When Dragons Die- The Complete Trilogy Box Set

by K. Scott Lewis

  Demigods

  Demigods are gods for all practical purposes. They were born to the gods and were not created. Although immortal, it is possible for them to die, as their existence is bound to the space-time in which they were born.

  The Archdragons—Archurion, Eldrikura, Klrain, and Graelyn. Each of these were conceived by Malahkma. Being born to a goddess, they are demigods with divine power. They are bound to time, however, and can die. They have spent the majority of the last million years in dragonsleep, acting as messengers in the dreams of mortals and awakening from their place in Dragonholm only at crucial moments in history.

  Archurion, the Gold Dragon—Dragon of Light. He is seen as the principal messenger of the good gods and inspires the Archurionite Church, whose teachings were originally based upon his messages. Lover of Graelyn. Incarnated as Kaldor, a human male.

  Eldrikura, the Violet Dragon—Dragon of Time. She was the lover of Klrain before she chose not to follow him into evil. Extremely calculating. Incarnated as Valkrage, a sidhe male.

  Klrain, the Black Dragon—Dragon of the Dark. Refused to accept the rule of the good gods and became the principal messenger for the evil gods under the rulership of Yamosh. Abandoned Eldrikura to become Yamosh’s instrument on earth.

  Graelyn, the Green Dragon—Dragon of Life and Nature. Lover of Archurion. Guided by compassion, sometimes to a fault.

  Peoples and Cultures

  Natural Races

  Dwarves—A natural race of Ahmbren from the hills and mountains. Natural cavern homes with underground mountain kingdoms called kelds.

  Humans—One of the natural races of Ahmbren from the flatlands of desert and plains. Humans are the dominant race in Artalonian history.

  Orcs—A natural race of Ahmbren from the steppes. Orcs are larger than their human counterparts. Usually organizing in tribes and warrior culture, many have been integrated into human society. The first to domesticate and use the horse. Large and muscular with wide faces, flat noses, and lower teeth that protrude from their lips as fangs.

  Trolls—A natural race of Ahmbren from the jungles and swamps. As lithe and graceful as orcs are large and muscular, troll tribes have retreated from civilization, preferring seclusion and privacy in their deep forests. Ruled by a priest class, they also have druids in their midst, making them formidable foes to the unwary intruder. Women appear as humans with small cheek tusks and blue to green skin. Men appear more inhuman, with large diagonal eyes, animalistic noses, large cheek tusks, and a lightly furred body.

  Other Races

  Darklings—Originally humans who made pacts with demons to rival the power of the High Elven Imperium, they and their descendants are forever cursed with the hell’s mark. They transformed Artalon into a dark kingdom until the Dragons Archurion and Eldrikura destroyed their kingdom. They appear human except for demonic horns, solid black or red eyes, tails, small finger claws, and sharp teeth.

  Elves, Seelie (Light Elves)—Shards of the Fae encapsulated with the Green Dragon’s essence manifested as light elves, falling to Ahmbren fully adult, each with fragments of memories of the dead Fae realms. Taller than sidhe, they usually stand between six and seven feet in height. They have a variety of skin colors, from silvers and light hues to gold. Hair color is equally varied. The first generation of seelie have glowing striations in their irises. They did not exist before 11,063 in the Third Age. Their first generation was born as full adults with fragments of Fae and Dragon memories, with powers manifesting in various ways and intensities. Their children grow up normally, manifesting no such dragon powers and have no trapped memories warring for control. Subsequent generations also have no body markings, and their eyes do not glow (glowing eyes in the first generation indicate the presence of the Dragon’s soul within them).

  Elves, Sidhe (High Elves)—Descendants from the first Fae who crossed in to the mortal world from the Otherworld. They became the sidhe and established the High Elven Imperium, the first great civilization in recorded history. Typically five to six feet in height, they are usually more slender than humans, fair in color, and have light pink skin and long pointed ears.

  Gnomes—The remnants of bronze dragons who assumed mortal forms and stayed mortal for so long they lost all draconic nature. Tinkerers par excellence, they invented gunpowder, developed magical flying machines through the use of elodian crystals, and excel at intricate gear-work and magical spellcrafting.

  Ratlings—A race of humanoid rats resulting from a mad gnomish wizard’s experiments gone wrong. Adept at tinkering, they created a fleet of zeppelins to rival the elodian ships of the gnomes.

  Wolven—Originally humans, a slave race magically created by the darkling sorcerers to fill the army of their kingdom to fight against the High Elven Imperium of the sidhe. They can assume human or wolf-man forms.

  The Kaldorite Code

  In response to Valkrage’s corruption of the Archurionite Church, and an increasing distrust as to the nature of the gods themselves, Kaldor founded a new paladin order based on a system of philosophy rather than fealty to spiritual beings. The core of the philosophy is summarized into the Ten Values of the Light.

  Humility Before the Universe

  Kaldorites, above all, strive to cultivate a sense of awe towards the wonders of the universe. This is beyond simple faith in gods, or optimism. It is a constant reminder that the universe is vast, and the paladin is simply a small participant in its unfolding glory. They don’t believe that the universe owes anything to anyone, and that it is the duty of the individual to aspire to the glory of the universe.

  Life

  Kaldorites see life as the fruit of the universe in action. Consciousness is something to be preserved and protected, and forces that seek to destroy life are to be opposed.

  Joy as Life’s Purpose

  Kaldorites see joy as life’s purpose. The universe’s existence is inherently positive, and joy is the expression of this truth. The value of joy provides a foundation for the remaining values. Paladins seek to create and achieve joy and do not expect it to be given to them.

  Compassion

  Kaldorites work for the cessation of suffering, which is seen as the opposite of joy. Kaldorites do not believe that one who suffers has a moral claim on the joy of another, but they value generosity and strive for the betterment of all and seek to bring comfort to those who suffer. They seek to help the helpless but discern between the truly helpless and those consumed by envy. They reject the notion that suffering holds any moral value and discern between suffering and struggling. Learning and growth is accompanied by struggle, sometimes painful, but experiences that temper the soul are seen as different from suffering, which serves no purpose.

  Liberty

  Kaldorites believe the pursuit of joy requires liberty both of the individual and of the community. Thus, they oppose tyranny in all its forms. Kaldorites pursue truth and joy by opposing all teachings and forces that seek to stifle the freedom to enrich the self.

  Individuality

  Kaldorites value the personal freedom to define and discover one’s own path in life. This is tempered with consideration for others and a duty to the community in which one chooses to partake. Kaldorites do not see community taboos or cultural restrictions as absolutes. They acknowledge that perception of the universe has a degree of subjectivity based on perspective.

  Community

  Kaldorites value community as a means to cultivate families that preserve and continue life. Kaldorites see cultures that value community, family, and children as morally superior to those that seek only to subjugate family life to arbitrary ideals. The fruits of community are bounty and generosity, which foster joy.

  Truth

  Kaldorites value truth and believe the universe’s reality is objective. Perspectives can be different, and paladins seeks to widen their perspective as they seek to uncover truth. Kaldorites value the pursuit of knowledge as a means to valuing truth.

  Art

  Kaldorites v
alue art and music as subjective expressions of joy, both for the happiness they bring the individual and the sense of community they engender. Art is an expression of values.

  Industry

  Kaldorites strive to enact their philosophy in the world through deeds. They value work and creativity over sloth.

  Magicology

  Types and Techniques of Magic

  Magic is a broad term. In common vernacular, it refers to any use of mystical powers, wonders, miracles, or any other natural abilities not explainable by the physical characteristics of the body or crafted tools. One might say, “Well, she has magical powers.” Magic can also be used to refer to the ambient energy that fuels such powers. You may hear the uninformed say, “There is much magic here.” The informed practitioner will use magic as a term-of-the-art to precisely mean “the wizard’s art of utilizing arcane spells to bend possibility to probability and then probability to actuality.” This, of course, implies that there are mystical practitioners other than wizards that the layman labels “magical.” The broader field of magicology encompasses the study of all such magical traditions, using the term as understood by the non-wizard community.

  The Elements

  There are forty-nine known physical elements observed in nature, and as history discovers each, we expect there may be more. We know them as iron, copper, helium, oxygen, gold, and so on. There are only four mystical elements that we know of, and, as with the physical elements, it is conceivable there may be more waiting to be discovered. These mystical elements are Dark, Light, Time, and Life. Different communities argue about which came first, but this list reflects the arcane arrangement of wizards.

  Dark. Common wisdom would have us believe the Dark is evil. It is not. It is the preexisting unformed potential of nothingness, before space-time exists. It includes the forces of conclusions and negations, but in it, the Light moves and has its being. The Dark allows discernment and the ability to distinguish what is not. Even though it is not evil, however, it is antithetical to normal life, and when it occurs out of its balanced place, evil follows. Creatures of the Dark are incomprehensible to the rational mind.

  Light. Time allows the Light to be. The Light is action, power, and heat. The Light ever reaches to fill the Dark, and the Dark expands to swallow the Light.

  Time. This element is more than just the movement of time. It refers to space-time, and the relationship between the passage of time and gravity. The fundamental physical forces of the universe emerge from the mystical element of Time. The tension between Light and Dark give rise to Time. It is also true that nothing precedes Time. The action between Light and Dark are only possible within Time.

  Life. From the blending of Light and Dark in Time, action emerged, which is the interplay between Light and Dark, through the movement of Time, towards a purpose. This purpose is Life, and Life is the form that emerges from will.

  Deities. Gods and goddesses are sources of power in and of themselves. They are essentially mages, able to channel all elements instantly and blend them to achieve complex effects.

  Techniques

  Arcane Spells (Classical Magic)

  This was the first magical technique ever used, discovered by dragons and then rediscovered later by the sidhe. Arcane practitioners—mages—use a language based upon pure mathematics to mix varying waveforms of the four mystical elements with specific mixtures of physical elements. Thus, a mage will require not only the words and motions for a particular spell, but also various items or trinkets that contain the physical elements necessary.

  The principle element used in all arcane magic is Time, although each spell contains at least one other element in varying degrees. Through the use of the spell’s magical ritual, the mage takes a possibility, moves it through the fields of probability, then brings it into the element of Time to realize manifestation.

  Spell rituals usually take time to perform. Most mages cast their spells in advance, charging the effect through to the wizard’s personal aura of probability. It is only through the final actions of the spell that the charged effect is released into actuality, and for this reason the mage carries the tools (oftentimes wands or staves) and the trinkets associated with the spell. Mages usually have many pockets.

  Each spell is different. Some require the rituals implements for the closing actions, and some only require a word. Some spells consume their charged components, and some do not. Usually, if the spell requires a particular trinket, then the same trinket that is charged in the preparatory work is needed at the moment of execution. Losing one’s trinkets negates the charge of the spell. It is also common that the trinket, once charged, must remain on the spellcaster’s person.

  Spellcasting requires high levels of abilities in two areas. The first is comprehension of the magical mathematical principles of the universe, which includes the interaction of tools, states of mind, and mystical and physical elements. The second is the ability to focus the mind to the proper mental state while performing the spell. In addition to synchronizing words, items, and implements, the wizard must match the right mental patterns with the spell at the right time. This could include the evocation of internal feelings or visualized symbols that trigger the correct mental activity. During all of it, the mage must maintain unwavering focus, allowing no stray thoughts to intrude upon the spell.

  Because of the extraordinary abilities required for spellwork, it is rare that anyone is born with the ability to become a mage. Focus can be trained, although it is difficult for some; raw intelligence is more difficult to acquire if there is no natural talent. Thus, in theory, anyone is capable of becoming a mage, but in practice few have the ability or aptitude to succeed. Mages are rare in all races except sidhe and gnomes.

  Channeling (Magical Powers)

  Channeling is different than classical magic. Instead of using the complex formulae of spells, a channeler is able to directly tap into the sources of the mystical elements and shape their flow to create certain effects. It is intuitive and often fueled by emotion. There is still a kind of mental focus that must be learned, but not to the same level of intensity that a mage requires. There is usually no spellwork, no associated words or tools. The channeler uses his or her powers as a pure matter of will.

  While channeling is inherently easier than classical magic, it is just as rare. One cannot learn to channel without having a spiritual link to a mystical element. Being born with a link is extremely rare, excepting dragons. For most channelers, the link must be conferred by another channeler, usually through an initiation rite or pact. Through such rites, channelers can learn to grant their powers to their disciples.

  Very few channelers can touch more than one element, and they must be born with this ability. For most, once a link is established, a second link can never be conferred. The God-King, Aaron, is the only being on Ahmbren known to have the capacity to establish a connection with and channel more than one element.

  Intermediaries vs. Direct Magic

  Another avenue to power is through an intermediary. While mages and channelers exist who directly practice their own magic, it is also possible, in either method, to acquire magical power through an intermediary.

  For mages, there are those who don’t have the mental capacity to cast spells, or perhaps don’t have access to a suitable instructor or library of arcane knowledge. These mages might make an agreement with a magical entity, such as a faerie or demon, who serves as the mage’s familiar. In these cases, the familiar spirit performs the magical spell on behalf of the mage, charging the mage’s sphere of possibility with the potential effect. The familiar then instructs the mage on the final, simple step.

  It is possible for mages to learn how to cast spells from spirits if they have the mental capacity to do so. If the mage casts his or her own spell, then the spirit is not considered to be the mage’s familiar.

  Moving away from classical magic, a channeler requires an established link with the element that is their source of power. Most cha
nnelers must be granted such a link by an external entity. Demons commonly grant links to the Dark in exchange for favors. Gods are loath to grant such direct links, but instead teach their practitioners runes that serve as links to the elements.

  Magical Traditions

  The above section described the various magical techniques used to exercise magical power. The following describes specific traditions in Ahmbren that practice these techniques.

  Wizards (Mages)

  Wizards are classical mages who study, learn, and master the art of spellcasting. They do not use intermediaries, but rely on their own capabilities. Wizards are some of the most powerful adepts in the Realms, but due to the mental capacity required, they are rare outside of the sidhe and gnomish races.

  Witches (Mages)

  Witches are mages who use intermediaries to cast spells. The most common familiars are faerie or Ahmbren’s indigenous nature spirits. Elementals are not common as familiars because classical magic requires blending multiple elements, and elemental spirits are usually too narrow in their focus.

  Sorcerers (Channelers)

  Sorcery is a specific tradition of channeling that originated with the advent of the darkling race in the first Artalon. Sorcerers both channel directly and indirectly. Through the use of pacts, they are given demons servitors to call upon. Their first servitor, usually an imp, grants them a link to the Dark. Sorcerers learn to channel the Dark in various ways. The first sorcerers were initiated by Klrain’s dreamwalker.

  Runewardens (Channelers)

  Runewardens are clerics and priests of a god. The god grants them knowledge of runes and consecrates them on behalf of the runewarden. Runes, when activated by the prescribed prayers to the gods, then channel various mixtures of magical energy. From a practical standpoint, it is the runes themselves that act as channelers of the god’s powers, and the gods that act as channels to the elemental powers. From a certain point of view, gods are quintessential wizards who grant their magical powers to the runes in exchange for their devotees’ prayers. Classical paladins and Templars were runewardens that blended their prayers with martial skill.