Platinum Dragon
“Arise, Zalkyrion, begot of Gold and subtle Silver wov’n in twain! Thou sov’reign scion of the starry sky, who mustered first an hallowed host of Wyrms t’impose an organised Authority the which might ease the sorrows of the realm. Thou tamer of the fierce and fiery heart, and architect of Hierarch’s pyramid, rise thee once more and call thy banners forth. For still doth chaos commandeer the helm and reign o’er Order in each mortal realm.”
Forged in volcanic fires beneath a distant star, the Platinum dragon sprung forth to serve as a shield in defense of almighty Order and a blade to strike down that which opposed their exacting world view. Strident in their beliefs and zealous in their pursuit of balance, the Platinum dragon is rare among the flights of Ransera in their sense of community and responsibility as shepherds to the younger races.
Scions of the Stars
In the The Age of Dreams, when dragonkind dawned into existence and Eikaen was a present and palpable force in the fledgling world, all regarded their sovereign with awe and reverence. Dragons, being by and large fiercely independent, had many different ways to observe their obeisance to the Dragon King in whose image they had been created. But members of two flights in particular felt a more marked kinship with their platinum monarch. Several gold and silver dragons splintered off from their greater flights and fled Ransera, seeking to be closer to Eikaen by taking to the stars to practice their heterodox faith on a young planet known as Khetherys, which was a distant celestial satellite to a star known as Re’hyax.
It was in the crucible of that volcanic rock that the draconic Cult of Re’hyax forged a hybrid dragonflight. The gold dragon Zalkyndranox and the silver dragon Sorkyrinx coupled in hopes of creating a more suitable simulacrum of their Lord. Their first hatchling bore traits of both flights, with scales that glistered like the stars on high, appearing gold at some angles and silver at others. And he was called Zalkyrion, First of the Platinum Dragonflight.
Regarded as a sacred success in the aim of bringing dragonkind closer to Eikaen, Zalkyrion was regarded as a messianic figure whose birth heralded the dawn of a new age. The age that was to come was not what the Cult of Re’hyax anticipated. Zalkyrion found that he was able to exploit his novel dragoncraft, born of his hybrid blood and infused with the mystical energies of Re’hyax, to alter the nature of his surroundings to better suit his worldview. With time and intention, Zalkyrion was able to metamorphosise his parents into Platinum dragons themselves. Awed and vindicated by this revelation, Zalkyndranox and Sorkyrinx returned to Ransera with the intention of evangelising members of the other dragonflights to the ways of Re’hyax. The two dragons, then fledgling members of the Platinum flight and not fully possessing of the power that implies, went to spread their gospel in the fertile realm of Atraxia, which housed two conflicting kingdoms: aboveground lay Strælium and in the cavernous expanse below lay Khálgrima. Strælium was inhabited by a race of extremes, created by their imperial liege and creator, The Demigod Streleon. Khálgrima housed another young race, controlled and created by Ugrimal.
Unbeknownst to the starbound dragons, these lands were embroiled in a bloody war between the gods and their respective subjects. The two gods demanded allegiance from the dragons, who summarily refused as sworn subjects of Zalkyrion. The demigods struck the dragons down and raised them again as undead servants through necromantic manipulation,each joining the fray on opposing sides: Zalkyndranox serving Streleon and Sorkyrinx Ugrimal. Little did these warring deities know that, with their dying breaths, the two dragons invested aspects of themselves in their slayers.
Sensing the loss of his parents and the perversion that overtook their corpses, the enraged Zalkyrion flew across the stars to Atraxia, where the two conflicting gods were engaged in their final battle astride their mounts- the undead Draconic parents of Zalkyrion. The wrathful Zalkyrion let out a fiery bellow and from the ground burst forth a volcano, which erupted and sent forth a storm of fire falling from black clouds of smothering smoke. Ugrimal and Streleon, made vulnerable by the investiture of Zalkyrion’s parents, were slain by the raging Platinum messiah and consumed in the fires of the volcano, which would be named Sorokyn to honour the mother of Zalkyrion. The once bountiful rainforest realm of Atraxia became an arid wasteland as the effects of the colossal eruption altered the ecosystem irreparably. The grieving Zalkyrion isolated himself at the core of the volcano where he laid his parents to rest and entered a deep slumber that would last millennia.
Many years later, when the elven twins Aværys and Varvara cried out for retribution, Zalkyrion, Ugrimal and Streleon all answered. Finding that the investiture of his parents had burgeoned in the dark over all those years, Zalkyrion was moved to find their new incarnations had assumed the domains of the bygone Mistlords. Reunited, after a fashion, with his parents Zalkyrion was convinced that Ransera required shepherds to guide the younger races, and his authority was infused into the realm of Atraxia to create a new world order. He called forth the bulk of the Platinum Dragons who still remained on Kherdryth in the orbit of Re’hyax, though some remained amongst the stars. He gathered other dragons of like mind and worked alongside the Solunarian Founders to spread an organised authority into other realms. Their violent incursions into the North were halted in Northern Auris, where Zalkyrion’s demise created the volcano called Kaladon. Many of the Platinum Dragons and their disciples dispersed- Some fled into the mountains, others returned to their flights, and some even went back into the stars. Zalkyriax, eldest son and heir to Zalkyrion, was invested with his father’s ancient power, but retreated to Mount Sorokyn in Atraxia to mourn with his siblings for many years, only recently emerging to partake in worldly affairs once more.
Psychology of a Platinum Dragon
The Platinum Dragon is, by nature, both an ideologue and, in an odd way, an idealist. They hold very rigid concepts as sacrosanct, but earnestly believe that the universal adoption of these precepts would lead to the closest the mortal realms might broach to an utopia.
The foremost tenet of the Platinum Flight pertains to hierarchy. They stridently believe that every being in creation has a proper place and that all misery is born of attempts to struggle against this primal order. It is said that the platinum dragons were the first to contrive the concept of primogeniture, and their adherence to the primacy of the elder can be seen most starkly in their worshipful regard of Zalkyrion, progenitor of their line, and his immediate offspring.
Physiology of the Platinum Dragonflight
Platinum dragons are unusually diverse in size and body type. Some believe this is due to their origins as a hybridized eugenic experiment. Whatever the case, the largest of their number rival the Silver dragons from whom they descend, though some platinum dragons more resemble their golden ancestors in mass. Notably, platinum dragons who dwell in the presence of volcanoes or high levels of geothermal energy tend to grow larger and more powerful than those with no direct access.
Their scales are said to be touched by the stars they once dwelt between, and like celestial bodies they glint and glimmer whether lit by the sun or starlight. Their scales are smooth and reflective as mirrors and onlookers have claimed to see many colors represented in their natural armor, though they are mostly regarded as having gold and silver scales. This is an optical illusion or perhaps a confirmation bias that has followed their flight since its ancient origins. To study a platinum dragon scale is to see oneself and one’s perceptions reflected back.
Dragoncraft of the Platinum Flight
All full dragons possess the power of Dragoncraft, a power that wizards across the ages have attributed to being a lesser form of Archmagic. The platinum dragonflight is known to possess the following powers. Though this is not a comprehensive list of abilities platinum dragons have been known to have, these are among the most common manifestations.
Cardinal Conversion - The Platinum Dragon’s devotion to their dogma is zealous, as is their desire to evangelise other beings- particularly other dragons to their righteous cause. A Platinum dragon can see into the soul of a lifeform and alter it toward its rightful place in their conceptual hierarchy. If they deem a human to have the heart of an elf, they might metamorphise their form to match their soul. Most frequently, however, this ability has been used to convert a dragon from their birth flight into becoming a full fledged Platinum Dragon.
Endorsed Authority - Platinum Dragons’ influence over their surroundings is palpable. If they inhabit a realm with laws that stand in opposition to their beliefs their presence may cause discontentment and unrest in the population. If they inhabit a realm that is more aligned with their worldview they may, conversely, enhance the willingness of the population to embrace the authority. These effects are not mutually exclusive. A dragon’s presence may stir discontent over one aspect of their kingdom, while instilling satisfaction over another. This effect is also dependent upon the individual dragon’s specific beliefs, but since this dragonflight is so dogmatic the distinctions are typically slight.
Volcanic Vigour - The Platinum Dragonflight was forged in the fires of a distant highly volcanic world, which infused them with an affinity for geothermal energy. Platinum dragons are drawn to volcanoes and tend to grow larger and more powerful when in their presence for prolonged periods. They are tapped into the geothermal energies beneath the ground and are capable of drawing them forth to form volcanoes where none lay prior.
Radiant Starfire - The radiant breath of a Platinum dragon was endowed by the flames of a different sun than that which mounts the firmament above Ransera: the star Re’hyax. Their breath weapon is passing potent— particularly when deployed against the undead creatures they so abhor. Their zealous loathing of the undead, which has churned since the forefathers of their flight were corrupted, renders the undead particularly vulnerable to the flame of their ire.
