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Fortune Dragon Male (Left) and Female (Right)
Many Asian dragons were considered lucky, unlike
their fiercer Western counterparts. The Skyhaven Fortune Dragon
owes its existence to no particular Asiatic dragon. (For more on Asian
dragons, see the Guide entry for Orb Dragons.)
Origins
Fortune dragons have been
mentioned now and again in literature, history, and art across Tirialle, but nobody seems to
know precisely where they hail from. They simply appear, usually for
brief times, and vanish just as quickly and mysterioiusly as they
arrived.
Fortune dragons as small as "five raindrops" and as large as
"a thunderhead" have been recorded, but most appear to be around
the size of the Skyhaven fortune dragon, twenty to thirty feet long from
snout to tailtip. Males are easily identified (in native dragon form)
by their thick beards, longer whisker-tendrils (elongated appendages on
the upper lip, something like a cross between a tentacle and a whisker,
which tend to be both extremely flexible and sensitive), larger horns, and
shorter dorsal fur frills.
Habitat
Fortune dragons have
been known to turn up pretty much anywhere, from equatorial deserts to
arctic wastelands and even ships in the middle of the ocean. They seem
to favor temperate climates at the edges of civilization. It is theorized that they inhabit
a parallel dimension, not unlike the faeries, and only visit Tirialle when
the fancy strikes them. However, reports of nesting pairs of fortune
dragons in the West Realm indicate that they are expanding their territory, possibly
out of necessity.
Feeding
Few have seen fortune dragons feed; some believe they primarily live off of
"invisible ethers" in the atmosphere. Their teeth imply an
omnivorous, possibly more meat-based diet. Some have been known to
accept offerings of rice, cooked fish, tea, and honeyed cakes during the
course of rituals, though they don't always eat said offerings in front of
others.
Life Cycle
As few have
been observed for any length of time, very little is known of their
lifestyle, save that they are sentient, if seemingly reluctant to
communicate with residents of Tirialle. Though polite, and certainly
capable of speech or telepathy (reports vary on their favored method of
communication), attempts to open a dialog rarely produce results, possibly
owing to cultural reservations. They are believed to have rather long
lifespans and take only one mate in that time. Those few known to live
in Tirialle seem to build globe-shaped nests under protective tree canopies
or overhangs, weaving together reeds and twigs and stuffing them with down or leaves
to make sturdy, warm walls.
Very few nests are known, and from them little can thus far be gleaned or
speculated. Clutches seem to be small, with one to two young.
The young have no visible horns, the stubs perhaps hidden by their frizzy,
unkempt manes on their outsized heads. Awkward and weak, they stay
close to the nest, presumably fed by their parents. Thus far, no
Tiriallean clutches have reached maturity, so no more information is
available. As for their lifespan, it is presumed that they live for
a very long time, perhaps thousands of years, assuming they are not
immortal; the fact that they seem to build nests on a fairly regular basis
hints that they do, indeed, have a mortality rate.
Culture
Though clearly sentient, almost nothing is known of fortune dragon
culture. They speak rarely with others, and those few whom they
trust enough to confide in only earned such trust by not revealing what
was confided. They appear to live simply and in accordance with nature.
Temperament
Fortune dragons among the most benign of dragons, only very rarely
displaying any temperament other than peace or joy. These dragons seem
fond of rituals, though, and will often participate in (or simply observe) festivals, temple
services for various beneficial gods, or even something as simple as a tea
ceremony. Though mostly mute, they enjoy music, especially flutes and
drums. When they do speak, they speak formally and poetically, with
the utmost care for choosing just the right word, phrase, and inflection.
Crude, obnoxious, brutish, or disrespectful behavior upsets them, but it
takes a fair amount of pushing to truly anger a fortune dragon.
Mostly, boorish behavior merely seems to sadden them. When angered,
they need not resort to physical violence to punish wrongdoers (see
Magical Traits, below.) On those few occasions when a fortune dragon had
to physically defend itself, they proved highly agile and superbly skilled
fighters, defeating aggressors with a minimum of wasted motion or
effort. Even then, they seemed almost apologetic about inflicting
harm on another living being.
Magical Traits
Fortune dragons are
quick creatures on land and in the air, though the means by which they fly
is unknown. They have no visible "ethereal fire" (see the
Guide entry on Orb
Dragons) which allows other wingless creatures to defy gravity, yet they
clearly do fly, slithering through the air as easily as a tazelwurm slides
through soil. Some believe that they balance on lunar or solar energy
waves, as they most often appear during solstices or on nights with a bright
full moon.
As the name
implies, fortune dragons are considered very lucky to have around.
When one appears, it is best to be polite, and offer respect or food or
tokens of gratitude (if available.) They have no apparent hoarding
instincts, but seem to enjoy receiving simple gifts of coins, flowers, or
even shiny stones, presumably as it fulfills their ritualistic nature (the act of giving being more important than the gift itself.)
Once in a rare while the fortune dragon will reciprocate and offer peculiar,
seemingly humble gifts; such gifts should be treasured, being incredibly
potent lucky charms, but should not be hoarded or denied to those in greater
need, or they shall become just as much a curse as they were once a
blessing. More often than not, anyone treating a fortune dragon with
proper respect finds themselves amply rewarded, though the dragon itself usually disappears before
the reward makes itself apparent. Historically, miraculous healings, war victories against impossible odds,
remarkable breakthroughs, and other astounding bits of luck have
been attributed to the kindness of fortune dragons... and sudden plagues,
inexplicably severe financial or military losses, and other disasters have
been blamed on offended fortune dragons. In some
areas, it is customary to leave offerings of honeyed cakes or rice out on every full moon night
- when they most consistently appear - in hopes of attracting a fortune dragon.
(In practice, this is more likely to attract wild animals, vermin, or even
mischief-bent pixies than a fortune dragon, but once in a while something
equally beneficial will happen along, and thus the custom persists.) Their effect on ambient probability energy (what many
call "luck") appears to be subconscious, not unlike an eodrac's
effect on ambient chaos energy, implying a possible evolutionary link.
Recently, it was learned that fortune dragons are shapeshifters. The
females are more readily identified, carrying their signature blossoms
(see Other Notes, below) even in altered form, sometimes disguised as a
pendant or brooch, but even the males can be told if one pays close enough
attention. Their characteristic near-total silence and polite, if
somewhat archaic, mannerisms follow them in whatever form they
assume. If one has the courage to look a fortune dragon in the eye,
their true nature will be revealed, but staring any dragon in the eye is
not recommended. Especially in Tirialle, eyes are
windows to the soul, and staring into a dragon's soul is an exceptionally
intense experience which has been known to drive those of lesser will or
intellect insane. It is also generally considered an invasion of
privacy at best and a challenge or threat at worst.
Other Notes
The flowers worn by female fortune dragons vary by the apparent age or
marital status of the individual. Immature (hornless) females wear
none. Mature but unmatched females wear a single bloom in their
mane. When they take a lifemate, they move the blossom to their
tailplume. The flower itself varies, too, hinting at some
significance to rank or lineage or power. Interestingly, no Tiriallean
botanists have been able to identify any of the species seen on fortune
dragons. Most
speculate that the blooms come from wherever the fortune dragons hail
from, be it a parallel dimension, unknown land, or distant world.
The sight of similar blossoms worn by non-draconic beings provided the first
concrete evidence that fortune dragons were in fact shapeshifters.
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