Arrows from the sky,
You'll never see them coming;
Arrows from the sky,
When Dragon's wings are drumming,
Arrows from the sky
Have mighty kings succumbing
To arrows from the sky.
Song of Royals' Flight (traditional)
Set - Promo
Class - Mounted Range Attacker
Size - Royal Dragons are the only winged Dragons that allow riders on their backs. While other Dragons scoff at the idea and would rip apart any Human who tried, Royal Dragons are so polite that they tolerate riders. Still the Royal Dragons are picky about the size of those who ride their backs. The riders of Royal Dragons must be extremely lightweight. Selenia Sky is by far the largest of the Dragon riders, and she is a slender woman of average height and weight. Most Royal Dragon archers stand no taller than four feet, and some are even smaller. Their bows must be specially crafted for power without length. The profession is dominated by women. Out of 32 who now hold the post of Royal Dragon Archer, 29 of them are female.
Lifespan - Compared to the risk level of a Dragon Jumper, Royal Dragon Archers live safely, but compared to any normal job, they are always poised at the edge of the abyss. Only six or seven of these brave Archers perish each year. They are remembered in a glorious cremation ceremony and quickly replaced from a long line of eager candidates. About half of Royal Dragon Archers even make it to the retirement age of 43 to live out the rest of their lives in peaceful glory.
Habitat - The best neighborhood in Centrum is also one of the most fascinating places in all Draykh-Nahka, and it is also where the Royal Dragons live. This neighborhood, called Durlocke, is sometimes referred to as Paradise of the Dragons. It is special for several reasons. For one, it is a mana oasis and one of the largest in the world. The second is the magically controlled climate resulting from the mana springs. Through the most brutal hot summers and the most chilling winters, Durlocke is always within 2 degrees of the same temperature, and always sunny. The only other place in the Splinterlands that even remotely resembles the natural wonder of Durlocke is Summoners’ Green in the Western Wood of Anumün, where the Magi of the Forest has created a permanent protective bubble. Within the high walls of Durlocke, the Royal Dragons live in the largest and best furnished apartments. The Archers live in smaller (but still nice) bunk houses near the walls. It is the Dragons’ Paradise; they are lucky to even be invited to live there.
Weapon - As stated earlier, the bows of Royal Dragon Archers are crafted especially for their typical small stature. Because they lack the power and range of longer bows, special attention must also be paid to the arrows. The arrowheads of the Royal Dragon Archers are their most impressive pieces of equipment. They are ultra-light, but are able to pierce through nearly any substance. The arrows are also huge enough to bore a hole straight through even the largest beasts. It is rumored that these Archers use arrowheads infused with a small amount of cursed Dragonglass, in which case their surviving victims would feel it for the rest of their lives.
Diet - Royal Dragons eat whatever they like. Because of the name they carry, they presume to boss many of the other Dragons around, and usually the other Dragons comply. All of the six Royal Dragons currently living in Durlocke enjoy a diet rich in exotic meats, not only the typical Bunglo and Pegasus of the majority of their Draykh-Nahka brethren. Porufos, the largest of the Royals, requires Kobold meat. For some time this was a large problem in the city of Centrum, where Kobold servants are plentiful. A formal complaint was filed several years ago by the Gold Dragon himself about the fact that Porufos was picking off the Draykh-Nahka Kobold population quite rapidly. Now as a result, regular raids are flown to the Burning Lands in which Kobolds are snatched up in cages and taken kicking and squirming across the sea, straight to the dinner table of Porufos in Durlocke. If he is allowed to become hungry, day-to-day operations of the entire city would be jeopardized. Royal Dragon Archers also are given a variety of exotic cuisines, usually consisting of vegetables and meats from the Giant Grasslands of Anumün, where many Dinosaurs can be found.
Allies - The Archers who ride the Royal Dragons have the allegiance and respect of all people in Draykh-Nahka, whether Dragon, Naga or Human. They are granted access to the mountainside science facilities where almost all the strange Gloridax experiments take place. They are even allowed to take prisoners of the Dragonsguard from their dungeons, as long as they give the Dragonsguard their word that these prisoners will be used for nothing but target practice. In fact, this is how most of the prisoners who do not rot in the dungeons perish: In an obliteration of arrows, as the Royal Dragon Archers like to joke.
Enemies - The Gloridax Viziers and Dragon Priestesses who whisper in the ear of Empress Suam Khepri have very little trust for both the Royal Dragons and the archers that ride them. Their worry is that the Royal Dragon Archers have earned the greater allegiance of the people. Currently, most of their views align with those of the Empress, but the Viziers in particular are always watching the Royal Dragons in case they step out of line. There is even an emergency protocol by which Lightning Dragons would be deployed to burn the entire area of Durlocke and all the Dragons living there, should they step too far out of line. The Royal Dragon Archers know about this distrust and are making plans of their own, but these are secret conspiracies and whispers.
Pastimes - Life in the Paradise of the Dragons is wonderfully blissful for everyone living there. The Dragons and Archers alike are brought the things they need, and many additional luxuries that enrich their already opulent lives. The tradeoff for the Royal Dragon Archers is that they are occasionally called to dangerous missions from which they often do not return. As everyone in Draykh-Nahka knows, this tradeoff is well worth it for those who are short enough to qualify as Royal Dragon Archers.
The Living Royal Dragons
Porufos - male
Yathua - (Selenia’s Mount - does not reside in Durlocke)
Geroboor - male
Fabigoth - female
Cerulia - female
Englo - male
Huro - male
Shadowy Presence
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