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Kingdoms of Manegla

Close to the center of the world of Manegla lies a mountain standing by itself, surrounded by lush fields and a lake bordering its southern slopes. This spot was chosen by the original six riders to be the foundation of the movement towards peace. Using their awesome powers, the riders reshaped the mountain and the surrounding areas to suit their needs. They hollowed out caverns and tunnels in the mountain to serve as a city to live in. They sowed the fields with crops and small orchards and even made an underwater entrance extending from the mountain to deep under the surface of the lake. As their numbers and successes grew, the riders began to draw other races to their small country. These people agreed to perform such duties as farming and smithing in order to allow the riders to commit more time to bringing order to the chaos of the world. What developed is a country where money does not exist, whose populace does what needs to be done to ensure their mutual survival.

Continuing the tradition of the original six, the land of Veritas is governed by a council of the six most powerful and wisest riders from each element. This tradition also extends to the riders in general, who operate in groups made up of one of each element. However, the riders do not pretend to place themselves above the 'common people'. In addition to their combat and negotiating roles, riders assist in the day to day duties of Veritas, working among the people while not on assignment.


The dwarves used their skills with stone working and earth magic to hollow out many mountains, and create a labyrinth of tunnels and cities underneath. The race is divided into seven different clans, and their ruling council is made of the heads of each of the clans. For laws to be passed in their kingdom all of the Heads must come to a decision on the law. Because of this it can take decades for laws to be passed. The capital city has a castle made entirely out of diamond, with ruby, emerald, and topaz details. In this castle is where the Council of Seven meets to make decisions, and where they entertain guests from other countries.


In the early years of the dragon rider era a charismatic human by the name of Malthus Drakan came to power of a small country on the east coast. In short order he transformed his country into a military power and conquered every country that bordered his. His army soon spread across the entirety of the eastern continent, conquering all in their path. In light of his military successes, Drakan proclaimed himself emperor of Trenina. In his lust for power he even proclaimed he could defeat the Riders. As his army neared the mountain of Veritas the riders finally took action. In the battle that ensued Drakan's army was broken and the emperor himself was slain.

In the peace talks that took place afterwards, the newly crowned emperor agreed to a treaty with the riders that bound the empire to never again invade another country, and to provide for the needs of the already conquered peoples. In return the Empire was kept intact, and since then has grown both powerful and prosperous. The empire as it exists now has almost every terrain type imaginable, lakes, rivers, farmland, hills and mountains, cities, towns and farmland.


When the world was created the nature gods created the elves in their likeness, and gave them the ability to commune with nature. The elves were divided into the forest elves and the sea elves. The forest elves settled on an island north of the main continent that is completely covered in an ancient forest. Their government is formed of the three strongest and wisest mages, who must come to a consensus about everything. They are a peaceful country, having never been at war, but that doesn't mean they don't know how to fight. Their army is considered one of the strongest in the allied countries. They use magically imbued weapons and armor, making them stronger than the human armies, and they fight with magic as well.


The capital city of Salenesti was formed by the first elves who had the power to control earth. They formed the city out of the bottom of the ocean, and the earth mass nearby, pulling some of the earth under water, causing the island to become marsh like, where most of the land is a few feet underwater. They too are a peaceful country, like their land dwelling brethren, but they are also a mostly solitary country, and most of the other races didn't know they existed until they started to trade with nearby islands. They are skilled at fighting under water, and have been known to sink pirate ships that get to close to their country. But when it comes to fighting on land most of them resemble beached fish.


This tiny island is just off the northern coast of the dwarven nation, and is covered with lizard like creatures. No one person rules over them, and they are constantly fighting each other, but they never attack any other countries for they can't fight well together.



Jaltarna occupies a high peninsula south of Trenina, one that hooks out into the ocean and curves around a sheltered bay. Originally settled by refugees from the rule of Malthus Drakan, it was never conquered because, simply, it's not worth it. It has few resources to speak of, no really viable farmland, and little in the way of flora or fauna. The enormous bay that is its focal point is surrounded by cliffs nearly a hundred feet high. Its capital is made up of a warren of caves that lace these cliffs. In point of fact, almost no one lives on Jaltarna's surface- the entire peninsula is riddled with tunnels and caverns, and this actually makes life on the toplands more dangerous, since sinkholes have a tendency to appear without warning. There are theories that the place was once a dwarf city, or the home of some other great civilization, and then was decimated by some magical cataclysm to become what it is now. Jaltarna's citizens do sometimes come across relics of something that might have been magnificent.
When Malthus Drakan was curtailed, Jaltarna's early settlers cheered. Determined that their new nation would never succumb to such a tyrant, they set up a system that allowed for rule by the people, with a legislative body elected by the people meeting several times a year to solve problems and create laws. However, as the population grew, stable elections became impossible. Within three decades, the Republic of Jaltarna had collapsed. No new government rose in its place; the slow slide towards anarchy had allowed people to adjust to having no ruler, and they weren't about to create another meddlesome group to boss them around. Jaltarna's current system of government is a kind of unspoken law- a general taboo on things like killing, thievery, and taxes. It's not a safe place, however; its lawlessness and excellent harbor make it a popular anchorage for sailors, both honest and not so honest. Brawls are not uncommon, and the folk who are just trying to live their lives in peace and freedom have learned to turn a blind eye to violence.

Races of Manegla

These ancient and intelligent creatures are among the oldest races of Manegla. Some say they might even predate the elves. Since the elder days dragons have evolved into six distinct species, each one representing one magical element, namely Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light and Shadow.

Fire dragons are of average size for dragons, being around the same size as a standard house. Red scales cover their bodies and their powerful wings allow them to fly for leagues without rest. However their size limits their maneuverability.

Water dragons are on the smaller end of the size spectrum. Their long serpentine bodies are clad in blue scales, the body type perfectly adjusted for swimming swiftly through the water. They are average fliers.

Earth dragons are by far the largest of the six dragons, being close to three times the size of the fire dragons. Their large size and thick, brown to tan scales makes them a powerhouse on the ground but makes their flight potential extremely limited in duration, agility and altitude. To make up for this they are especially adept at tunneling.

Wind arguably the smallest of all dragons, their small compact bodies clad in scales of varrying shades of green, are ideal for flying. Their large wings and light bodies allow for long distance flying with ease, and the greatest agility of all dragons in the air. However this makes them more dependant on their speed and agility in combat as they lack the brute force of the larger dragons.

Dragons of Light are slightly smaller than fire dragons, and clad in silver to white scales. They are less powerful than fire dragons but are more agile and can fly for greater distances.

Dragons of Darkness are similar to their Light counter parts, save for their purple to black scales, and their being on the opposite side of the size spectrum, being larger than fire dragons but slower in the air.


The most common race in Manegla, humans are a kind of standard of measurement for the other races. Height, strength, magic abilities and age are all compared to those of humans. Those with magical abilities are rare, but those that are are predisposed to fire, light and to a lesser extent water.


The stout dwarves of the mountains are among some of the strongest races of Manegla. Known the world over for their stone working and their skills in the forge, they put those skills to building their underground cities. More predisposed to magic than humans, Earth, fire and darkness most often manifest in this race.


The tall and slender elves populate the forests of Manegla. While not as strong as the dwarves or humans, the elves more than make up for it with superior senses and agility. Incredibly connected to magic, it is rare to find an elf without some degree of control over wind, fire or earth magic.


Similar to their forest brethren the sea elves are tall and slender, and are proficient with magic, but that is where their similarities end. The sea elves have bluish skin, and webbed hands and feet. They have gills and lungs, to allow them to breathe above and below water. Also they have double eyelids like alligators allowing them to see underwater. They are strongest in water magic, and darkness, along with some rare mages having control of earth.


The Liegla are a humanoid species living in small clans in the thick forest of Galmeda. Their long prehensile tail is ideal for navigating the tall trees and the patches of fur on their forearms and calves keep their extremities warm without the need of long clothing that might catch on branches. They are increadibly adept at climbing, can run on all fours with ease, and have execptionally powerful noses. Like the elves, the Liegla lack strength, however their agility surpasses even that of the elves. For this reason most Liegla that take up arms prefer high speed combat while wearing little armour. While not particularly predisposed to magic as a race, those that are born with the gift most often manifest wind and on rare occasion water.


This race resides on a tiny island and their population is very small due to the amount that they fight with each other. They are all around 7 feet tall and covered in scales, their faces resemble those of alligators, and they have 3 foot long tails. They have clawed hands and feet, and small wings on their backs. Their wings don't give them the power of flight, but allow them to basically hover along the ground. They can move along the ground rapidly by using their wings to propel them forward, and can scale cliffs by leaping from precipice to precipice. They tend to have the ability to control fire, earth and darkness.

Profiles

Alepiet Dragon Rider Squad

Tasked with investigating the recent corruption springing forth in the world, this squad is mostly assigned to quell uprisings and respond to magical events that unusual in nature.

Wind (Squad Captain)

Gaian Name: Si_Valael
Name: Toshiro Vanai
Race: Liegla
Age: 35 (roughly 22)
Gender: Male
Appearance: Toshiro is just under five feet but none the less has a pressence much larger than his physical stature. His thin yet toned body is ideal for quick movements and flexible action. The fur on his forearms, lower legs, tail and head are all a green that matches the scales on Akechi, while his eyes are a hunter green. His prehensile tail is close to two feet long and is just as strong as either of his arms. While on mission Toshiro wears armor forged from the shed scales of his dragon, combined to make a chest plate covering his entire torso with connected small pauldrons. Greaves, forearm bracers and a close fitting helmet complete his protection. His katana are worn in a traditional style on his back. When back in Veritas he prefers a very simple look of a dark tunic and pants, durable and functional in the fields. Finally, Toshiro never wears anything on his feet, his thick soles allowing him to traverse most terrain.
Dragon Element: Wind
Dragon's name: Akechi
Dragon's appearance: [x]
Bio: Born the son of Liegla refugees in Veritas, he was quickly identified as the partner to the wind dragon Akechi, mostly due to his hunter green eyes and green fur both traits never seen in his people. His parents were thrilled that they could help the cause in even an indirect way after their lives had been saved by a rider peace keeping force. The young boy and dragon were soon united and began their training.

The two formed a very close bond as they grew together, both displaying a great aptitude for magic and high speed combat. They trained tirelessly to master every challenge their teachers handed them until they knew each other so well they could fight together while barely using the psychic link between them. By the time they reached adulthood they could execute complex aerial maneuvers without a word to each other.

The duo spent the next fifteen years being rotated in and out of other squads to gain experience in both real combat and the delicate negotiation room. While not having a great love of the dance of diplomacy he knew it was an important part of the riders work and so did his best. Six months ago he was approached by the council members and asked to form the new unit. Toshiro and Akechi hand picked each of their five squad members for their unique skills.
Weapons and Armour: Talon of Akechi, a katana made from one of the tail spikes Akechi shed, forged over three years.
Primary Skills: High Speed combat, aerial maneuvers, peace negotiations.
Secondary Skills: Farming, particularly in the orchards
Other: Toshiro and Akechi have created a unique wind spell in which two opposing wind currents are created to form a crescent blade like attack which can slice through even steel.

Earth

Gaian Name: PhantomMagi
Name: Yurrak Rocksplitter
Race: Dwarf
Age: 87 (Roughly 25)
Gender: Male
Appearance:

Dragon Element: Earth
Dragon's Name: Rethban
Dragon's Appearance:

Bio: At an early age, it became obvious he was destined for something. His hair grew in as a stony grey, despite barely being old enough to work. The high council of Bar'Kanan saw this as a sign, and upon reaching maturity, sent him to find the dragons of earth, with a small traveling party to accompany him. Within moments of their arrival at the Earth Enclave, Yurrak met with Rethban, both sensing an immediate kinship. For the next several years, Yurrak travelled the land with Rethban, both honing their skills and helping those they came across as Dragon and Rider.
Weapons and Armour: Urgrosh and Shield. An Urgrosh is a traditional Dwarven weapon which combines the reach and defensive capabilities of a spear with the crushing offensive abilities of an axe. In combat, he wears a rather ceremonial looking set of heavy plate armour, forged from earthen dragonscale, bearing him great resemblance to the dragon he rides.
Primary Skill: Siege Warfare
Secondary Skill: Mining

Water

Gaian Name: FSummoner
Name: Gaius
Race: Enostresian
Age: 40 (20 in human years)
Gender: Male
Appearance: To the untrained eye Gauis would look exactly the same as any other of his race. Blue scales, roughly 6 feet in height, webbed feet and hands, elongated ear flaps, with the regular bones and strengthened scales around the back of his spine, knees and elbows. Yet to the trained eye, many differences can be seen. The normal round docile scales of a fully grown male Enostresian are fiercer and sharper, elongated along the length of his body giving Gaius an almost grain like feature. His stronger plate scales extend into stronger v like spikes along his spine and his eyes have a forward facing almost catlike feature to them. His teeth resemble more that of a human's than those of this ancestors, as they sharpen down into points made for rending meat, rather than flattening out to grind deep sea plants such as sea weed and phytoplankton. Last of these differences comes from the hard, scale like, claws attached to the ends of every finger; each strong enough to be plunged into stone and scale cliffs.
Dragon Element: Water
Dragon's name: Thaddeus
Dragon's appearance: http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u298/gorewing/dragons/bluedragon.jpg?t=1244860258
Bio: As a child in his clan Gaius grew up normally not showing outward signs of being different then any of the other children. He was taught the same and his above average intelligence was considered a blessing. Yet when he grew up and his adult scales and teeth started growing in the village elders deemed him a danger to the village and confined him to a cage to await sentencing. During his stay in this makeshift jail many other aspects of his change came into effect. His lungs had connected themselves into his esophagus, drowning him in the only environment he'd ever known. Fortunately one of the Enostresian elders had seen this happen to an inexperienced water elf and at that moment realized what must have happened. The only treatment for this particular ailment being to leave the afflicted in a confined space where they may not dash themselves against rocks as they struggle for air. Eventually the subject learns to close the flap separating it's lungs from it's esophagus and the lungs then are slowly able to absorb the oxygen from the water leaving only hydrogen gas and various small particulate to be coughed up at a later date. Although in many cases, as with Gaius, this process takes many hours to complete and may be repeated at a later date if the subject finds it's way to land and forgets to close the flap again before re-entering the water. Other problems seamed to arise as the plants he was offered no longer stated his appetite and when a lonesome fish glided it's way into his cell he viciously ripped it to shreds. He was so mortified that he wouldn't eat until the council of elders had come to a consensus three days later. The elders realizing his draconic union days previous had sent their fastest tracker to bring news to the dragons and plea for the union-ed dragon be brought to their reclusive society. Fearing that if such an action were not taken Gaius may deside to take his own life so that he wouldn't hurt any other animal. Thaddeus having felt Gaius's physical distress through their mental link almost left the messenger behind in his enthusiasm to unite with his partner, only delaying because he was unsure of the way himself. After uniting, Gaius and Thaddeus took up residence in the underwater dragon fortress of Terrais just off the inner coast of Veritas and Trenina, where they have been learning avidly for the past 14 years.
Weapons and Armor: Gaius wears only an enchanted robe, specially enchanted to deflect direct blows and allow water to pass directly through it as to not impede water fighting. He is primarily a wizard preferring to study and learn and cast spells from scrolls, yet in times of distress he has been known to wield the raw magic of water; once creating razor sharp ice crystals in the veins of an opponent and expanding them to the size of bolder. Although if you ever ask him he can't quite recall how he did it. When it comes to physical confrontations Thaddeus is more than adept at defending Gaius wile he casts spells through the cracks in the circling defenses of his dragon. To say Gaius and Thaddeus are a team wile fighting is a severe understatement due to their extreme psychic connection, yet try to get them to build a house together and neither can figure out what the other is doing. In any battle they lean toward defense in their fighting styles and have only once been bested by a peer who, Gaius claims to this day, that he let win.
Primary Skills: Gaius is a mediator, choosing the path that will produce the least amount of war and strife possible yet don't be deceived by his calm and outwardly serene nature, he is also a veracious debater and an accomplished lair; all things that he views as necessary to bring about the most favorable situation. He has even been known to use magic to temporarily increase the intelligence of lesser beings so that they may follow his train of though more easily, such as an Eal or a Bass.
Secondary Skills: Despite his size, Gaius is actually very adept at intelligence gathering, sneaking around and the like. Due to his slender build, affinity for seeing in dark places and his smooth almost floating stride, he has been known to sneak up on even the most aware of his peers and masters. In one mock castle siege he disappeared for a couple of minutes wile his squad hacked their way through the front gate, only to have it opened from the inside by Gaius.
Other: Viewed as a genus when it comes to magic, many wonder how he was able to get himself stuck on the roof of the library attracting books to himself strait off the shelves trying to figure out how to fix gravity in a circle directly around himself. In another act of genus he created a magical teddy bear that follows him almost everywhere as a pet, he still hasn't figured out how his changes to the original spell brought about such a change yet he has high hopes in unraveling this mystery.

Fire

Gaian Name: Pointy_Bugger
Name: Drae Sedix
Race: Elf/Human
Age: 58 (26 in human years)
Gender: Male
Appearance:

Dragon Element: Fire
Dragon's name: Azeric
Dragon's appearance:
[x]
When Azeric is angry, or about to use his fire, his skin glows a fire-like red/orange colour. The glow spreads out from between his dark scales, making him look like half-molten Lava.
Bio: Drae’s father was a human, and his mother was an Elf. As Drae grew, his parents thought he had taken on his father’s humanity, until Drae blew out his birthday candles one year without taking a single breath. Since then, his mother encouraged him to take part in all Elven opportunities. It proved difficult for Drae; his powers were limited, and he did not possess the high senses of the other elves. He changed his route and went into human fields of training. Today, he is one of the many respected Dragon Riders of Manegla.
Weapons and Armour: Drae crafted his own armour out of an extremely strong elven mineral called BlackEye. Although he ornamented his armour with personal designs, it lacks the shiny look of most other riders (Drae didn’t want it to reflect light and risk being seen). Its Black/Purplish colour matches Azeric’s scales perfectly; the two are dark enough to remain unseen in night skies.
He primarily uses a sword in combat.
Primary Skills: Fighting
Secondary Skills: Blacksmithing

Light

Gaian Name: MacTavishW3
Name: Findarin Thrindanil
Race: Elf
Age: 296, approximately 20 in Human years.
Gender: Male
Appearance:

Dragon Element: Light
Dragon's name: Daulereng
Dragon's appearance:

Bio: Findarin was born into a noble family of Lainesti, although not as wealthy as some, that had a long history of service within the Dragon Riders. He was taught the skills of swordsmanship, archery, riding, concealment and scouting from an early age. At the age of 270, the Elven age of adulthood, Findarin was taken to the mountain of Veritas to find his dragon. There it was discovered that his link lay with Daulereng, of the Light Clan. Together, Findarin and Daulereng learned to fight as one and formed an unbreakable bond. After completing his training Findarin was inducted into the ranks of the Dragon riders and served in many squads before being transferred to Alepiet Squad.
Weapons and Armour: Findarin is armed with a longbow, a long curved sword and a short curved dagger. He wears a shirt of chainmail that reaches to his knees under a cuirass of light plate armour, as well as light plate greaves and bracers. He prefers to go lightly, using his greater agility to protect himself. Though normally the armour appears silvery, it is endowed with magic that allows it to take on the colours of it’s surroundings, allowing the wearer a great deal of concealment. Findarin also wears a green cloak, endowed with the same spell.
Primary Skills: Findarin is an excellent scout and tracker. His keen eyes and ears allow him to see and hear much farther than Men or Dwarves. He is a master of camouflage and an expert archer. Though he prefers to provide ranged support, Findarin is also skilled in close quarters combat.
Secondary Skills: Lore keeper (similar to a librarian)
Other: Contrary to his dragon’s element Findarin has a somewhat grim, stern disposition, a by-product of his father’s military background. He is not completely without cheer though and he is possessed of a rather grim sense of homour.

Darkness

Gaian Name: IamSTRANGE
Name: Elee’marka Al’Katith
Race: Draiti
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Appearance: Elee’marka looks like a typical Draiti woman, her scales are a dark blue in colour, lighter on her stomach and underside. Her eyes are green, with slit pupils, and she has short purple hair on her head. One thing that sets her apart is the size of her wings. When she was born they were larger than normal and her family thought she’d grow into them, but they continued to grow with her, and her wingspan is now twice the normal size. As is typical of her race though; she wears nothing but a loin cloth.
Dragon Element: Darkness
Dragon's name: Chernobog
Dragon's appearance:

Bio: Elee’marka was born into a typical Draiti family. Her parents left her egg on the edge of a cliff to protect her from predators, but the dangers of hatching were very real. When she hatched she glided down to the tiny village of her tribe. She never met her parents, but was raised by the village elders who were revered for lasting so long. She was ridiculed as a child for her abnormally sized wings, and thus she left her island as soon as she figured out how. Like every Draiti she was taught how to fight with her claws, and crudely made weapons. Elee’marka knew she was different from her race not only because of her wing span, but also because of her intelligence. Most Draiti aren’t much smarter than a 6 year old human child, but Elee’marka had great intelligence, and this was also a factor that drove her to leave the island Drainlak.
She managed to make it to the dwarven kingdom, and once they got past their fear and distrust of her, then helped her get to the main continent, taking her on one of their trading ships. When she reached Veritas she was immediately united with Chernobog. The two have been inseparable since, training together to become the best warriors ever seen.
Weapons and Armor: Not used to wearing much, and the added protection of her scales, Elee’marka wears only a chest plate, a chain mail skirt, greaves, and bracers. Her weapons consist of her claws, a dagger made from one of Chernobogs horns, and two katanas she bought off an elf that needed the cash.
Primary Skills: Elee’marka is very good at hand to hand combat, as well as fighting with a blade. She is also good at talking with magical creatures, being a very feral species herself.
Secondary Skills: In her spare time she helps other mages come up with new practical ways to use magic in everyday tasks, and creating magical objects.
Other: Elee’marka is the first Draiti dragon rider. She also has a pet Rilan, which is a small feline creature, with wings.

Beomedd Dragon Rider Squad

Wind

Gaian Name: FSummoner
Name: Safiena
Race: Forest Elf
Age: 268 (19 human years)
Gender: Female
Appearance: Part of dragon's appearance
Dragon Element: Wind
Dragon's name: Ualan
Dragon's appearance:

Bio: Orphaned as a child and taken in by the riders she has no memory of her parents. For her, the rules and ranks of the riders come first. In fact she rarely treats any rank outside of the riders as worth mentioning. She gets along well with most people yet is still very brash and fool hearty, never wanting to wait many times relying on her friends to help her back out of sticky ones.
Weapons and Armour: When it comes to armor she wears none. A bodice and a mini skirt along with some fancy shoes, because she likes looking good where ever she goes and besides armor would just slow her down. She wields a long bow preferring to hit her targets at range, yet she's been known to always have at least a few knives on her, although no one knows where she ends up hiding them.
Primary Skills: An accomplished lock pick and thief, she has been known to 'ninja' her way into the rooms of her unsuspecting suitors and wait for them to get back. It's not that she doesn't like dating, but the one time she tried, she ended up dating 4 guys inside of a week and had no clue as to how to stop liking any one of them. In the end she asked to be transferred to a new assignment in a different area and didn't tell them that she was leaving.
Secondary Skills: She is infatuated by nature. Herbs and medicines, flowers and plants of all types, learning to make them grow and prosper helps her take her mind off the past or the present. She has even been granted her own personal garden to tend within the walls of the citadel of elders in the eastern side of the dragon riders fortress. Although her quarters remain in the common barracks.
Other: Since she and Ualan have been linked since the age of five (many elves don't even become self aware until the age of 9) she has never been without him around, times when he is separated from her by great distances leaves her scared and virtually uncontrollable. Once when she was captured (as dictated by the mission) and Ualan wasn't able to follow close, she started freaking out and knocked out a guard 3 times her size and almost botched the entire mission before another rider who was also 'captured' was able to calm her down and help her regain her senses.

Earth
Gaian Name: MacTavishW3
Name: Allan Clannoch
Race: Human
Age: 27
Gender:
Appearance: Allan is tall and brawny, with long, braided, flame red hair. He wears a brown linen shirt and a tartan kilt.
Dragon Element: Earth
Dragon's name: Trolaug
Dragon's appearance:
Bio: Allan Clannoch was born in the craggy highlands of Selnoroch, a province of Terenia. The son of a knight, Allan dreamed since childhood of following in his father's footsteps. At the age of 18 his dreams were fulfilled and more. He was knighted on his birthday and one month later he was approached by Couriers from the mountain of Veritas. With them came the Earth Dragon Trolaug, with whom, Allan discovered, he shared a mental link. That day, Allan was inducted into the dragon riders and has spent many years assisting with the peacekeeping of the realm. He has just been reassigned to Beomedd squad.
Weapons and Armour: Allan carries a large claymore a long dirk and a Lochaber
He wears a shirt of chainmail and a curaiss of sturdy plate armour. He wears pauldrons, greaves and vambraces of plate armour and a sturdy helm. While not part of his physical armour, Allan also frequently applies the paint of the blue whara flower of his homeland before going into battle.
Primary Skills: Following in his father's footsteps, Allan is a skilled hand to hand combattant. He carries no shield and relies on his skill with blades and his thick armour to keep him alive.
Secondary Skills: Allan is also a skilled farmer, having aided in the agricultural pursuits of his homeland in his youth.
Other: While a terror on the battlefield, Allan is gentle when not in battle and loves to spend time looking at the natural beauty of the lands around him.


Water (Squad Captain)

Gaian Name: Anila Of Pellinor
Name: Sylvia Pavati Kelsey- Captain-Rider Kelsey now, called Sylvia Waverunner behind her back.
Race: Mostly human, with a bit of sea elf blood somewhere along her mother's family tree.
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Appearance:

No worries, the eyepatch is just for show. It makes her look more menacing.
Dragon Element: Water
Dragon's name: Arlyn
Dragon's appearance:

Bio: Sylvia came into the world in a winter storm, as rain lashed the decks of her father's ship and St. Elmo's Fire danced around the mast. She grew up toddling around slick decks and playing in the rigging of the Indigo Victory. By the time she was ten, she could defend herself fairly well with a shortsword and was very nearly a working member of the crew. She had to learn fast. Children grow fast on pirate vessels.
Her father, the first Captain Kelsey, was one of the most feared pirates of the sea. This was partly because he rarely gave any quarter, and partly because he was one of very few sailors to know the location of the fabled land of Salinesti and avoid it. His wife, Sylvia's mother, gave him that knowledge, as the underwater continent's location was passed down from mother to daughter in her family. But the pirate life is not an easy one, though it is liberating. When Sylvia was seventeen, her father was killed by a rival captain in a tavern brawl. The crewmembers who saw it ran back to the Victory and gave her word. She ordered them to cast off without hesitation. While she grieved the loss of her beloved father, she'd expected his death for most of her life. Somehow, not even the oldest crewmember objected to her assuming the captaincy of the Victory. Maybe it was the look in one icy eye, the expression that said she was her father's child to the bone, and it would be death to get in her way.
She'd been captain five years when something most unusual occured. The man from the crow's nest half-fell back to the deck, eyes wide and gibbering with panic. He informed her that there was something with wings coming up on them fast, and it looked to be a dragon. Even when the Victory piled on all sail, the beast still gained. But when it drew close enough to strike at them, though, it dove into the water on one side of the ship and resurfaced eye-to-eye with Sylvia, who was hanging half over the rail in an attempt to see where it had gone.
Two ice-blue gazes met, and something inside the pirate woman seemed to snap into place.
That was how she met Arlyn. He had been among the goods the Victory had taken from an imperial courier while Sylvia was still in the womb, and had bonded with her at the time. However, the 'rare and exotic silvered sapphire' that was his egg had been fenced off at the next port, and the tenuously linked pair were separated for twenty-two years. The bond was so weak that it had taken Arlyn a long time to find his rider, a quest not aided by the woman's tendency to roam the seas willy-nilly, or so it seemed to the dragon.
It took nearly another year for Arlyn to convince Sylvia to return with him to Veritas. She was not happy about it, to say the least; the link between them grew stronger with every moment they spent in each other's presence, but the idea of devoting the rest of her life to peacekeeping did not sit well with one who had been a pirate princess from birth. However, dragon teeth can be quite persuasive, and so eventually she capitulated and left the Indigo Victory in the hands of her first mate (though she often introduces herself as 'Captain-Rider', so that no one forgets her origins). She's still only resigned to her duty as a dragon rider, but her combat and strategic skills, as well as a unique insight into the underworld, have helped her find a place in the ranks of the riders.
Weapons and Armour: Sylvia scorns heavy armor, preferring light mail or toughened leather, and as little of that as possible. She wields a dirk with her left hand and a rapier with her right, though she can use just about any blade with either hand. Her fighting style is more based on speed and agility than strength, which explains her choice of protective garments; plate steel or anything else weighty would impede her more than it would help. She sometimes jokes that it would be easiest to fight in the nude, but has never done so...at least, as far as anyone knows.
Primary Skills: Sylvia is an excellent fighter and strategist.
Secondary Skills: While not a leader persay, she knows how to get people to do what she wants. And, of course, she do just about any task onboard a ship without a second thought, from loading a cannon to steering a three-master through a reef. Unlike most pirates, too, she swims like a fish.
Other: Once, a drunken sailor from Trenina's navy made the mistake of informing Sylvia that women onboard ship were bad luck. Suffice it to say that he woke up missing his 'family jewels'. She's faced plently of misogyny in her time and is not likely to show mercy to anyone who thinks women are worth less than men. Being a dragon rider has helped with this somewhat, and one of the things that attracts her to the life of a rider is the equality she found in Veritas.
There is a chance that her sea elf ancestor is still alive.

Fire

Gaian Name: IamSTRANGE
Name: Aella Meartic
Race: Human
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Appearance:

Dragon Element: Fire
Dragon's name: Muzack
Dragon's appearance:

Bio: Aella is the daughter of the emperor of Trenina, Mavrick Meartic, and thus was raised in the highest of society. From a young age it was known that she was different for she was born with red eyes, where the norm for the royal family is light grey. A year after she was born a squad of dragons arrived at the castle, with a baby dragon in tow. The small fire dragon made it's way up to Aella's nursery, and they've been inseperable since.
Aella and Muzack alternated between learning how to be a part of high society, and what it meant to be a dragon rider. During her years of training, Aella perfected combat with a whip, and learned how to weild a long sword. She also became an accomplished negotiater, stopping quite a few uprisings before they started. Being the daughter of the Emperor, she expected to be given a squad of her own when she came of age, but instead she was placed under a unruly pirate.
Weapons and Armor: A long sword made from one of Muzack's shed horns, and a whip. For armor she wears a chest plate, shoulder plating, and a glove made from Muzack's scales, by the best black smith in the country.
Primary Skills: Negotiations
Secondary Skills: Sewing
Other: Will engulf her whip in flame when fighting to incinerate her enemies.

Light
Gaian Name: Stainthedane
Name: Luna Mÿrr
Race: Forest Elf
Age: 169 (23 in human years)
Gender: female
Appearance:

Dragon Element: Light
Dragon's name: Elitper
Dragon's appearance:

Bio: Luna has always had a strong connection with animals. From the very beginning she seemed to spend more time by herself in the woods than with her friends, talking to creatures and plants. Most people thought she was just lonely, but it turned out she had a very strong gift of magic, primarily light, which she used to calm lifeforms. She was the best in her class for both Medicinal Treatment and Care of Magical Creatures. It was her independence however, that matched her to Elitper. Luna was far more gentle-natured than the dragon, who had insistently injured the many riders that thought to pair with him. Luna was sent to help control Elitper when he was out of control and the two connected instantly. He seemed to know who Luna was already, and relaxed instantly in her presence. Luna from then on was a Dragon Rider, and together they have been assisting Manegla for many years.
Weapons and Armour: Luna wears leather with Elven design. To protect herself, she carries a fan of blades:

Primary Skills: Dealing with magical creatures
Secondary Skills: Medicinal training (includes healing, herbalism, and alchemy), Cooking, some combat training.
Other: Luna and Elitper were always fated to be together. They were together, egg and child, way back when before an attack on her people. The two were separated and she was too young to remember. Her father was a Dragon rider, but died in battle, and her mother had be left to raise the child.

Darkness

Gaian Name: Anila Of Pellinor
Name: Eifa Mellony
Race: Sea Elf
Age: 762; physically equivalent to 39 human years of age; mentally more mature than any human could hope to be.
Gender: Female
Appearance: Eifa's skin, while tinted like all of her race, is actually somewhat more violet than blue. The webbing between her fingers and toes is dark purple, and her eyes are a shade of indigo so deep it's almost black, making her pupils nearly indistinguishable. The edges of her gills are also picked out in a darker shade, making them appear more like tattoos than flaps of skin when they're closed. Eifa's hair is long and white, usually braided. She has the slender build of her race, but her face is more sharp than most of her kin, a sign of her draconic union (as is her unusual coloring).
Dragon Element: Darkness
Dragon's name: Andari
Dragon's appearance:

Bio: Eifa and Andari had the peculiar good fortune to be together from the very beginning- literally from birth. The sea elf came into the world in Veritas, when her family was paying a visit to a cousin who was a rider. At the same time, Andari hatched- and as soon as each had taken their first breaths, they started to wail. High draconic piping echoed through the halls of Veritas on one side, and from the other came full-throated elven cries. The rider who delivered Eifa was informed by her dragon of the hatching, and put two and two together swiftly. As soon as the hatchling and the baby were united, they both stopped crying, curled up together, and fell peacefully asleep.
As the young ones slumbered, the adults argued. Eifa's parents were adamant that their daughter would be raised in Salenesti; the riders were equally determined that the pair remain in Veritas. Eventually they settled on a kind of shared custody; the sea elves would stay in Veritas until the babies could safely travel, and then they would trade off years in each homeland until the pair were old enough to make their own decisions. That age came when they were in their early twenties. Sick of flying back and forth every year, the two young females put their feet down, declaring that they would stay in Veritas.
Because they came together so early, they share a very strong bond. Like an old married couple, they finish each other's sentences and hardly need to speak at all. While primarily they live in Veritas, they've visited Salenesti often enough that it feels like a second home. As a fairly old dragon-rider pair, they have been offered command of a squad on multiple occaisions, but have turned down every opportunity. Both Andari and Eifa are quiet by nature, bordering on reclusive, and not comfortable giving orders.
Weapons and Armour: The pair are strong in magery, and that is their primary weapon. Eifa wears a helmet and chainmail tunic when she expects fighting, and she often carries a shield. Mostly, however, they try to stay out of it. Should a situation come down to close combat- and it has in the past- she knows where and when a knife will do the most damage, and how to find an opening to run away.
Primary Skills: Eifa calls herself a 'Seeker'. Her focus is on scrying and other information-gathering techniques- she created a spell that allows her to peer through shadows, including the shades of time. She is also very skilled at finding lost objects or people...and she's thought from time to time that she might be able to speak with the dead, if she really tried. She's never done so, though; the idea gives her chills.
Secondary Skills: Like all sea elves, she's a natural swimmer, though she lacks her kindred's ability to fight well underwater. She also has an excellent memory.
Other: Her older brother's granddaughter is Sylvia Kelsey's sea elf ancestor.

A guard ran towards the door that lead out of the dungeon area. He looked out into the courtyard to see what all the commotion was about and barely two seconds later felt a cold pain in his back. The feeling didn't last much longer.
Findarin swiftly withdrew his dagger from the sentry's back as the man crumpled to the floor.
"My thanks for leaving the door open," he nodded to the corpse as he entered. The tall elf heard footsteps down the corridor. Finrdarin readied his bow and knocked an arrow.
"Oy!" the soldier called, "What's all this the-" his words were cut off by the Elven arrow that pirced his eye. Sticking to the walls Finarin slowly made his way down into the dungeon, his armour and cloak taking on their greyish hue. He bent down and recovered the undamaged arrow before turning back towards the entrance.
"There are a lot of cells down here, Gaius!" he called, "Do you want to take them together or split up?"

Luna and Elitper flew down to the village of Ayedic. They were both greeted with urgency and led down a large marble hall that descended far beneath the ground. It lead to several large stalls, each holding a variety of different creatures, for various reasons. "Right this way Ms. Mÿrr... she's in here. She's gotten so much worse. I fear she will not make it."
"Then let us hurry, who's in with her right now?"
"Maediyenna Dernuritoc."
"I'm sorry, who?" Do we know that name, Elitper?
It's new to me, sounds foreign.
"Maediyenna Dernuritoc, she's the owner, her race is rare in these areas, she's a Platinuk, from the Ice lands..."
"I thought Plagtinuks were.... Shh!! Listen!!"
Yelling was heard through the hallway as they neared the stall. It was the sound of a sad and desperate woman, screaming and crying. They ran to the stall as fast as they possibly could.
The elf leading them fumbled with the keys, trying to open the stall. Through the small window Luna could see a blue woman crying on the body of a large feline animal. "NOOoo! NOo You CAN'T!! You Can't Montoon!!!" Her face was so washed with tears, you could no longer distinguish new ones from old. "DON'T LEAVE ME MONTOON!"
Click. Finally the door swings open. "Elitper, Light, now." Luna commands as the two elves rush in. Elitper quickly forms a ball of light, and as Luna pulls Maediyenna back, the dragon pushes the large ball in between the owner and animal. It sends out a wave of relaxation to the owner, filling her body with a tingly sensation. She is immobilized, unable to conjure thoughts, all she can do is sit in a trance and stare at this ball of light. The light is suppose to relax the animal as well, to rid them of all pain, and to allow them to let go of their fear.

But this large feline has already let go far more than that. Luna rushed to press her hand against it's many layered coat, to feel for a pulse, but it was too late. When she removes her hand, it is coated in blood. Blood has pooled everywhere.
"How long has it been bleeding?" Luna looks at the elf, who looks surprised for being asked a question, and then quickly forces herself to think. "Let's see.. it's been... 2 hours."
Luna looks at her in disgust. "Two HOURS?... You're telling me that this creature has been suffering for two long hours without any pain medication, not to mention BANDAGES or at least SOMEBODY applying pressure to these wounds????"
The woman went to defend herself, but realized they should have been on top of it. Luna shook her head angerily and looked up at Elitper while she thought. Looking at the woman again, she made her orders clear.
"I'm notifying my superiors about the conditions of your business. You are to be monitored by a member of the Care of Magical Creatures Department until they feel you are fit to continue without their observations and until then, you will follow their guidence on proper care of your patients."
The elf lady blushed with embarassment. Luna looked at the Platinuk, still entranced. "Thank you Elitper." The light shrank until it disappeared completely. Maediyenna came back to her normal self, looking at everyone in confusion. Luna crouched down infront of her and held her hand.
"We got here as soon as we could, but I'm afraid there is nothing we could do, your friend was already gone."
Maediyenna's hands flew up to her mouth as her eyes filled with tears again.
"It's not easy losing a friend... but you tried to help the best you could."
Her eyes fell to the woman's hands and shirt, which were also drenched in blood. The woman Sniffled and looked down at herself. "I tried to stop the bleeding, there was just so much of it... I couldn't stop it, there were too many wounds...."
Luna smiled, realizing that someone had tried to do the right thing. "You should have been assisted... but the facilities weren't sure on which actions to take. You did the right thing. And be rest assured, we're going to educate this business in the proper procedures." The woman began to cry again as she pet her lost friend. Luna watched her face carefully.
"You took great care of your friend...other than the recent incident, I'd say it was a very healthy animal who was well loved and cared for. Be happy you were able to share your life together..., but unfortunatly, the ones we love sometimes have to leave us. It's one of the hardest wounds to heal."
Luna turned to leave, pausing at the elf woman. "You'll hear from the CMCD within the next couple days. If any patients show up in this condition between now and then, I want you to send them straight to CMC."
Elitper walked beside her through the hallway as Luna wrote down new details for her report.
They're going to hate this...
Elitper snorted. I'M going to hate this... I don't want to go back to that stall...
She smiled at him. He had a habit of fighting with the stablehands. You be nice and I'll come do my paperwork next to you..
Mounting his back as they reached outside, she rubbed the scales at the base of his neck. They sparkled a bit, like White Marble in the shining sun. Bring me some dogs, Luna, I'm starving.
She burst out laughing, and Elitper thrusted upwards into the sky.

Drae headed towards the makeshift doorway.
Fight well Az.
His body was suddenly filled with an empowered lust for battle. Looking behind him quick, he saw that Azeric was glowing a deep angry red, pumped for fighting.
He smiled, pulled out his sword, and hurried through the door.
They travelled through until they reached a group of men in crimson cloaks.
Drae heard Toshiro speak:
"Well, these must be the attempt at reviving the Crimson Guard of legend."
He went to make eye contact with him, but he had already turned to speak to Elee’marka. His eyes looked down to Toshiro's hand on his sword, it made him adjust the grip on his own. He closed his eyes, absorbing the feeling of Azerics inner glow, then opened his eyes with adrenalin. He rushes in and takes on the first line of guards that Toshiro managed to jump past.
His first strike hits a guard hard in the helmet. It dents so deeply that it beats through the man's skull. The sound of metal on metal powers Drae with more battle lust. He strikes on as the first man falls to the floor, dead. When they've finished, Drae's face is as red as Azerics scales, and he's breathing heavily. He hears the dragon enter his mind.
Feels like you're having fun, may I join you??
Keep your post at the front, Azeric.
A very small feeling of glow rises in Drae and then disappears (Azeric giving out short flames). Aw come on, these guys are too easy
Keep your post Azeric.
He looks at the large doors ahead and then at Elee’marka. "Ladies first..."

While Elee and Drae worked their way forwards though the first few lines of guards, Toshiro fought energetically in the center of the formation. Using his superior agility he avoids the spears and swords searching for his exposed flesh while his katana lashes out cleaving legs and arms in an attempt to disable his enemies without killing them. However, the guards soon catch on and back away from the wind rider, giving them some space before lashing out all at once with their spears. Seeing the attack coming Toshiro leaps straight up into the air allowing him to clear the ring of steel heads.

The green clad warrior seems to hang in the air over five feet over the heads of the guards. Taking a quick look around he can see his companions almost at the edges of the ring of guards below him. Gritting his teeth he lets magic flow out from him, creating a gust that pushes him further up until he can plant his feet against the ceiling of the hallway. Releasing the gust spell his powerful legs thrust him down and towards the last line of guards before the doors, sheathing his sword as he falls. Landing on all fours a few strides in front of their line he runs along the floor before leaping forward into a feet first slide. The speed of the advance carries him under the legs of the center guard before they can react. Coming back up onto his knees, Toshiro draws his katana with blinding speed and slashes behind him. The blow comes before the guards can turn to face him, the razor sharp blade cutting through their hamstrings like a hot knife through butter. As Elee snaps out of her trance the last five guards collapse into a heap, their legs now unable to keep them up. Standing slowly Toshiro flicks his sword to remove any lingering blood before sheathing the blade. Turning he watches as the seven foot tall lizard woman unlock the door and push it open.

Flanking Elee as she walks into the thrown room he spots a handful of guards rushing towards them from the side. Lunging in front of Elee he holds hips palms out towards them, a powerful gust of wind emerges from each hand to blow them back into the walls. Standing up straight he eyes the dark haired man now sitting on the gold trimmed throne. He is dressed in ornate fabrics most likely taken from the ruling lord's wardrobe. Various jewelry can be seen adorning him, most notably a large red gem set in a wreath of obsidian. Relaxing now that no guards are present the three dragon riders move towards the thrown. "Like the man you claim to be descended from, your reign has been ended by the Riders of Veritas. Unlike your predecessor, the choice of how you meet this end. Will you come with us, or try your luck against our steel..." The man moves as if to lunge towards the trio but his muscles seem to freeze mid motion. The red gem suddenly bursts into life, glowing an eerie red colour. A few silent moments sees the self proclaimed emperor start to convulse violently, his eyes rolling back into his head before collapsing, half hanging off his thrown as the gem's glow dies down. Advancing slowly Toshiro places his bare fingers on the man's throat feeling carefully before shaking his head. "He's dead..."

Eyeing the gem carefully he motions Elee to join him. "I can't recognize this artifact from anything I've seen. Examine it, but be very, very careful." Turning back towards the now broken doors he reaches out with his mind. "Akechi, we've secured primary objective. Once we find the lord we'll get him to call a halt to the army. No longer then a minute longer of defending the fortress I promise you." The green dragon, having just finished a swooping dive over the army to drive them back, nods his head slightly. "Alright, but please be quick, I do not wish to take many more lives."

Receiving the mental summons, Gaius slipped his way through the dungeons. Stopping only to listen for guards that may be around the next bend. Setting his wards as he glides across the floor, something didn't seem right. It almost felt like something was following him, he had been careful but this presence seemed to float ever closer to his being. A dark menacing thing. Closing on his meeting place with Findarin, he sensed the elf had arrived before him and had started placing wards before opening the door.

Thanks be, I'll be glad to be out of this dungon, something--

Blocking at the last second with a sheet of ice, Gaius could feel the unnatural cold of the purple flame seeping through his defense. Fear almost choked him as he desprately tried to use his gills to breath.

Thaddeus! A Shade! Alert the riders-

Cut off from his mental train of thought as a door behind him burst open, it's occupant lunging for a kill, barely resembling the human he once was. Acting instinctively, Crushing the former man's head, he re-established his link with his dragon.The humans may no-longer be human. A ghoul just lunged at me from one of the cells. Hopefully we aren't too late. Focusing on the task at hand, Gaius sealed the warded cells, he would take no chances that any of the inmates were still human. The clerics could deal with that later. Fighting his way through the, more presently, crowded dungeon, he felt the mental vibration of Findarin... Bellow him. Working quickly he solidified the hallway on either side of him for a meter in each direction, encasing some unlucky ghouls in ice. Cut off from any immediate attack he started to rip his way down through the floor with his claws. He had made many spells to this effect but somehow none worked it's way through as fast as his own claws.

What I wouldn't do for a specific little dwarf right now. I've alerted the riders, the humans still seem human up here... wait for me I'm coming to you. No, small tunnels don't suit you, stand your ground with the other dragons. You'll need to be able to fly when the time comes.

Just then the floor gave way beneath him, falling through the newly made whole he tumbled, knocking down a ghoul dressed in the clothing of an aid. Throwing up a quick wall and dispatching the overly dressed ghoul Gaius stood up. Covering his eyes as Findarin cleared the rest of the hallway with a flash of light. Gaius felt a failure tingle as the healing light washed over the hallway Removing the ghouls from their undeath.

"Well, I don't know about you. But boy am I ever glad to see a friendly face in such an uninviting vista. Please tell me you have some good news because I only have bad right now."