer, the monster in the night, and mewling with terror. Those such affected will flee if
the murderer of river and shallow. Perhaps you revel in it. able, and go catatonic with terror if they can’t. Foes of the
Either way, you can’t deny the reality of a body like a scaled same Tier or higher may resist this effect with an appropri-
wrecking ball, and as much as it might like to, The World ate roll, but suffer +2 Difficulty on rolls against you for the
can’t either. scene if they fail.
Example Calling Keywords: brutish, calamity, de- Mother’s Child: Intelligent supernatural creatures
stroyer, devourer, mighty, unbreakable of monstrous form, Titanspawn of all stripes, and similar
Path Asset Skills: Athletics, Close Combat beasts always treat their initial Attitudes to you as 0 if
they would have a Negative Attitude toward you. Those of
Path Contacts: big game hunters, gang leaders, mer- animal or lesser intelligence will never attack you unless
cenaries, park rangers attacked first and will treat you as a friendly creature in
Persistent Condition: Scaled Destroyer most circumstances.
You are a mass of reptilian muscle, an echo of beasts The Old Destroyer: Spend a Momentum to double
who roamed before the mastery of fire and the banishment the number of successes rolled on an unarmed attack ac-
of night. You’re obviously not human barring extraordinary tion before applying Enhancement.
efforts to hide your appearance, and you gain Momentum Render: Spend Momentum. For the scene, your un-
whenever your stature and proclivity to break the works of armed attacks gain the Lethal, Messy, and Piercing tags.
humanity causes you trouble. You are Scale 1 for the pur-
poses of destroying objects or places. Sword Blunting Hide: You have the Armored: Hard
(1) tag which does not stack with other forms of armor that
REPTILIAN grand the Hard tag.
DESTROYER KNACKS Wall Breaker: Make a Knack Skill roll. Apply success-
es as Enhancement to your next action for the purpose of
Hearth Destroying Horror: Whenever you threaten
damaging buildings and inanimate objects.
or intimidate by displaying destructive force or violence,

Reptilian Destroyers 205

A Athletics, 111, 113-114, 122, 131, 135, 140, 142, 144, 148-150, 152, 155,
Aamir, Kiran, 100-101 163, 189-190, 205
Aapep. See Apophis. Close Combat, 62, 114, 122, 131, 140, 149-150, 154, 157, 191, 193, 197, 205
Abzu, 34, 37-38, 41-42 Culture, 83, 114, 122-124, 130, 204
Actions, 31, 33, 41, 110, 112, 114, 119, 122-124, 128, 134, 136-137, 139-145, Empathy, 72, 114, 122, 124, 131
148-152, 154-157, 160-163, 165-167, 173-174, 179-180, 186-195, 199-200, 204 Firearms, 114, 122-123, 131
Analysis, 145 Integrity, 52, 92, 114, 122-124, 130, 139, 142-143
Basic, 142, 146 Leadership, 72, 114, 124, 131, 133, 136, 204
Complex, 127, 135, 137, 147, 152, 166 Medicine, 122, 131-132, 152
Disengage, 144, 150, 157, 191 Occult, 114, 122-124, 130-132, 143
Encourage Behavior, 133, 148 Persuasion, 114, 122, 124, 132-133
Encourage Belief, 148 Pilot, 114, 123, 131
Intrigue, 128, 157, 160, 162, 192 Science, 124, 131-132
Mixed, 136-137, 142, 146, 150-152, 154, 157 Subterfuge, 41, 92, 114, 123-124, 131, 133, 194, 196, 202
Move, 144, 150, 156-157, 167, 189-190 Survival, 41, 52, 62, 83, 114, 123, 132, 152, 162, 202
Procedural, 162 Technology, 114, 122, 124, 131
Research, 145 Atman, 75, 77-79, 83, 166. See also Naga.
Reflexive, 144, 146, 150, 155, 157, 186, 189, 194 Atmosphere, 143, 157, 164-165, 189
Rush, 144, 150, 156-157 Calm, 157
Shift Atmosphere, 157 Dread, 157
Shift Attitude, 133, 148, 189 Attack. See Combat, Attack.
Simple, 41, 119, 126-128, 135-136, 151, 154, 156-157, 160, 186, 193-196 Attitude, 129-130, 133, 137, 143, 151-152, 155, 159-160, 165, 189, 205
Surveying, 145 Negative, 130, 143, 152, 159, 205
Adebiyi, 44 Positive, 129, 151, 159, 165
Æsir, 20, 32, 55-60, 87, 104, 119, 176-177 Attributes, 79, 110-115, 136-137, 139, 160, 162, 189
African Union, 48 Mental. See Mental Attributes.
Ahemait. See Ammut. Physical. See Physical Attributes.
Áleifr, 59 Social. See Social Attributes.
Alexander the Great, 51 Atua, 64, 68, 89
Allied Characters, 191 Avarice, 62, 164-165. See also Signature Dragon Magic.
Ammit. See Ammut. Cursed Hoard, 165
Ammut, 20, 44-49, 51, 122-123, 177 Irresistible Craving, 165
Ancient Greece, 51 Overwhelming Greed, 164-165
Andvari. See Fáfnir. Radiant Wealth, 165
Anpu, 48 Stock Your Hoard, 165
Anshar, 42 Axis Mundi, 134
Antagonist Archetypes, 190. See also Archetypes and Qualities. B
Rogue Agent (Draconic Archetype), 190-193, 197, 200-201 Bakunawa. See Lóng.
Spy (Draconic Archetype), 190, 197 Baldr, 57
Wyrm Slayer (Draconic Archetype), 190, 195, 199 Bandmates, 143
Wyrm Tracker (Draconic Archetype), 190-193, 198-199 Bašmu the Venomous, 18, 32, 34-40, 42, 122-123
Antagonists, 142, 178, 187-188, 190-198. See also Children of Dragons. Beginning of the End. See Jörmungandr.
Dragonslayers. See Dragonslayers. Bequeathal, 14, 24, 26, 57, 82, 91, 99-100, 102, 104, 106, 108
Heirs. See Heirs as Antagonists. Bere, Isa, 19, 47, 49-50, 122-124
Legendary Creatures. See Legendary Creatures. Bida. See Ouagadou-Bida.
Nest Raiders. See Nest Raiders. Birthrights, 42-43, 52-53, 62-63, 72-73, 82-83, 91-92, 110-112, 114-115,
Anu, 42 118-119, 127-131, 133-137, 139, 143-145, 150-151, 187, 192
Anunna, 34-38, 40, 42, 176 Guide. See Guides.
Áo Guǎng. See Ryūjin. Hoard. See Hoards.
Apep. See Apophis. Lairs. See Lairs.
Apepi. See Apophis. Lost Birthrights, 129, 135
Apoph. See Apophis. Pawns. See Pawns.
Apophis, 20, 44, 46-49, 122-124, 177 Tradecraft. See Tradecraft.
Apotheosis, 117 Bis-Bis. See Tiamat.
Approaches, 111 Black Dragon, 68
Arafa, 53 Blessings, 67, 72, 165-166. See also Signature Dragon Magic.
Archetypes, 131, 136, 139, 153, 190-193, 196-201 Blessing of Draconic Power, 165
Antagonist. See Antagonist Archetypes. Blessing of Luck, 165
Consultant, 136 Blessing of Perfection, 166
Entourage, 136 Defense from Afar, 166
Heavy, 136 Land Blessing, 166
Heroic, 139, 202 Bodhi Tree, 81
Monster, 201 Bolla the Blinded One, 35-36, 38-40, 43, 79, 122-123, 199-200. See also
Professional, 153, 196, 200 Kulshedra.
Armor, 132, 137, 140-142, 144, 147, 149, 154, 161, 191-192, 194, 198-199, 205 Bonds, 153, 165
Hard Armor, 132, 140-142, 144, 149, 154, 192 Bond Pools, 119
Soft Armor, 154, 191 Botch, 135
Aspect, 68, 87, 89-90 Broods, 14, 28-29, 38, 40, 42, 110, 118-119, 124, 126, 128-129, 133-134,
Asset Skills, 111, 120, 129, 133 136, 143, 149, 175-176, 190, 199-200
Academics, 114, 123, 131 Brosnya, 34

206 SCION: DRAGON

Buddha, 81 Avarice Cursed, 165
Bullar. See Bolla the Blinded One. Blind, 157
C Chilled, 155
Caesar, 51 Controlled, 195
Callings, 13, 110-112, 114, 118, 120-122, 125, 128, 134, 144, 202 Craving, 117-118, 121, 125, 165
Cravings, 120-121 Delusional, 166
Calling Knacks, 111-112, 120, 134, 139, 146-147. See also Knacks. Drained, 191
Collector. See Collector Knacks. Entropy Field, 152
Destroyer. See Destroyer Knacks. Field Conditions, 162, 196
Guardian. See Guardian Knacks. Guide Conditions. See Guide Conditions.
Healer. See Healer Knacks. Injury Conditions. See Health.
Judge. See Judge Knacks. Memory. See Memory Conditions.
Mystic. See Mystic Knacks. Obscured Field, 194
Nomad. See Nomad Knacks. Path. See Path Conditions.
Predator. See Predator Knacks. Persistent, 202
Primeval. See Primeval Knacks. Poisoned, 131, 149, 152, 167, 189, 203-204
Ruler. See Ruler Knacks. Prismatic Possibilities, 132
Watcher. See Watcher Knacks. Protected, 165
Centzonhuitznaua, 87 Remembrance. See Remembrance Conditions.
Chaac, 87-88 Scaled Destroyer (Persistent), 205
Chan-na K’awil. See Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan. Serpentine Body (Persistent), 202, 204
Character Creation, 110-114 Unlucky, 160
Children of Dragons, 131, 193, 202 Wait, They Can’t Actually Be…, 133
Ophidian Lamiai, 200 Withered, 152
Reptilian Destroyers, 200-201, 204-205 World Wounding, 131
Ruling Serpents, 201, 204 Connections, 113-114
Scourges, 200, 202-203 Otherworldly Connections, 136
Chini. See Bere, Isa. Worldly Connections, 136
Cheon, 66 Consolation, 127, 136-137
Chīyóu, 71 Contacts, 129, 133, 202, 204-205
Christine’s, 53 Cook, Ambrosia, 102-103
Chu Kai-Wing, Mitch, 106-107 Cords of Earth, 69
Cipher, 15, 41, 52, 62, 72, 83, 92, 113, 118-120, 125-127. See also Coyolxauhqui, 87, 91, 93
Remembrance. Cult of Vishap, 25
Chaos (Draq), 41, 119 Cults, 18, 29, 79
Direct Action (Serpents), 92, 113, 120 Cursed by Gold. See Fáfnir.
Duty (Lindwurms), 62, 119 Cyrus of Persia, 51
Indulgence (Joka), 52, 119 D
One-of-Many (Naga), 83, 120 Damage, 132, 140, 142, 147, 152, 154-155, 159-163, 187, 189, 191-196, 203
Pride (Lóng), 72, 119 Collateral Damage, 186-187
Clash of Wills, 139, 141-146, 148, 151-152 Deed Name Path Asset Skills, 120
Clues, 128, 132, 137, 145, 161 Deed Names, 112, 117, 120-121, 130, 139, 146, 186. See also Deeds.
Coatlicue, 87, 91 Deeds, 32-33, 45, 110, 114-115, 117-121, 125, 128, 130, 137, 174-175, 187.
Collateral Pool, 187-188 See also Milestones.
Collector Knacks, 139-140. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks. Band-Term Deed, 110
Bottomless Stash, 139 Brood Deed, 110, 118, 120
Discerning Collector, 139-140 Brood-Term Deed, 110
Infinite Pockets, 140 Draconic Deed, 110, 114-115, 118-119, 130, 174
Obsessive Tally, 140 Memory Deeds, 32-33, 35, 110, 115, 118-120, 125, 174, 187
One for the Collection, 140 Names. See Deed Names.
Scent of Treasure, 140 Long-Term, 119, 174
Wireless Alarm, 140 Short-Term, 110, 119, 130, 174
Combat, 140, 142, 148-150, 157, 160, 162, 165-166, 187, 193-194, 196, 203. Worldly, 110, 114, 118-119, 174
See also Defense and Initiative. Defection, 15, 41, 52, 62, 72, 83, 92, 113, 118-120, 125. See also
Attack, 128, 130-132, 140, 142-145, 147-152, 154-162, 166, 189, 191-196, Remembrance.
203-205 Consciousness (Lindwurms), 62, 119
Companion of Shiva. See Vasuki. Humility (Lóng), 72, 119-120
Complications, 121-122, 126-128, 130-131, 135-137, 142, 145, 147-150, Moderation (Joka), 52, 119
153-157, 160-163, 165-167, 186-194, 199, 203-204. See also Field Negotiation (Serpents), 92, 113, 120
Complications. One-of-None (Naga), 83, 120
Covered in Snakes, 204 Order (Draq), 41, 119
Miasma, 203 Defense, 112-113, 136-137, 141-142, 149-150, 157, 159, 162, 187, 191, 193-
Misleading, 161 195. See also Combat.
Rulebreaker, 142 Degei. See Ndengei.
Power’s Echo, 194 Demon of the Sea. See Kuna.
True Draconic Nature, 121, 186 Dengei. See Ndengei.
Under Scrutiny, 142 Denizen, 136, 160, 190, 199-200, 202
Conditions, 33, 110-111, 118-119, 121, 125-127, 129-136, 142-144, 149, 151- Derbforgaill of Inverness. See Loch Ness Monster.
152, 154-157, 160, 162, 165-167, 187, 189, 191, 193-196, 202-205 Desperation Pool, 193
Afraid, 157 Destroyer Knacks. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks.

INDEX 207
 Armor-Shearing Jaws, 140 Field Complications, 134-135, 154, 188-190. See also Complications.
Devourer of Stone, 140 Burning, 188-189
Enhanced Impact, 140 Crowded, 189
Leeching Strength, 140 Dark, 188-189
Render of Cities, 140 Extreme Weather, 188-189
Terrible Dragon Roar, 140 Gas Cloud, 189
World-Eater, 140 High Winds, 189
Devá, 177 Loud, 189
Devourer of the Dead. See Ammut. Slick, 189
Dice, 113, 119, 136-137, 139, 143, 148-149, 173, 187-188, 193 Social Code, 189
Difficulty, 133-135, 137, 142-145, 148-149, 152, 155-157, 160, 162-163, Tight, 188-189
165-167, 187, 189, 191-195, 205 Unstable, 188-190
Dionysus, 48 Weightless, 190
Divine Realm, 21, 74-78, 80-83, 132, 166, 177. See also Terra Incognita. Fields, 135, 188, 191
Draconic Form, 14, 118-119, 127-128, 135, 139-140, 143, 146, 149, 160, Dangerous Terrain, 155, 157, 160, 162, 191
186-187, 189, 202 Difficult Terrain, 144, 153-158, 162, 191, 196
Draconic Knacks, 41, 45, 51, 62, 72, 83, 92, 112, 115, 117-118, 120, 130, Five Worlds, 87
137, 139, 146-149, 186, 202. See also Knacks and Transformation Flairs, 149, 187, 190, 192-196
Knacks. Curse (Attack), 193
Dragon Flights. See Flights. Healing Wave (Support), 195
Dragon King of the East. See Ryūjin. Here I Come, 198, 201
Dragon Kings of the Sea, 71 Human Guise (Support), 195
Dragon Magic, 14-15, 110, 112, 117-118, 127, 129-130, 134, 150-162, 184, I Have Friends, 199
186, 192-193, 195, 197, 201. See also Signature Dragon Magic and Inspiration, 199
Spells. Long Arm, 200
Animal Control, 41, 49, 52, 58, 71, 81-82, 90-91, 151 Mass Concealment (Defense), 194
Decay, 39, 49, 58, 61, 70, 81, 90, 151-152 Mastermind (Social), 194-195
Elemental Manipulation (Air), 70, 89-91, 152-153 Mind Control (Social), 195
Elemental Manipulation (Earth), 51, 58, 62, 72, 90, 153-154 Seeing Red, 198
Elemental Manipulation (Fire), 41-42, 49, 58, 90-91, 154-155 Shattering Transformation, 200
Elemental Manipulation (Frost), 59, 61, 155-156 Sidestep (Defense), 194, 201
Elemental Manipulation (Water), 42, 49-50, 52, 59-62, 70-72, 82, Sorcery (Utility), 195-196, 199
91, 112, 156-157 Theft of Puissance (Attack), 193-194, 196-197
Fear, 39, 42, 49, 70-71, 80-90, 157 They’re Here (Utility), 195, 198
Flight, 42, 49-50, 58-59, 70, 72, 80-81, 89, 91, 157-158 Tripwire (Defense), 194, 197
Illusions, 40, 51, 60, 71, 91, 133, 158-159 Under Pressure (Defense), 194
Luck, 40-42, 51, 60-62, 70, 72, 81-82, 159-160, 180 Weather Tyrant (Utility), 195-196
Transformation, 39, 41, 70, 72, 80-82, 89, 131, 160-161 World Shaking (Utility), 196
Understanding, 40, 42, 49, 51, 59, 62, 81-82, 90, 161-162 Flight Paths, 41, 52, 62, 72, 83, 92, 111, 113. See also Paths.
Weather Control, 39, 50, 52, 59-60, 70, 80-81, 90, 91, 162, 199 Flights, 12-13, 20-23, 26, 30-93, 117-118
Weather Manipulation, 42, 51, 82, 89 Draqs. See Draqs.
Dragonslayers, 197-199. See also Antagonists. Flightmates, 21, 31-32, 47, 90
Armored Slayers, 197-199 Joka. See Joka.
Big Game Hunters, 197, 199, 205 Lindwurms. See Lindwurms.
Dragùa, 198-199 Lóng. See Lóng.
Rider, 199 Naga. See Naga.
Draqs, 13, 20-21, 24, 34-43, 100, 119, 131, 151, 162, 176-177. See also Serpents. See Serpents.
Flights. Frænir. See Fáfnir.
Drought Bringer. See Bere, Isa. Fujiwara, Hina, 199-200
Duat, 45-46, 48-49 G
Duration, 119, 126-127, 140, 145, 149-167, 193-196 Garden of Hesperides, 80
E George, 40, 199
Eater of Man. See Kulshedra. Ghana’s Guardian. See Ouagadou-Bida.
Echidna, 196, 204 Ghosts, 46, 131
Egyptian Pantheon, 20 Girtablullû the Stinging, 34, 43
Eighteen-Faced Serpent. See Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan. Gjallarhorn, 87
Enhancement, 125, 127, 130-134, 137, 139-145, 148-149, 152, 154-155, Glistening One. See Tiamat.
157, 159-161, 165-166, 187-188, 190-192, 194-201, 203-205 Gods, 11-14, 17-25, 29, 31-32, 34-35, 37-40, 42-49, 52, 54-61, 64-67, 69-
Equipment, 42, 85-86, 129, 133-134, 136, 140, 156, 182-183, 189 72, 74-76, 78, 80, 82, 84-92, 120-121, 123, 125, 131-132, 134, 143, 145-146,
Experience, 114-115, 133, 143, 147 150, 173, 176-177, 180, 183, 187, 196-197, 204
Extraction, 129. See also Guides. Godsrealms, 134
F Góinn, 60
Fadhila, 53 Golden Dragon King. See Jīnlóngwáng.
Fáfnir, 11, 19, 58-59, 62, 122-123, 175-177, 197 Gōnggōng, 64-65, 68-69, 106, 122-124
Fate, 11-13, 17-21, 23-24, 31-32, 55, 124 Gonzáles, Leticia Flores, 108-109
Fatebinding, 31, 59, 113, 124 Great Brood Mother. See Vishap.
Feathered Serpent. See K’uk’ulkan. Great Feast, 20
Feather of Ma’at, 48 Greek Fire, 45-46
Feat of Scale. See Scale, Feat of Scale. Guardian Knacks, 126, 132, 140-141. See also Calling Knacks and
Knacks.

208 SCION: DRAGON

 Bestow Responsibility, 141 Fang of an Ancient, 92
Clarity of Purpose, 141 Magical Equipment, 134
Honed Alertness, 141 Quetzal Fists, 92
Imbue Talisman, 141 Serpent Masks, 92
Living Pillar, 141 Tamatebako, 65, 67, 72-73
Vigilant Protector, 141 Höꝺr, 57
Warning Sense, 132, 141 Horomatangi, 65, 70, 72, 122-123, 130
Guardian of the Golden Apples. See Ladon. Hreidmar, 58
Gucumatz. See K’uk’ulkan. Hrotti, 59, 62
Guide Conditions, 130. See also Conditions and Path Conditions. Huángdì, 64, 67, 71
Burn Notice, 129-130 Huáng Lóng, 67
Quid Pro Quo, 129-130 Huitzilopochtli, 87, 90-91
Guides, 52-53, 72-73, 82, 91-92, 129-133, 176. See also Birthrights. Hu’n Witz’ Naah-Chan. See Witz’.
Aqrabuamelu, 43, 131 I
Arke, 62, 132 Ihu-maataotao. See Horomatangi.
Ati-a-muri, 65, 72, 130 Illuyanka, 34-35
Bi Xi, 132 Imugi. See Lóng.
Blackbirds, 130 Industrial Revolution, 85
Ershaj, 82, 130 Influence, 130, 148
Ghosts of the Children of Dragons, 130-131 Inheritance, 14-15, 26, 28, 57, 99, 112-114, 117-121, 124-128, 131-132, 135,
Komodo Dragon, 133 139, 144, 148-167, 185-187, 190, 192. See also Heirs and Lesser Wyrms.
Lamia, 130-131, 200 Imbue Inheritance, 15, 117, 128, 150-167, 186
Lost Souls, 92, 131 Initiative, 130, 133, 136, 148, 190, 195-201
Mist Hounds, 72, 131 Intelligence Glossary, 178-180
Mokele-mbembe, 52, 131 Interval, 137, 150, 193
Sacred Engineers of the Dragon King, 72-72, 131 Intimidation, 155, 157, 165
Talking Head, 82, 132 Intrigue Scene, 142
Vishapakar, 57, 61-62, 131-132 Investigation, 137, 147, 194-195
H Iris, 132
Hadad-Ba’al, 42 Ishtar, 35
Hadhi, 53 Ishtar Gate, 37
Hall of Two Truths, 45, 48-49 Ixim, 90
Handler, 27-28, 31-33, 35, 45, 48, 52, 55-57, 62, 72, 79, 82-83, 87, 92, J
108, 110, 114, 119-120, 124-126, 134, 187, 199 Jīnlóngwáng, 67-68
Han State, 64 Jīnqīwǎn, 73
Hazard, 132, 141, 144-146, 148, 150, 159, 165 Jiǔfèng, 67
Health, 112, 126, 135-136, 142, 144, 149, 151-152, 154-156, 166-167, 189, Joka, 13, 19-21, 34, 38, 44-53, 119, 151, 163-164, 174, 177. See also
190-201, 204. See also Damage. Flights.
Bruised, 112, 126, 136, 142-143, 155, 167, 204 Jörmungandr, 20, 32, 38, 54-56, 58-59, 87, 122-123, 177
Injured, 112, 142-144, 155, 167, 193, 204 Judge Knacks, 142-143. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks.
Maimed, 112, 136, 142, 167, 193 Enforcer’s Eye, 142
Taken Out, 112, 135-136, 144, 192, 195 Lie Detector, 142
Healer Knacks, 141-142. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks. One More Question!, 142
Absorb Ailment, 141 Pain of Dishonesty, 142
Combat Medic, 141 Petty Tyrant, 142-143
Herd Immunity, 142 Seat of Power, 143
Instant Diagnosis, 142 Terror of the Guilty, 143
Internal Refinery, 142
Rapid Regrowth, 142 K
Violent Purification, 142 Kai Riu O. See Ryūjin.
Heavens, 65-67, 69, 71-72 Kalou-vu, 89
Heimdall, 87 Kami, 64, 68, 71, 177
Heirs, 11-15, 26-29, 176, 199. See also Inheritance. Kanghui. See Gōnggōng.
Agent, 117 Kauvandra Mountain Range, 86
Asset, 117 Kazim-Azizi, 45-46, 48, 53
Hatchling, 117 Keeper of Memories. See Vishap.
Reincarnated Heirs, 15, 26-27, 32, 57, 82, 175 Keeper of the Source. See Raina.
Seeker, 117 Ki, 42
Heirs as Antagonists, 199-200. See also Antagonists. King of the Naga. See Vasuki.
Chief Financial Officer of Tiamat, Bolla, and Company LLC, Kishar, 42
199-200 Kiyohime, 65
Hel, 88 Knacks, 41, 52, 62, 72, 83, 92, 110-112, 114-115, 117-122, 126-128, 130,
Helm of Terror, 59 134, 139-151, 154, 157, 165, 182-183, 186-188, 193, 296, 202-205
Hera, 78 Calling Knacks. See Calling Knacks.
Heracles, 11, 17, 54, 61, 80, 177 Draconic Knacks. See Draconic Knacks and Transformation
Heroes, 20, 29, 55, 74, 118, 197, 202 Knacks.
Ḫedammu, 34-36 Feats of Scale Knacks. See Knacks of Scale.
Hoards, 14, 22-23, 27-28, 36, 47, 56, 72-73, 92, 122, 125, 133-134, 192, Imbue Talisman, 141
196, 201 Knacks of Scale. See Knacks of Scale.
Dragon Pearl, 73 Reptilian Destroyer. See Reptilian Destroyer Knacks.

INDEX 209
 Ruling Serpent. See Ruling Serpent Knacks. Egypt, 46, 49
Scale Knack. See Knacks of Scale. Euphrates River, 36, 39, 42
Scourge. See Scourge Knacks. Europe, 54, 57, 61, 78, 177-178
Transformation Knacks. See Transformation Knacks. Fiji, 85-86, 89, 92
Knacks of Scale, 112, 121, 128, 137, 140, 145-146, 157, 186-187 Florida, 131
Eternal Genius (Mystic), 146 Fouta Djallon, 49
Force of Nature (Primeval), 146 Guatemala, 85
Insatiable Collector (Collector), 146 Guinea, 49
Iron-Fisted Rule (Judge), 121, 146 Hong Kong, 106
Nameless and Faceless (Nomad), 146 India, 76, 180
On My Command (Ruler), 146 Indian Ocean, 36
Panacea (Healer), 146 Japan, 46, 64-65, 67
Relentless (Predator), 146 Jerusalem, 131
Sight Unseen (Watcher), 146 Karachi, 100
Unstoppable Force (Destroyer), 146 Korea, 64-65
Vigilant Dragon (Guardian), 146 Lake Taupo, 70
Knack Skills, 139-148, 150, 203, 205. See also Calling Knacks. Litani River, 36
Knowing, 24-25 Loch Ness, 36, 56, 59
Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, 48 Marianas Trench, 34
Kokki, 46 Mediterranean Sea, 36, 41, 46
Kuāfù, 71 Melanesia, 84, 87, 89
K’uh Dragons, 84, 86-88, 91-92, 177 Mexico, 85-86, 93, 162
K’uk’ulkan, 17, 31-32, 84-90, 123, 177 Middle East, 35, 177
Kulullû the Piscean, 34 Moon, 68
Kulshedra, 38, 79-80, 82, 123-124, 130 Mt. Bùzhōu, 69
Kumarbi, 35 Niger River, 19, 45, 47, 49
Kuna, 64-65, 68, 70, 122-124 Nile River, 46-47, 51, 88
Kungkung. See Gōnggōng. North Atlantic, 55
Kusarikku the Aurochs, 34 North Island, New Zealand, 70
L Pacific Ocean, 66
Lacandon Jungle, 85-86 Poland, 55
Ladon, 17, 80, 122-124 Polynesia, 64-65, 72, 89
Lahamu, 42 Poulsbo, Washington, 104
Laḫmu the Hairy, 34 Russia, 55, 179
Lairs, 14-15, 28, 31, 36, 46-47, 51-53, 56-57, 66-67, 73, 76, 83, 85-86, Scandinavia, 54
91-93, 118, 125, 131, 134-135, 196, 201. See also Birthrights. Southeast Asia, 76, 79
Additional Security, 135 Thailand, 79
Atlantic Avenue Tunnel, 53 Tigris River, 36, 39
Grotto, 43 Tokyo, 27, 131
Janitor Closet, 92-93 United States, 108, 178-179
Kill Switch, 135 Venezuela, 108, 178
Lair of Acceptance, 76, 83 Vietnam, 64
Lair of Permanence, 76, 83 Yellow River, 67-68
Library of Alexandria, 53 Loch Ness Monster, 56, 59-60, 62, 122-124
Soul Egg, 135 Loki, 55, 57-59, 177
Titanic Lairs, 134 Lóng, 13, 20-21, 29, 55, 64-73, 87, 90-91, 119, 130, 132, 177. See also
Legend, 43, 113, 139, 148, 151 Flights.
Legendary Creatures, 11-12, 14, 43, 52, 72, 82, 111-112, 118, 131, 151, 186- Heaven Faction, 21, 65-67
187, 198, 200, 202-205. See also Children of Dragons. River Faction, 21, 29, 65-67, 71-73
Leopold II, 44 Sea Faction, 21, 65-67
Lesser Wyrms, 15, 24, 27, 43, 56, 117, 120, 129, 133, 174, 185-187, 190, Shallows Faction, 21, 65-67
200. See also Inheritance. Lotan. See Leviathan.
Arcanist, 118 Lover of the Nemean Lion. See Ladon.
Cabalist, 118 Lukasson, Jakob, 104-105
Conspirator, 117 M
Mastermind, 118 Ma’at, 45
Vizier, 118 Maize God. See Ixim.
Leviathan, 17, 34-36, 38, 41-42, 122-124 Mammu-Tiamat. See Tiamat.
Liminalities, 134 Mana, 70, 72
Lindwurms, 13, 20-21, 38, 54-63, 70, 104, 119, 131, 151, 164-165, 177. See Mantles, 11, 20, 31-32, 38, 44, 47-49, 57-60, 71, 88-89, 91, 124, 177
also Flights. Godly Mantle, 11, 32, 38, 89
Livyatan. See Leviathan. Many Headed Hunters, 78-79
Locations, 57, 63, 66, 129, 133, 173, 180-181, 184 Marduk, 20, 34-37, 40, 42, 176
Africa, 45-46, 48, 51, 86, 131, 181 Maui, 64, 68, 70
Armenia, 61 Maya, 85-86, 90, 92-93
Babylon, 61 Memory, 14, 20, 24-27, 32-33, 35, 39-42, 44-45, 47, 49-52, 54-62, 67,
Cape Town, South Africa, 48 70-72, 75-76, 80-83, 87-88, 90-91, 100, 110, 114-115, 117-121, 124-129,
Chiapas, 85 133-135, 143, 164, 174, 177, 187
China, 64, 66-67, 69, 71, 179 Memory Conditions, 33, 110, 119, 121, 125-128, 133-134, 143, 187. See
East Asia, 66-67, 72 also Conditions.

210 SCION: DRAGON

 Collector’s Memory, 125-126 Internal Compass, 144
Compel, 121, 125, 128 Long Road to Anywhere, 144
Destroyer’s Memory, 126 Traveling Companions, 144
Guardian’s Memory, 126 Unfettered, 144
Healer’s Memory, 126 Nüwa, 68-69
Invoke, 119, 125-128, 143 O
Judge’s Memory, 127 Odin, 56, 58, 60
Mystic’s Memory, 127 Odinsson, 104
Nomad’s Memory, 127 Ogden, Andreas, 43
Predator’s Memory, 127 Ògún, 49
Primeval’s Memory, 127 Ǫkunrin, Olutǫju. See Raina.
Resolve, 119, 125-128 Olympus, 132
Ruler’s Memory, 127 Ongbȩ. See Bere, Isa.
Watcher’s Memory, 127-128 Oormatige, 48
Trigger, 33, 120, 125, 128, 130, 134-135 Operations, 11, 178-180, 183-186
Mental Attributes, 111-112, 114-115, 136-137, 160. See also Attributes. 1000 Yard Club, 185
Finesse, 136-137, 139, 160 Asset Acquisition, 185
Power, 136, 139, 160, 162 Breaking and Entering, 183-184
Resistance, 136, 139, 148, 152, 160 By Way of Deception, 184
Meteor Serpent. See Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan. Cannons for Cash, 184
Mexica, 87, 91 Deep Cover, 179-180, 184
Michigan. See Chu Kai-Wing, Mitch. Exposure, 181, 184
Michtlan, 86, 88-89 Heist, 13, 185
Middle Kingdom, 69 Run!, 184
Midrealms, 36, 44, 46, 50-53, 86, 134 Search and Rescue, 184-185
Source of the Nile, 46-47, 51 Time Is Ticking, 185
Milestones, 115, 131. See also Deeds. Oracle of Delphi, 57
Milky Way, 42 Order of the Silver Daughter, 29
Mireu. See Lóng. Origin Paths, 113-114. See also Paths.
Móinn, 60 Always Watched, 114
Momentum, 115, 117-119, 121, 127-130, 132-135, 137, 139-150, 161, 186, Chosen, 113
202-205 Created, 113
Mo’o. See Lóng. Draconic Lineage, 114
Morrigan, 130 Potemkin World, 113
Mother of Dragons. See Tiamat. Reincarnation, 114
Mother of Lake Chini. See Sri Gumum. Terra Incognita, 113
Movement, 113, 144, 148-150, 153-154, 156-158, 160, 166, 189, 191 Òrìshà, 45, 177
Mucalinda, 81, 122-123 Òshun, 50
Mummu, 42 Otherworld Gate, 127
Mussatur. See Bašmu the Venomous. Ótr, 58
Mušḫuššu the Splendid, 34-38, 40-42, 100 Ōwatatsumi. See Ryūjin.
Mušmaḫḫū the Exalted, 34 Ouagadou-Bida, 45, 50-51, 122-123
Musrussu. See Mušḫuššu the Splendid. Ougadou-Bida. See Ouagadou-Bida.
Mystic Knacks, 143-144. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks. Ouroboros. See Jörmungandr and Leviathan.
Immortal Mastermind, 143-144 Overworld, 137, 204
Joyous Revelation, 143
Linked to the Past, 143 P
Omniglot Translation, 143 Pandemonium, 41, 162-163. See also Signature Dragon Magic.
Presence of Magic, 143 Minor Chaos, 162
Sage Counsel, 143 Organizational Chaos, 163
Paralyzing Disorder, 163
N Violent Anarchy, 163
Naga, 13, 21, 34-35, 38, 56, 74-83, 91, 120, 130, 132, 151, 166, 177. See Vortex, 162
also Flights. Pantheons, 11-13, 17, 19-24, 29, 31-32, 34, 36-38, 44-45, 47, 49, 51-52,
Nagaraja, 130 54-55, 62, 64-68, 70, 82, 84, 87-88, 93,113, 176-178, 183, 187, 199
Nahla, 45 Papa, 70
Ndengei, 84-87, 89-90, 92, 122-123, 177 Path Conditions, 111, 129, 133. See also Conditions.
Nehebkau, 24 Covetous Neighbors, 133-134
Nessie. See Loch Ness Monster. Path Revoked, 111, 129
Nest Raiders, 196-197. See also Antagonists. Path Suspension, 111, 119, 129
Egg Eaters, 196-197 Paths, 110-111, 113-114, 119, 129, 133-134, 139, 151
Pearl Thieves, 196 Flight Paths. See Flight Paths.
Netjer, 44-49, 51, 177 Origin. See Origin Paths.
Nezha, 64 Pantheon Paths, 113
Nga Nelanga. See Bere, Isa. Role. See Role Paths.
Nine-headed Phoenix. See Jiǔfèng. Twists of Fate, 113
Níðhöggr, 26, 56, 58, 60-61 Path Skills. See Asset Skills.
Nomad Knacks, 144. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks. Pawns, 43, 48-49, 52, 63, 67, 70, 72-73, 82-83, 91, 93, 110, 114, 127, 131,
Cross the Distance, 144 134-137, 143-144, 149, 176, 186, 188
Ever Moving, 144 Black Hats, 43
Friends Anywhere, 144

INDEX 211
 Creature of Life, 83 By Divine Right (Social), 193, 200
Crypt, 43 Diplomythic Immunity (Social), 193, 200
Jiāolóng, 73 Dragon Breath (Attack), 191
Lair Concierges, 52 Entrap (Attack), 191
Living Library, 63 Flight (Utility), 191, 199
Loyalists, 73 Heavily Armored, 153, 197-199, 201
Muwan Mat, 93 Helpless Fascination, 198
Skylar-Garrison & Co, Limited, 53 Institutional Disbelief, 198
Șișe Tabili Group, 53 Life Drain (Attack), 191
Vasuki’s Spies, 83 Mystic Arsenal (Occult), 190, 192, 199, 201
Vishapakar Society, 63 Natural Weapons, 153, 197, 200-201
Xoc Tzul, 85, 93 Obligation (Social), 193
Pawn Tags, 136-137. See also Tags. One Step Ahead (Utility), 192, 201
Access, 136-137 Perfected Soldier (Attack), 191, 198-199
Archetype, 136 Regeneration (Defense), 191
Defensive, 137 Segmented (Utility), 192
Group, 137 Shattering Transformation (Utility), 192
Helpful, 137 Shroud, 196
Indirect, 137 Slippery (Utility), 192, 201
Knack, 137 Slothful Resilience, 198
Mob, 137 Sniper, 197
Savage, 137 Stable (Defense), 191, 201
Smooth, 137 Stand Tall, 199
Terrible, 137 Subterranean Movement, 154
Tough, 137 Super Soldier, 191, 197
Unruly, 137 Sure-Footed, 154, 199
Petrosyan, Davit, 62 Swallowed Name (Occult), 192, 200
Physical Attributes, 111-112, 114-115, 136-137, 160, 189. See also Swimmer (Utility), 192
Attributes. Tough as Nails (Defense), 191, 199
Dexterity, 136, 139, 160, 189 Toxic, 200
Might, 136, 139, 160, 189 Twitchy, 196
Stamina, 136, 139, 160, 189 Unstoppable (Defense), 191, 199
Pools, 119, 145, 190, 192, 196-201 Vengeful Blood (Occult), 192
Primary Pool, 190, 192, 196-201 Vulnerability, 191
Secondary Pool, 190, 196-201 Willful (Social), 193
Poseidon, 65 Quetzalcoatl, 87, 177
Predator Knacks, 127, 144. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks. R
Apex Predator, 144 Rahab. See Leviathan.
Blood in the Water, 144 Raijin, 68, 71
Implacable Killer, 144 Raina, 20, 44, 46-49, 51-52, 122, 124, 177
Most Dangerous Prey, 144 Rain God. See Chaac.
Perfect Camouflage, 144 Raitarō, 68
Quenched with Blood, 144 Range, 132, 140, 145, 148, 150-158, 160-167, 189, 191, 193-196, 203
Send the Pack, 144 Close, 148, 152, 155-156, 160, 163, 165-166, 191, 194-195
Primeval Knacks, 144-145. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks. Extreme, 155
Calling Wind and Flame, 145 Indefinite, 194
Consuming Embodiment, 145 Long, 152, 154-156, 166, 195
Dragon’s Territory, 145 Medium, 151-153, 155, 158, 160-161, 163-164, 167, 193-196
Master of the World, 145 Range Band, 132, 140, 145, 150, 152-153, 155-157, 162, 189, 203
Messenger of the Infinite, 145 Self: 194
Purifying Force, 145 Short, 151, 155, 158, 161-164, 166
Something from Nothing, 145 Touch, 193, 195
Primordials, 52 Varies, 195
Procedural Scene, 137, 140, 142 World, 195
Pro-Maya Movement, 85 Rangi, 70
Protector of Buddha. See Mucalinda. Ratatosk, 60
Protector of the Dead City. See Sri Gumum. Re, 44, 48-49
Purification, 92, 167, 193. See also Signature Dragon Magic. Refinement, 52, 163-164. See also Signature Dragon Magic.
Cleanse, 167 Absorb Information, 163
Purify Organization, 167 Final Destruction, 163
Reclaim the Earth, 167 Transform Energy, 163-164
Remove the Unnatural, 167 Transmutation, 164
Soothing Aura, 167 Transmute Information, 164
Purviews, 150, 192 Relics, 22, 43, 46, 49, 63, 104, 125, 133-134, 146, 162
Python of Delphi, 57, 132 Remembrance, 15, 41, 52, 62, 72, 83, 92, 112-113, 118-119, 187, 200
Q Cipher. See Cipher.
Qing Lóng. See Ryūjin. Conditions. See Remembrance Conditions.
Qualities, 153-154, 190-193. See also Antagonists. Defection. See Defection.
Apocalyptic Presence (Occult), 190, 192 Remembrance Conditions, 119. See also Conditions and
Armor Piercing (Attack), 191, 197 Remembrance.

212 SCION: DRAGON

 Defector, 118-119 Signature Dragon Magic, 112, 162-167. See also Dragon Magic and
Revelation, 118-119, 143 Spells.
Reptilian Destroyer Knacks, 205. See also Knacks. Avarice (Lindwurms). See Avarice.
Hearth Destroying Horror, 205 Blessings (Lóng). See Blessings.
Mother’s Child, 205 Pandemonium (Draq). See Pandemonium.
Old Destroyer, 205 Purification (Serpent). See Purification.
Render, 205 Refinement (Joka). See Refinement.
Sword Blunting Hide, 205 Teleportation (Naga). See Teleportation.
Wall Breaker, 205 Sigurd, 58
Responding Dragon. See Yīnglóng. Siria, Tagroa. See Tangaroa.
Rider of Storms. See Kulshedra. Sirrush. See Mušḫuššu the Splendid.
Ridill, 59, 62 Sirrušu. See Mušḫuššu the Splendid.
Rivals, 196 Skerm. See Raina.
Roanoke, 46 Skills. See Asset Skills.
Roko, 65, 68 Sky-Breaker. See Gōnggōng.
Role Paths, 111, 114, 202. See also Paths. Sky Pillars, 69
Criminal, 114 Sleeping Mother, 18
Spy, 114 Sobek, 88
Rông. See Lóng. Social Attributes, 111-112, 114-115, 136-137, 160. See also Attributes.
Ruler Knacks, 143. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks. Composure, 136, 139, 160
Fearless Presence, 143 Manipulation, 136, 139, 160
Invoke Anger, 143 Presence, 136, 139, 160
Invulnerable Master, 143 Soga no Emishi, 46
Irrepressible Charisma, 143 Sònpònná, 48
Loyal Servant, 143 Sotheby’s, 53
Pack Alpha, 143 Specialties, 111, 115
Perfect Poise, 143 Spells, 14, 117-118, 129-130, 134, 139, 150-151, 186, 188, 192-193, 195. See
Ruling Serpent Knacks, 204. See also Knacks. also Dragon Magic and Signature Dragon Magic.
Gifts from Below, 204 Absorb Information (Refinement), 163
Hooded Assertion of Protection, 204 Accelerated Decay (Decay), 151-152
Living Doors of Infinite Vaults, 204 Acrobatic Flight (Flight), 157-158
Ryu. See Lóng. Adamant Bonds (Elemental Manipulation: Earth), 153
Ryūgū Castle, 64, 66, 71 Aerial Mobility (Flight), 157-158
Ryūjin, 31, 64-68, 71-73, 90, 123, 132, 177 Alter Weather (Weather Control), 162
S Animate Earth (Elemental Manipulation: Earth), 153-154
Samba, 47, 49-50 Armor of Earth (Elemental Manipulation: Earth), 154
Sarruma, 35 Armor of Fortune (Luck), 159
Scale, 112, 120-121, 126-128, 133, 135, 137, 139-140, 145-149, 151-152, 154- Ashes to Ashes (Elemental Manipulation: Fire), 154
155, 157-161, 163, 166, 186-187, 190-194, 198-199, 201, 203-205 Blessing of Draconic Power (Blessings), 165
Bonus, 186 Blessing of Luck (Blessings), 165
Feat of Scale, 121, 145-146, 157, 186 Blessing of Perfection (Blessings), 166
Leadership, 127, 133, 193 Breath of Life (Elemental Manipulation: Air), 152
Size, 126, 149, 151-152, 154, 158, 160-161, 163, 166, 194, 201, 203 Calm Mind (Fear), 157
Speed, 127, 158, 191-192 Cleanse (Purification), 167
Scent the Divine, 117-118, 195 Clear Sight (Illusions), 159
Scions, 12, 22, 24, 29, 31, 34, 37, 43, 45, 55, 57, 59-60, 64, 68, 71, 74, 78, Command the Solid Earth (Elemental Manipulation: Earth),
104, 113-114, 118, 124, 134, 139, 145, 150, 173-174, 176-178, 180, 183, 190, 153-154
197-200 Companion Flight (Flight), 158
Scourge Knacks, 203-204. See also Knacks. Cool Down (Elemental Manipulation: Frost), 155
City Swallowing Wastes, 203 Create Pocket Realm (Teleportation), 166
Miasma, 203 Cursed Hoard (Avarice), 165
Mighty Coils, 203-204 Defense from Afar (Blessings), 166
Ophidian Avenger, 203 Disguise (Illusions), 159
Poison and Miasma, 203-204 Earth Roar (Elemental Manipulation: Earth), 154
Venom of the Pit, 203-204 Ember Skin (Elemental Manipulation: Fire), 154-155
Warm Scent of the Unworthy, 204 Eyes Turned Away (Illusions), 159
Wasteland’s Polestar, 204 Fiery Awe (Elemental Manipulation: Fire), 155
Wrapped in the Coils of Night, 204 Final Destruction (Refinement), 163
Seattle Police Department, 102 Fire Mastery (Elemental Manipulation: Fire), 155
Sefedokote, Amadou, 50 Fire Shaping (Elemental Manipulation: Fire), 155
Serpent of Chaos. See Apophis. Flash Flood (Elemental Manipulation: Water), 156
Serpent of Shelter. See Mucalinda. Flash Freeze (Elemental Manipulation: Frost), 155-156
Serpents, 13, 21, 65, 84-93, 120, 131, 167, 177, 204. See also Flights. Foresight (Understanding), 161
Shades, 131 Fortune’s Favor (Luck), 159-160
Shang Dynasty, 106 Frayed (Decay), 152
Shén, 64-69, 71-72, 177 Friend of Beasts (Animal Control), 151
She Who Rises. See Loch Ness Monster. Glimpse the Future (Understanding), 161
Shipwrecker. See Horomatangi. Hide Beneath Notice (Transformation), 160
Shiva, 75, 78, 82, 177 Hydraulic Override (Elemental Manipulation: Water), 156
Sia, 50 Ice Sculpting (Elemental Manipulation: Frost), 155

INDEX 213
 Illusory Aura (Illusions), 159 Burned, 187
Impersonation (Illusions), 159 Critical Hit, 144
Imprison (Teleportation), 166 Enhance!, 148
Incantation, 150, 186 Entrap, 144
Intimidating Presence (Fear), 157 Envenomed, 149-150
Irresistible Craving (Avarice), 165 Extra Clue, 161
Jump (Teleportation), 166 Grapple, 203
Land Blessing (Blessings), 166 Guide Stunts, 129-133
Lethal Weather (Weather Control), 162 Harm, 187
Localized Weather (Weather Control), 162 Hoard Stunt, 133, 192
Looming Presence (Fear), 157 Incinerate, 154
Master of Beasts (Animal Control), 151 Incite, 187
Master’s Song (Animal Control), 151 Inflict Damage, 144, 148, 161, 190-191, 201
Mental Command (Animal Control), 151 Interpretation, 161
Merge with Beast (Animal Control), 151 Knockback, 149
Minor Chaos (Pandemonium), 162 Knockdown/Trip, 148-149, 152-153, 161, 191
Oceanic Majesty (Elemental Manipulation: Water), 156 Pin, 148, 167, 187, 192
Organizational Chaos (Pandemonium), 163 Position, 148, 192
Overwhelming Greed (Avarice), 164-165 Q&A, 161
Paralyzing Disorder (Pandemonium), 163 Raze, 188
Paralyzing Gaze (Fear), 157 Scatter, 188
Penetrating Insight (Understanding), 161 Shove, 152-153
Piercing Gaze (Understanding), 161 Sinkhole, 150
Pocket Lair (Teleportation), 166 Stalk, 144
Purify Organization (Purification), 167 Sunder, 188
Radiant Wealth (Avarice), 165 Takedown, 148, 192
Read the Room (Fear), 157 Supreme. See Ndengei.
Reclaim the Earth (Purification), 167 T
Remove the Unnatural (Purification), 167 Tags, 136-137, 140, 148-150, 152, 154-157, 162, 191, 205
Rime (Elemental Manipulation: Frost), 155-156 Aggravated, 148, 154-155, 162, 191, 203
Searing Cold (Elemental Manipulation: Frost), 156 Arcing, 150, 155, 158
Second Chances (Luck), 160 Armored: Hard, 205
Shift Shape (Transformation), 160 Bashing, 148-149, 156
Skyward Gale (Elemental Manipulation: Air), 152 Brutal, 131
Soothing Aura (Purification), 167 Elemental, 148-149
Stock Your Hoard (Avarice), 165 Lethal, 128, 140, 148-150, 156, 203, 205
Stolen Luck (Luck), 160 Loud, 140
Swift as Lightning (Flight), 158 Melee, 149
Swift Fortune (Luck), 160 Messy, 131, 140, 148, 205
Telekinesis (Flight), 158 Natural Tag, 140, 149
Teleportation (Teleportation), 166-167 Pawn. See Pawn Tags.
Total Annihilation (Decay), 152 Piercing, 140, 149, 154, 156, 205
Toxic Corruption (Decay), 152 Pushing, 140, 149, 152, 154-156
Transform Energy (Refinement), 163-164 Ranged, 148, 150, 152, 154-155, 162, 191
Transform Object (Transformation), 160-161 Reach, 140, 154
Transform Other (Transformation), 161 Resistant, 132
Transform Substance (Transformation), 161 Resistant (Elemental), 147, 149
Transmutation (Refinement), 164 Shockwave, 131, 140, 148-149, 152, 155-156, 162, 191
Transmute Information (Refinement), 164 Soft Armored, 203
Unnatural Weather (Weather Control), 162 Thrown, 158
Untouchable (Decay), 152 Versatile, 149
Violent Anarchy (Pandemonium), 163 Ta Huun. See Witz’.
Vision of the Ages (Understanding), 161-162 Takamagahara, 66, 68
Vision of the Distant Shore (Elemental Manipulation: Water), Tangaroa, 89-90
156 Taniwha. See Lóng.
Vortex (Pandemonium), 162 Tarafe, 49
Water Mastery (Elemental Manipulation: Water), 156-157 Target Number, 186
Wind Blast (Elemental Manipulation: Air), 152 Teleportation, 83, 166-167. See also Signature Dragon Magic.
Wind of Wings (Elemental Manipulation: Air), 153 Create Pocket Realm, 166
Words on the Wind (Elemental Manipulation: Air), 153 Imprison, 166
Splendid One. See Mušḫuššu the Splendid. Jump, 166
Sri Gumum, 81-82, 122, 124 Pocket Lair, 166
Stanford, 106 Teleportation, 166-167
Storyguide, 35, 55, 110, 115, 125, 127-130, 132, 134, 136-137, 139-140, 142- Têmtum. See Leviathan.
143, 145-146, 151, 160-163, 173-176, 184-185, 187-190, 193-194, 196 Tenōchtitlan, 48
Storypath, 32, 145, 173 Tennōki, 46
Strange Places, 31, 36, 43, 52, 56, 59, 76, 86, 131, 204 Tension, 128, 134, 148-149, 188, 192-196
Student Historians, 106 Teōtl Dragons, 84
Stunts, 129-133, 141, 144-145, 148-150, 152-154, 156, 161-162, 167, 187, Terra Incognita, 13, 21, 31, 36-37, 43, 56-57, 60, 66, 74, 76, 84, 86, 118,
190-192, 194, 201, 203-204 123, 134-135, 137, 167, 186, 190, 193, 196, 201-202

214 SCION: DRAGON

Teshub, 35 U
Thalassa. See Tiamat. Ugallu the Weathered, 34
Thaláttē. See Tiamat. Umkhuseli. See Raina.
Theoi, 20, 48-49, 55-56, 62, 176-177, 200, 202 Umūdabrūtu the Violent, 34
The True Brotherhood of Odin, 104 Ummukhubar. See Tiamat.
Þӧkk, 57 Underworlds, 46, 131, 204
Thor, 55, 59, 87 University of Washington, 100, 108
Tiamat, 13, 18, 20, 34-43, 124, 176 Urashimatarō, 66, 72
Tiamat, Bolla, and Company LLC, 199-200 Uridimmu the Mad, 34
Tiers, 129, 139, 186 Ušumgallu the Great, 34
Titanomachy, 23, 29, 31, 47, 65, 68, 71, 85, 89, 186-187
Titans, 11-12, 19, 22, 24, 29, 31, 38-39, 45, 47-49, 55, 57-59, 62, 64-65, V
67-68, 72-73, 82, 85, 87-88, 91, 120, 173, 176-177, 183-184, 187, 196, 204 Vahagn the Dragon-slayer, 61
Tlaloc, 87-88 Vasuki, 75-76, 78, 82-83, 123, 177
Torch Dragon. See Zhúlóng. Villains, 196
Touchstone, 122, 127 Vishap, 20-21, 24-25, 54-56, 59, 61-63, 122-123, 131, 177
Toyotamahime, 67 Visitation, 15
Tradecraft, 134-135, 137. See also Birthrights. Pre-Visitation, 99
Tradecraft, 179-183 Voynich Manuscript, 63
Assassinations, 12, 85, 174, 183 W
Assets, 179, 181-182 Wagadoo-Bida. See Ouagadou-Bida.
Communications, 176, 180-181 War Serpent. See Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan.
Deception, 179, 181 Watcher Knacks, 145-146. See also Calling Knacks and Knacks.
Infiltration, 174, 179, 182-183 Complete Privacy, 145
Surveillance, 180, 184-185 Eyes in the Blinds, 145
Theft, 174, 182-183 Flawless Observer, 145
Violence, 180, 183 Indisputable Analysis, 145
Transformation Knacks, 112, 115, 119, 127-128, 146-150, 186-187, 195. Keen-Eyed Watcher, 145-146
See also Draconic Knacks and Knacks. Surveyor’s Watchful Eye, 146
Bottomless Lungs, 147 Unobtrusive Visitor, 146
Brutal Might, 147-148 Water Lily Serpent. See Witz’.
Devastating Dragon’s Presence, 41, 148 Waxaklajuun Ub’aah. See Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan.
Draconic Majesty, 72, 148 Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan, 87, 90
Dragon-Sage’s Sense, 148 Weapons, 22, 46, 86, 92, 136, 158, 161, 177, 189, 197, 204
Dragon’s Breath, 148 Who Gnaws the Roots. See Níðhöggr.
Dragon’s Fangs, 142, 149 Witz’, 32, 84-87, 90-92, 122, 124
Dragon’s Scales, 148-150 World Tree, 26, 58, 60
Dragon Sight, 92, 148 Writhing One. See Leviathan.
Eel’s Trickery, 92, 148 Wùkōng, 64, 71
Elemental Immunity, 141, 148
Fade Away, 62, 148
X
Xiuhcome, 91
Great Form of the Dragon, 149
Xiuhcoatl, 85-87, 90-91, 93, 123-124, 177
Great Slithering Bulk, 148
Xiuhtecuhtli. See Xiuhcoatl.
Gripping Coils, 148-149
Xol, 84-86, 89
Horizon Sense, 148
Xorenac’i, 61
Massive Beast Shape, 62, 149
Modest Human Guise, 112, 122, 149, 186, 202 Y
Pit Viper’s Sense, 148 Yamata-no-Orochi, 11, 13, 32, 64
Poison Blood, 41, 149 Yamm, 17, 41
Powerful Swimmer, 149 Yao, 45-46
Power-Tasting Bite, 149 Yara, 35
Rending Claws, 140, 149 Yax-chit-ti. See Witz’.
Seizing Jaws, 52, 150 Yellow Dragon, 64
Skink’s Regrowth, 83, 149 Yellow Emperor. See Huángdì.
Snapping Hydra’s Form, 83, 149 Yggdrasil, 56, 60
Soaring Dragon, 150 Yīnglóng, 64-68, 71, 122-123
Sweeping Tail, 149 Yokutya, 48
Through the Cracks, 150 Z
Tunneling Wyrm, 150 Zapatista, 85, 93
Two Heads Are Better, 149 Zeus, 78, 177
Venom Spit, 150 Zhuānxū, 64, 69
Vicious Biting Assault, 149 Zhúlóng, 65, 68
Trivial Target, 126, 135, 148, 151, 155-157, 159-161, 165-167, 187, 193 Zhúlóng’s Torch, 73
Tsukuyomi, 68 Zilant, 36
Tugarin, 36 Zjerma, 80
Tuna-roa. See Kuna. Zmaj, 57
Turquoise Serpent. See Xiuhcoatl.

INDEX 215
 Academics: Medicine:
Athletics: Occult:
Close Combat: Persuasion:
Culture: Pilot:
Empathy: Science:
Firearms: Subterfu e:
Inte rity: Survival:
Leadership: Technolo y:

MENTAL PHYSICAL SOCIAL

Intellect Mi ht Presence
Cunnin Dexterity Manipulation
Resolve Stamina Composure

Worldly Short
Worldly Lon
Draconic

Deed Name:

Bruised +1
Bruised +1
+2
+2
+4

Movement Dice:
Defense Roll:
 You have been chosen by a Dragon, gifted with magic
and the incredible ability to shape shift into one of their
terrible and awesome forms. In a World of myth, yours
has been rewritten time and again, and yet Dragons
remember all truths. You are an agent in an ancient war,
working behind the lines and preparing for a battle for
the fate of The World.
Discover the Truth. Find yourself. Make your own
destiny.
Scion: Dragon details the stories of Heirs, those
chosen by Dragons to act within The World as their
agents. It is the story of discovering history, subverting
enemies, and espionage. Your Draconic patron seeks to
embroil you in millennia old plots and ancient grudges
as shadowy manipulators. All the while, you must learn
their secrets, and either embrace the Dragon’s goals for
you or make your own.
The Scion: Dragon is a standalone game in the
World of Scion
Scion,, and is meant for use with Scion:
Origin. Inside, you will find:
• Character creation system for Heirs; those chosen by
Dragons to enact their plots in The World.
• Knacks, Spells, and all the draconic magic wielded
by Heirs, powered by the Storypath System.
• Six Flights: Draq, Joka, Lindwurm, Long,
Naga, and Serpent Dragons, all suitable for
patronage of your Heirs.
• Information about The World from the Dragon’s
perspective, complete with plots and hooks to get
your characters deep into draconic intrigue.

SCI014