DAVID CASTRO, ELIZABETH CHAIPRADITKUL, RAI W.

COLE, HIROMI COTA,

ERYKAH FASSETT, MEGHAN FITZGERALD, DANIELLE LAUZON, SPIDER B. PERRY,
JOHN SNEAD, MONICA SPECA, LAUREN ROY, RACHEL WILKINSON, H. ULRICH
CREDITS
Writers: David Castro, Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Rai
W. Cole, Hiromi Cota, Erykah Fassett, Meghan Fitzgerald,
Danielle Lauzon, Spider B. Perry, John Snead, Monica
Speca, Lauren Roy, Rachel Wilkinson, H. Ulrich
Developer: Danielle Lauzon
Line Developer: Neall Raemonn Price
Editor: Matt Click
Artists: Shen Fei, Marco Gonzales, Melissa Uran,
Aaron Riley, HIVE Studios, Farri Lensen, Ivan Vegar,
Nicholas Phillips
Art Director: Maria Cabardo and Mike Chaney
Book Design: Josh Kubat
Creative Director: Richard Thomas
Storypath System by: Rose Bailey, David Brookshaw,
Meghan Fitzgerald, Danielle Lauzon, Matt Miller, Neall
Raemonn Price, Lauren Roy, Malcolm Sheppard, Stew
Wilson
SPECIAL THANKS TO
REQUIRES THE USE OF
To my husband, Weston Harper, who keeps me
SCION ORIGIN AND SCION HERO
grounded in reality.
To Eddy Webb, for keeping me on track and out of my
own head.
To Monica Speca, for listening to me ramble about
magic for far too long.

© 2022 Onyx Path Publishing. All rights reserved. References to other copyrighted material in
no way constitute a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material. “Scion” and all
characters, names, places, and text herein are copyrighted by Onyx Path Publishing.
Keep up to date with Onyx Path Publishing at theonyxpath.com.

2 SCION: DRAGON
RETRIEVAL 6
INTRODUCTION 10
What’s in a Name? 11
Themes 11
Self-Discovery 11
Shadow Moves 12
Decoding the Myth 12
Pulp Spy 12
Politics 12
How to Use this Book 12
The Flights 13
Media 13
Procedurals 13
Dragon Stories 14
Other Reading 14
Lexicon 14
CHAPTER ONE:
DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS 16
Draconic History 17
The Youth of Creation 17
Children of Claw and Tooth 18
Fate’s Birth 18
Ego of the Skin 19
Rewriting History 19
Immortal Conflict 19
Formation of Flights 20
Dragons Today 21
Safety in Secrets 22
Hoards and Secrets 22
Powerbrokers 23
Memories 24
Children’s Games 25
Draconic Lineages 25
Heirs 26
Bequeathal 26
Handler 27
Smoke and Mirrors 27
Broods 28
Heirs and Scions 29
Dragon Cults 29
CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS 30
Laying Low 31
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Mantles of Divinity 31
Memory and Deed 32
The Draq 34
Characteristics 35
Lairs 36
Mysteries 37
Relationships 37
Notable Dragons 38
Common Draq Birthrights 42
The Joka 44
Characteristics 45
Lairs 46
Mysteries 47
Relationships 48
Notable Dragons 48
Common Joka Birthrights 52
The Lindwurms 54
Characteristics 55
Lairs 56
Mysteries 57
Relationships 57
Notable Dragons 58
Common Lindwurm Birthrights 62
The Lóng 64
Factions 65
Characteristics 65
Lairs 66
Mysteries 67
Relationships 67
Notable Dragons 68
Common Lóng Birthrights 72
The Naga 74
Characteristics 75
Lairs 76
Mysteries 77
Relationships 78
Notable Dragons 79
Common Naga Birthrights 82
The Serpents 84
Characteristics 85
Lairs 86
Mysteries 86
Relationships 87
Notable Dragons 87
Common Serpent Birthrights 91
3
AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE 94 CHAPTER FIVE:
DRAGON POWERS 138
CHAPTER THREE:
CHARACTER CREATION 98
Ready Made Characters 99
Kiran Aamir 100
Ambrosia Cook 102
Jakob Lukasson 104
Mitch Chu Kai-Wing 106
Leticia Flores Gonzáles 108
Character Creation 110
Step One: Concept 110
Step Two: Paths 110
Step Three: Skills 111
Step Four: Attributes 111
Step Five: Callings and Knacks 111
Step Six: Dragon Magic 112
Step Seven: Birthrights 112
Step Eight: Finishing Touches 112
Dragon Paths 113
Origin Paths 113
Role Paths 114
Character Advancement 114
CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS 116
Inheritance 117
Inheritance Systems 117
Raising and Regaining Inheritance 118
Remembrances 118
Flight Remembrances 119
Callings 120
Systems 120
List of Dragon Callings 122
Memory 124
Systems 125
Memory Conditions 125
Draconic Form 128
Birthrights 128
Lost Birthrights 129
Guides 129
Hoard 133
Lairs 134
Pawns 135
Tradecraft 137
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE 168
4 SCION: DRAGON
Calling Knacks 139
Knack Skills 139
Momentum Expenditure and Enhancement 139
Collector 139
Destroyer 140
Guardian 140
Healer 141
Judge 142
Ruler 143
Mystic 143
Nomad 144
Predator 144
Primeval 144
Watcher 145
Dragon Knacks 146
Knacks of Scale 146
Transformation Knacks 146
Transformation Knacks 147
Dragon Magic 150
Inheritance Costs 150
Magics 150
Animal Control 151
Decay 151
Elemental Manipulation (Air) 152
Elemental Manipulation (Earth) 153
Elemental Manipulation (Fire) 154
Elemental Manipulation (Frost) 155
Elemental Manipulation (Water) 156
Fear 157
Flight 157
Illusions 158
Luck 159
Transformation 160
Understanding 161
Weather Control 162
Signature Dragon Magic 162
Draq Signature Magic: Pandemonium 162
Joka Signature Magic: Refinement 163
Lindwurms Signature Magic: Avarice 164
Lóng Signature Magic: Blessings 165
Naga Signature Magic: Teleportation 166
Serpent Signature Magic: Purification 167
CHAPTER SIX:
STORYGUIDING DRAGON 172
Setting the Stage 173
Nuts–and–Bolts 174
Players as Plot Creators 175
Shadow Games 176
Scions and Heirs 176
Following the Paper Trail 177
Real Life Spies 178
Intelligence Glossary 178
Tradecraft 180
Surveillance 180
Communications 180
Deception 181
Assets 181
Infiltration 182
Theft 182
Violence and Assassinations 183
Operations 183
Breaking and Entering 183
Exposure 184
Run! 184
Cannons for Cash 184
By Way of Deception 184
Deep Cover 184
Search and Rescue 184
The Heist 185
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The 1000 Yard Club 185
Time is Ticking 185
Asset Acquisition 185
Upper Tier Play 185
Lesser Wyrm 186
Dragon 186
Collateral 187
Field Complications 188
Antagonists 190
Draconic Archetypes 190
Qualities 191
Flairs 193
Example Antagonists 196
Nest Raiders 196
Dragonslayers 197
Heirs 199
Legendary Creatures 200
APPENDIX:
LEGENDARY CREATURES 202
General Rules 202
Scourges 202
Scourge Knacks 203
Ruling Serpents 204
Ruling Serpent Knacks 204
Reptilian Destroyers 204
Reptilian Destroyer Knacks 205
5
 n a ballroom on the other side of the manor,
Iguests
Randolph Lonergan bade the last of his party
goodnight. At least, he believed they were
the last guests. While he was busy squeezing hands
and kissing cheeks, Mitch Chu and Ambrosia
Cook were on the other side of the vast house, in
Lonergan’s trophy room.
“Look at it all,” Mitch said. He unknotted his
bow tie and let its ends hang rakishly as he moved
from display case to display case. He knew exactly
what type of figure he cut: The handsome young
historian, preparing to steal back artifacts that
had been smuggled out of their home countries.
“Little busy here.” Ambrosia stood in the
doorway, on watch for any of Lonergan’s security
or household staff. Any more of them, that was.
The guard she’d knocked out lay in a heap just
inside the room. His next scheduled check-in was
in five minutes.
“Clock’s ticking,” Ambrosia said, as she rolled
down her jacket’s sleeves. Tonight, she’d traded
her usual business casual for a sleek bespoke suit.
Mitch had insisted she dress the part, introduced
her to his personal tailor, and footed the bill.
Ambrosia suspected the suit cost more than she
made in a year, but it felt nice, looked good, and
hid her holstered gun perfectly.
Lonergan’s trophy room contained neither
mounted animal heads nor first place pennants.
The items on display here didn’t reflect their host’s
hunting prowess, nor his sporting victories. The
entrepreneur did, however, possess some golden
cups — a whole case of them, in fact. It held the
drinking vessels of ancient kings.
6 SCION: DRAGON
Randolph Lonergan’s trophies were other
cultures’ historical treasures.
Mitch bypassed the cups. Tempting as they
were, they weren’t his target. At least, not yet.
Tonight, he was only here for the coins. They’d
filled his dreams the last few weeks: in them, he’d
twisted through rivers full of the little bronze
discs. Each morning, he’d woken with the taste of
metal in his mouth and rage churning in his belly.
He felt it rising now. He couldn’t be sure where
his anger ended and his patron Gōnggōng’s be-
gan. Was there even a difference, anymore?
The coins lay on a bed of black velvet in a case
that looked simple, but was wired to hell and back
with pressure sensors and temperature alarms.
“You sure you’ve got this?” Kiran Aamir
asked in Mitch’s ear. They were offsite, guiding
Mitch and Ambrosia from the comfort of — well,
Mitch didn’t know exactly where. They were in-
tensely private about their personal information,
which was understandable considering their line
of work. Kiran’s day job had something to do
with smart home software. They’d never men-
tioned which company, though Mitch had his
suspicions.
Whoever Kiran worked for, it made them
not only extremely wary of how much people
unthinkingly put online, it also made Kiran ex-
tremely good at finding that information. Their
research into Lonergan’s habits had sped up
Mitch’s timeline by at least a month. Tonight,
they’d intercepted all of the manor’s smart device
traffic, including its security cameras. The trophy
room display cases, however, weren’t on the net-
work. Here, Mitch was on his own.
“I know what I’m doing,” he said, glancing
toward the camera overhead in case Kiran was
watching. “I’ve bypassed one of these before
— oh. Hello. When did you sneak in here?” The
wall behind the coin display held a collection
of mounted blades. Mitch had made note of
them during his reconnaissance work, but the
jian in the center was a new addition. New to
Lonergan’s collection, that was, but not to Mitch.
The double-edged sword had eluded him once
before; why hadn’t he gotten wind of Lonergan’s
acquisition?
Didn’t matter. He was here now.
“... Mitch? Who’s there with you? Who snuck
in?” The sound of Kiran hammering at their key-
board — demanding data the cameras and their
accomplice weren’t providing — transmitted
over the earpiece.
“He’s talking to an artifact, Kiran. Stand
down.” Ambrosia had come over to see who
Mitch was talking to, too. She scowled at him as
her hand eased away from her holster. “Four min-
utes, Mitch. We’ve only got time for the coins.”
“I won’t get this chance again,” he said. “Not
for a long while. Years, maybe.” Even if every-
thing went exactly according to plan and they got
away clean, Lonergan would beef up his security
as soon as he realized the coins were missing.
The jian wasn’t something Mitch’s family or the
Sky Breaker wanted him to take. He rarely kept
anything he stole, much to his family’s chagrin,
but this ... this was worthy of adding to his hoard.
“You’re going to do a smash and grab, aren’t
you?” Ambrosia asked.
“Not on the coins. But on the jian? Yeah. Yeah,
I am.” He flashed her his most confident grin, and
turned one on the camera, too. “Because I have
the best team backing me up.”
Ambrosia closed her eyes. Mitch was fairly
certain she was counting to ten. “Kiran?” she
said. “We’re going to need a distraction.”
For a moment, Mitch thought they’d cut the
connection entirely. Then came a long sigh. “Fine.
I can’t stop any alarms you set off when you grab
it, but I can try to peel a few of the security team
off to another part of the house. Best I can do.”
“You owe us,” said Ambrosia. The phrase
carried weight behind it.
RETRIEVAL
Mitch couldn’t tell if by us she meant herself
and Kiran, or whether she was speaking on be-
half of her Flight. Either way, he needed them.
“Sure. Of course.”
“Three and-a-half minutes,” she said, and
returned to her position by the door.
Mitch only needed two to bypass the various
alarms and monitors on the coin display. It took
him another minute to disable the proximity
sensors on the swords, but the jian had its own
complex series of wires discreetly attached.
“Thirty seconds,” said Kiran.
Ambrosia bent to confirm that the guard was
still unconscious.
“Twenty.”
Mitch patted the coins where they were
tucked safely in his pocket.
“Ten.”
He cracked his knuckles and held his hand
over the pommel, waiting for Kiran’s countdown
to finish.
“Three. Two. One.”
With one smooth, sharp tug, he tore the jian
from its moorings. The ancient steel came away
easily, unharmed.
Alarms shrieked out news of the intrusion.
“Let’s go,” said Ambrosia. She led the way
out of the trophy room, keeping low and hugging
the wall. Mitch skulked along behind her. As they
ran, more bells and whoops echoed down the
corridor. Lights flashed off and on in out of sync
patterns. Music blared from every room they
passed, and a voice — a pleasant but inflection-
less alto — recited shopping lists, search results,
and driving directions to Mount Rainier.
“Kiran, is this you?” Mitch asked.
“Sure is. I threw a little chaos at Lonergan’s
smart home. You still have some guards coming
your way, but it’s not the full force. Company in
about ... fifteen seconds.”
Ambrosia signaled for Mitch to halt as they
came to an intersection. “I’ll take care of them.”
While she took up her position, Mitch held ut-
terly still. Most of the time, he enjoyed being seen,
having all eyes in the room on him as he charmed
a small crowd with fascinating tales from history.
Right now, though, his job was to go unnoticed.
They wouldn’t even know he was there.
7
 Ambrosia glanced back toward where he
stood, and looked right through him. “I hate
when you do that,” she muttered.
The first guard rounded the corner seconds
later. Ambrosia flowed up from her crouch
smooth and quick, like fire spreading along a
trail of gasoline. The butt of her gun made a solid
thunk as it connected with the back of the guard’s
head, and he toppled in a heap.
The guard’s partner, a few steps behind, had
more time to react. He stepped up as Ambrosia
turned and made a grab for her gun hand. She
jerked her arm out of the way, so he only caught
the sleeve of her new suit. He didn’t get a lock on
her wrist. Still, he held tight, yanking her in close
so she couldn’t control her shot.
The guard swung with his free hand, going
for a jab to the kidneys. Ambrosia grunted with
the impact, but it wasn’t enough to make her
drop her weapon. In fact, all it seemed to do was
piss her off. She clobbered at his head with her
8 SCION: DRAGON
empty fist, ringing his bell three or four times in
quick succession.
Still, the contested gun waved between them,
the rose in their deadly tango. Then it went off,
its report reverberating down the long hallway.
The bullet tinged as it punched through antique
tin ceiling tiles.
The gun’s discharge, awfully close to his face,
surprised the guard into releasing Ambrosia’s
sleeve and taking half a step back. Even startled,
he was far from out of the fight. Ducking beneath
her wild swing, he barreled into Ambrosia. The
momentum drove them both into the wall right
beside Mitch. Plaster cracked with their impact,
splitting the damask wallpaper.
Mitch might’ve felt bad about the cost of re-
pairs they were sticking Lonergan with, but the
jian in his hand and the stolen treasures in the bil-
lionaire’s trophy room scattered his guilt pretty
handily.
The guard pulled back just enough to slam
Ambrosia into the wall again. She grunted,
but it’d take more than that to knock her out.
Ambrosia stomped the hard sole of her shoe
down his inner calf. The big man yelped, and she
used the distraction to shove him backward.
With several feet between them, they took
aim at each other.
“Drop the gun,” the guard said. “Drop it and
keep your hands where I can see them.”
“No.” Ambrosia wasn’t a tall woman; the
security guard had at least a foot on her. Yet as
she spoke, Mitch had the sudden impression that
she filled the corridor. The air around her grew
hazy with heat. The flashing red lights from the
fire alarm glinted in her eyes, and made them
glow like hot coals. “You drop yours,” she said.
She spoke quietly, but the roar of a blazing fire
filled her voice.
The guard’s eyes widened. His gun wavered.
“I’ll shoot. I will.”
Ambrosia took a step toward him. Just one.
The ground trembled with her footfall.
The big man dropped his gun. A low groan
sounded from his throat, but he didn’t flee. He
couldn’t seem to unlock his gaze from Ambrosia’s.
Mitch moved at last, revealing his position.
The guard’s eyes widened as Mitch strolled up
to him and plucked the earpiece from his ear and
the mic from his collar. “I’m just going to tell your
commander everything’s fine here, if you don’t
mind.” He admired the two-way system a mo-
ment as he looked for the mic’s controls. “Oooh.
This is a fancy one. Lonergan didn’t skimp on
equipment, that’s for sure.”
“Dibs,” Kiran said, still monitoring. “I can get
you two a clear shot out of there, but you have
to get moving. The fire department’s on the way,
and the police are sending a unit.”
“I thought you had everything locked down,”
said Ambrosia.
“Yeah, well, turns out when you overload the
system, you find a few bugs. I’ll fix it in the next
build.”
RETRIEVAL
“What’s your name?” Ambrosia asked the
guard.
“Jones,” he said.
He sounded sincere enough to Mitch, but
Ambrosia sniffed out falsehoods as part of her
day job. “Lying is a bad idea. I don’t think you
want to find out what happens if you’re trying to
trick me, so we’ll tip off your captain.”
His shoulders sagged. “Byers.”
Mitch toggled the mic and matched his tone
to the guard’s. “Byers,” he said. “East wing, third
floor is clear. Just more system glitches, looks
like.”
“Acknowledged,” came the reply.
“I’d say I’m sorry about this,” Ambrosia said
to Byers, “but I’m not.” She clocked him hard and
laid him neatly beside his unconscious partner.
She straightened up and smoothed out her suit,
paying special attention to the sleeve. It was a
little wrinkled, but otherwise fine: Mitch’s tailor
crafted them to withstand plenty of abuse. “Okay,
Kiran. Lead the way.”
Kiran called out their escape route, sending
them down back stairways and through vast
connected suites in Lonergan’s manor. Mitch
couldn’t help but catalog other pieces of art on
display as they passed. It’d be a long time before
he came back here, but a long time wasn’t never.
They spilled out into the night, well away
from the main driveway. Red and blue lights
wound their way up the hill, but the tree line was
close. “You’ve got a bit of a hike ahead of you,”
Kiran said. “Keep heading west and you’ll hit a
road in about a mile. I’ll have a ride waiting for
you.”
“Hey. Thanks, both of you,” said Mitch. The
coins were a reassuring weight in his breast pock-
et, and the jian’s pommel cool in his hand. “This
means a lot.”
“Sure thing,” said Ambrosia. She glanced
at the sky, where heavy clouds were rolling in.
“Let’s get out of here before it rains. I want my
partner to see how good I look in my new suit.”
9
 “I desired dragons with a profound desire. Of course, I in my timid body
did not wish to have them in the neighborhood. But the world
that contained even the imagination of F fnir was richer
and more beautiful, at whatever the cost of peril.”
— J.R.R. Tolkien

I f Scion is a game about mortals, the divine, and everything

in between, Scion: Dragon is a game about the in-between
spaces kept dark as the bright light of divinity shines
elsewhere. It is a game about playing both sides against the
middle as you desperately try to find a foothold in The World,
all the while discovering who you are and what you want.
Play as long-lost descendants of Dragons, called Heirs,
who act as agents and operatives enacting their ancestors’
will as they delve into draconic history and memory. The
World knows Dragons primarily through the mytholo-
gy told to them by pantheons. Some of this is true; some
is what Dragons would call propaganda. An Heir may
descend from Dragons, but she knows just as little about
dragon kind as any other mortal. The truth about Dragons
is steeped in mystery, and they prefer it that way. Better to
keep hidden than to risk getting wrapped up in the Fate
of the pantheons. Better to wait until the Gods and Titans
wear one another down than to join the fight directly.
Better to amass power for a decisive strike than to play your
hand too soon. As the Heir becomes more embroiled in her
Dragon patron’s schemes, she learns more of the truth, and
must choose if she wants to be a player in their game, or
forge her own path.
mythologies on their own. From Fáfnir hungrily devouring
his hoard, to the hydra Heracles slays as his second labor,
to Yamata-no-Orochi from whose tail Susano-O pulled
his grass cutting sword, dragons have played a part in and
around mythology. Sometimes Dragons come into being
not from a true source at all, but through popular culture or
stories made up in more modern times. If it’s a big reptile
with a sufficiently cool story, it’s a Dragon.
In Scion: Dragon, we move these legendary creatures
into the foreground, giving them an exalted place beside
the divinity of The World, making them as powerful and
potent as the Gods and Titans themselves. In doing so,
dragons become capable of wearing divine Mantles, being
both Gods and Dragons, or Dragons and Titans, or even all
three at once.
THEMES
The overarching themes of Scion include relation-
ships, faith versus reverence, and modernity versus time-
lessness. It is an action game, filled with legendary beings,
grand struggles, and epic battles. Scion: Dragon can also be
all those things, but at its heart, it is a spy game, chock-full
of clandestine operations, political intrigue, and shadowy

WHAT’S IN A NAME? conspiracies.

Defining what is and what is not a dragon is difficult,
as things such as legend, taxonomy, and real-world de-
scription all play a part in what gains that classification.
Is a rather large snake a dragon? What about an oversized
crocodile? How about dinosaurs? For the purposes of this
game, dragons are defined as large, reptilian creatures with
a mythology surrounding them.
Dragons are legendary creatures with so much gravi-
tas, intrigue, and power that they inspire legends and
SELF-DISCOVERY
The primary theme of Scion: Dragon is one of self-dis-
covery. Heirs are the inheritors of a mythical world they
barely understand, with little or no direction to guide them.
Even if an Heir discovers their true parentage, they still
must choose whether to follow their commands. Accepting
the power of a Dragon comes with a great deal of respon-
sibility; learning to wield that responsibility is a large part
of the game.

DRAGONS AND DIVINITY

This game positions Dragons as at odds with Gods and Titans. We did this to give Dragons a foil, and
to create complex stories from Dragons’ relationship to divinity. Many Dragons are worshipped as Gods
throughout the world, and these Dragons are indeed divine creatures. For the purposes of this game,
Dragons did not start as Gods, but instead were adopted into pantheons who they belong to. While we
position Dragons as against Gods, that is not true for all of them. The generalization helps for the telling of
stories, but several Dragons who are also Gods have no problem or beef with the pantheons they are a
part of.
When considering if you want to play the heir of a specific Dragon, think about their relationship to the
pantheons and if they hold a Godly Mantle. This will influence how that Dragon acts towards their chosen
agent and what kinds of missions they will send her on.

Themes 11
 Dragons spend a great deal of time instilling their
Heirs with memories and knowledge that they hope will be
used to fulfill missions for the Dragon. Characters in Scion:
Dragon must decide if they are going to follow the path
set forward to them by those memories and allow their
Dragons to dictate their lives, or if they will forge their own
way forward. Characters struggle between loyalty to the
Dragon who gave them the powers they have, and loyalty
to themselves and their friends. They must also struggle
between becoming immersed in the world of Dragons and
remaining grounded in humanity. Much like Titans, many
Dragons care little for humankind, viewing them as noth-
ing more than pawns in their games.
SHADOW MOVES
Dragons choose their Heirs with purpose. Heirs are
proxies for the Dragon and part of a larger cold war operat-
ing primarily in the shadows. Dragons have learned the hard
way to be cautious, using their minions to achieve a specific
end secretly, rather than out in the open for The World to
see. An Heir may function as an assassin, a spy, or as a sab-
oteur without ever fully understanding why. To be an Heir
in service to a Dragon is to operate in the dark, committing
crimes of various size with only a partial view of the board
on which they play. As time goes on, that view expands and
offers opportunities for rebellion or recommitment.
Characters can choose to enact their own plots and
shadow moves as they navigate through The World. These
plots and schemes might not match that of a Dragon, but
they come close. Heirs hold their own power and might
rope their followers and friends into their schemes as they
go.
DECODING THE MYTH
Dragons are creatures of myth and legend clouded
in mystery. No one can find the truth regarding Dragons
easily with a simple Internet search. Their stories have
been changed by Fate, and they themselves twist public
perception and obscure the truth to keep themselves hid-
den. Part of playing an Heir is separating facts from fiction
and slowly learning the truth of their own ancestry. In so
doing, the Heir becomes more embroiled in the politics
of their Dragon patron, straying further and further from
their former life.
Everything about a Dragon is shrouded in mystery,
from its past to its motives. Heirs have the unenviable task
of working for these living mysteries and trying to piece to-
gether what they want through half-remembered instruc-
tions and dreams. Heirs may attempt to learn the truth
behind their shadowy masters, seeking out the why behind
their missions. Dragons rarely let an Heir know her exact
plans, so finding that out and deciding what to do with the
information is a part of being an Heir.
PULP SPY
To serve a Dragon is to participate in an intricate
game without fully understanding the rules. As high-value
12 INTRODUCTION
pieces on the proverbial chessboard, Heirs move across
the playing field in service to their Dragon, competing
against other Dragons, Titans, and Gods. From data theft,
sabotage, counter espionage, or outright assassinations,
Heirs are clandestine agents operating in a long and very
cold war. They deal in deception, attempting to obfuscate
their moves and misdirect their opponents. But Heirs are,
at their core, still tied to their former lives. And each time
they undertake a mission or use their powers on behalf of a
Dragon, more of their former life slips away.
POLITICS
Dragons sit alongside Gods and Titans, not as their
equals, but as a third party hoping to play kingmaker, or
bring them both low. They operate from the shadows, and
it is still unclear for which side they fight. Sometimes they
seem to align with the Gods, and other times they appear to
help the Titans. Thus, Dragons serve as a strange interme-
diary between the Gods and Titans, slowly accumulating
power for their secret agendas. Dragons benefit from the
balkanization of The World, and from individual panthe-
ons warring with one another. This means Heirs may be
brokering deals, acting as mediators, or assassinating those
in position of authority all in the name of their draconic
patron.
Heirs must navigate the political landscape between
Dragons, Gods, and Titans with little to no instruction on
how to do so. They may find themselves at odds with Scions
and their parents one month, and then need that same
Scion’s help the next. Heirs walk a fine line between having
a purely antagonistic role towards the pantheons and need-
ing their help. They need to keep up on the politics of the
pantheons to do their job well, and stay on the good side of
those they may need as allies on one side of the God/Titan
divide or the other.
HOW TO USE THIS
BOOK
Scion: Dragon is a game within The World of Scion
told from the perspective of Dragons and their agents. This
book uses the core rules found in Scion: Origin, which
is required to play this game. Dragon adds new elements
to The World presented in Hero, Demigod, and God, al-
lowing you to tell stories alongside those of the children of
Gods, or separate stories without them.
Scion: Dragon expands the mythic structure of The
World and introduces a third player in between Gods
and Titans: the Dragons. Where in Hero and Demigod
dragons are parts of the mythological fabric, as Legendary
Creatures featuring in various mythologies and lore, in
Dragon, we’ve reclassified them as entirely different from
the mythologies that feature them. Instead, Dragons are
the heroes of the story, and their children are their agents
in The World. Dragons organize themselves into Flights,
groups of likeminded individual Dragons.
 This book presents six Dragon Flights, explaining how
they formed, what they do, and who they choose to join
them. It walks you through creating Heirs, the Dragon’s
agents in The World, who are not yet full Dragons them-
selves. It gives you tools for playing Heirs, including their
very own Callings and magic born from their draconic na-
tures. It also gives you advice on how to run spy stories to
work espionage and heists into your Scion games.
THE FLIGHTS
Flights are loosely defined groups of Dragons. Dragons
created Flights in direct response to Gods creating panthe-
ons. Before that time, they were singular and autonomous
creatures, but as Gods gained prevalence in The World,
their Fates changed The World around them and that of the
Dragon’s as well. Some Dragons were hunted and killed,
other pulled into those very same pantheons. In response,
they grouped together to take shelter. These groups are
loosely based on the region of The World the formative
Dragons were located when the groups formed, but solidi-
fied around shared goals and ideologies. Not every Dragon
in every Flight is from the same cultural mythology, nor
from the same World region. Dragons seeking a place to
hide, or allies in the face of an onslaught found shelter with
anyone who would take them. Some Dragons fit into more
than one Flight and claim allegiance to both. Yamata-no-
Orochi is clearly a Naga, though the Lóng lay claim to him.
Despite being dead, both Flights tap his memories, and his
Heirs join both Flights with equal frequency.
With the formation of the Flights, many Dragons slow-
ly conformed in temperament to others in their groups.
They grew comfortable with one another, and their goals
slowly aligned over time. Dragons found common ground
within their Flights not from what humans thought of them,
or what their mythologies said about them, but instead by
their common goals. While each Dragon still considers
themselves an independent sovereignty fully capable on
their own, like in the old days, they realize that their Flights
exist to back them up in the case a hero comes knocking at
their lair. And why not use that drive for mutual survival to
enact some mutually beneficial plans at the same time? All
Dragons have their own goals and schemes, but those goals
seem to align around Flight lines and often coincide with
their counterparts.
The 6 Flight featured in Dragon are:
• Draqs – A Flight of Dragons primarily formed of
those descended from Tiamat, the mother of drag-
ons. They accept any who seek vengeance against
the Gods, specifically for the death of their “Mother
of Dragons.”
• Joka – Immense Dragons who are more in tune with
draconic memories than any other. They are known
for their intense hunger which has driven them to-
ward ambitions, and a return to a time before Gods.
Media
• Lindwurms – Considered the first Flight by many,
these Dragons have grouped together based on the
desire to share knowledge and stories long before
the advent of humanity. They seek knowledge and
power in lieu of lost memories.
• Lóng – Easily the largest and most disparate Flight,
these Dragons are the most at peace with the Gods.
They do not fear or hate them, though they do seek
their own fame and glory, and wouldn’t mind replac-
ing the pantheons in humanity’s worship.
• Naga – Dragons with many heads born through
conceptual relationships with the world, Naga are
split between those trapped in The World, and those
trapped in their special Terra Incognita. Those in
The World seek knowledge, and a way to reopen
their home safely.
• Serpents – A group of Dragons who care about the
natural world and are the most connected to hu-
manity. They seek to teach and uplift humanity in
hopes that together they can cleanse The World.
MEDIA
Much of media shows Dragons as large mythical be-
ings who serve as enemies or monsters for heroes to kill.
Unfortunately, few movies depict Dragons as secret agents,
much to our dismay. These media suggestions then are to
help you with inspiration for the kinds of stories to tell
(mostly crime and spy) and some inspiration on playing as
a Dragon.
PROCEDURALS
24, TV 2001-2010
24 follows Jack Bauer and a team of counter-terrorist
agents who attempt to thwart terrorist attempts in the
US. While the structure of the show is a single day in Jack
Bauer’s life each episode, the kinds of actions he takes and
moral ambiguity in the show is perfect for encapsulating
what an Heir might go through when attempting to per-
form a mission for her draconic ancestor.
Burn Notice, TV 2007-2013
Burn Notice follows ex-CIA agent Michael Westen as
he attempts to figure out how and why he was let go from
the agency, and who wanted him out. Westen works as a
private investigator solving crimes while also attempting to
find out as much as he can about why he was burned. This
duality of performing missions to keep going but also trying
to find out about himself perfectly encapsulates our Heir’s
push and pull of performing missions and finding out who
and what she is doing the missions for.
Leverage, TV 2008-2012
This show follows a team of con artists who perform
elaborate cons to take down rich, greedy, and often vil-
lainous targets for people who have been wronged. The
13
structure of the show includes flashbacks to show how or
why a seeming complication or difficult situation was dealt
with. There’s a lot of hyper competence in this show, but it
gives a good perspective on committing crimes for a wor-
thy cause, taking on missions for a client, and working as a
team.
Patriot, TV 2015-2018
This show follows John Tavner, who must take on a
non-official cover in an effort to deal with Iranian political
issues. John must balance his family life with his life as a
spy and gets into dangerous and sometimes darkly funny
situations.
DRAGON STORIES
Age of Fire series, by E. E. Knight
This series follows four young dragons from hatching
to adulthood. Each book focuses on a different dragon and
their travels as well as the people they meet and the life
they make for themselves. The story is told completely
from each dragon’s perspective and gives a good insight
into the way that dragons may feel about humanity, how
they navigate being monsters people might want to kill, and
how they make friends anyway.
Flight of the Dragons (1982 film)
This movie follows Peter Dickinson, a scientist turned
board game maker who loves dragons. He is pulled into an-
cient times to help fulfill a quest to stop an evil wizard from
turning humanity to greed and self-destruction and also to
save magic. Peter finds himself merged with a dragon when
they get to the past and must learn about being a dragon.
The story itself is one of viewing science as a kind of mag-
ic, which isn’t as topical to Scion: Dragon as some other
plots. Peter’s self-discovery of how to be a dragon though
is spot on for the kinds of situations our Heirs might find
themselves in.
Dragon Wars: D-War (2007 film)
This Korean action film follows two people in Los
Angeles, Ethan, a resurrected warrior of heaven, and Sarah,
a resurrected source of power which allows dragons on
Earth (imugi) to turn into celestial dragons. Buraki, a bad
imugi, wants the power for himself. The film itself is not
a masterpiece of cinema, but it shows dragons and their
stories from a non-Western perspective even though a lot
of the action is set in LA. Ethan must face a hard truth in
Sarah’s sacrifice to create a new celestial dragon, which
shows some of the dilemmas our Heirs might encounter.
I Am Dragon (2017 film)
This Russian romance follows Miraslava, a young bride
who is kidnapped by a dragon on her wedding day. While
in the dragon’s lair, a remote island that is actually the
skeleton of a dead dragon, she meets Arman, a young man
who is secretly her dragon captor who struggles with his
human and dragon side. During her time there, she falls in
love with him, and teaches him how to control his draconic
14 INTRODUCTION
side. Besides the romance angle, this movie treats dragons
as a mixed bag. When Arman first takes on his dragon form,
he gains all the memories of his ancestors, filling him with
the full knowledge of all draconic history. He knows them
as monsters, and fights against his own nature. Just as our
Heirs must come to terms with their own draconic nature,
and attempt to embrace or reject it, so too does Arman.
OTHER READING
The following suggestions are historical and mytho-
logical books on dragons. These give a sampling of dragon
myths from across the world.
Dragons, Serpents, and Slayers in the Classical and
Early Christian Worlds: A Sourcebook, by Daniel Ogden
Dragons, the Myths, Legends, and Lore, by Douglas
Niles
LEXICON
• Bequeathal: The moment when a Dragon taps an
Heir into service. This usually comes with a direc-
tive to take some kind of action, and an influx of
memories designed to help achieve that goal.
• Brood: A group of Heirs, whether from a single
Flight or multiple.
• Dragon: An immortal Legendary Creature, usu-
ally tied to the creation of The World, though not
always. Dragons claim they once ruled The World
until humanity arrived with their Gods, at which
time Dragons lost a great deal of power. Dragons
hid themselves but are now coming out of hiding to
meddle once more in The World.
• Dragon Magic: The physical magic Dragons and
their Heirs harness through the use of spells.
Individual spells learned are determined by the kind
of Dragon Magic an Heir knows.
• Flight: A grouping of Dragons loosely based on
physical similarities and location, but also around
like goals.
• Heir: A person who bears some draconic ancestry,
or the memory of a Dragon, and has draconic pow-
ers. Dragons activate Heirs to act as agents in The
World.
• hoard: The entirety of a Dragon or Heir’s wealth is
considered their hoard. Dragons and Heirs generally
keep their hoards in their lairs, not trusting human
means of keeping such treasures safe.
• Inheritance: A measure of draconic power and
knowledge about dragon kind. The Inheritance
score determines the progression of an Heir’s pow-
er, the general outcomes of rolls, how much of the
Heir’s draconic form she can access at will, and
Inheritance points which she can use to activate her
Dragon Magic.
• lair: A location in which a Dragon or Heir lives and
keeps their hoard. Lairs can be in any realm or any
shape, but are magical in nature.
• Lesser Wyrm: An Heir who has an Inheritance
rating of 5 or more. Lesser Wyrms embody more of
their draconic side than their human side.
• Remembrance: A set of polar opposite goals dictat-
ed by a Flight to which an Heir belongs. One side, the
Cipher, brings an Heir closer to her draconic nature
and the Flight’s goals. The other side, Defection,
Lexicon
rejects the Flight and brings an Heir closer to her
humanity and personal goals.
• Spell: An individual ability within a Dragon Magic.
Characters imbue or spend Inheritance to create
Spell effects.
• visitation: The moment an Heir first meets her
draconic ancestor. Usually this happens after the
Heir has already been working with the Dragon for a
while and may never happen for Reincarnated Heirs.
A visitation usually marks the change between an
Heir’s early life and her life as a Lesser Wyrm.
15
 “History is hereditary only in this way: we, all of us, inherit everything,
and then we choose what to cherish, what to disavow, and what to do next,
which is why it’s worth trying to know where things come from.”
— Jill Lepore
D ragons existed on earth long before the first cry echoed
into the stratosphere, long before the skies cried and
created the first oceans, and long before the first belches of
volcanic gases created island and mountain. They have lived
in The World for as long as it has existed, though their tales
are tumultuous and storied. They roamed the earth with
ancient Dragon-worshipping civilizations who eventually
made way for humanity. They watched as Gods rose from
humanity’s faith and remember all too well when those Gods
formed Pantheons and rewrote history to match. These giant,
ancient creatures have always existed, and they remember
a multitude of histories, all singularly true, and none quite
right. They think in the long-term, enacting centuries-old
goals through their Heirs, draconic descendants walking
their own path toward greatness.
Leviathan was born into the chaos of war, when hu-
mans hunted Dragons. Her parents hid her deep beneath
the ocean’s waves and went to hunt the mortals. The hu-
mans struck them down and Leviathan was left alone. In
her lonely rage, she thrashed and struggled, churning the
oceans and creating waves. When the Gods discovered the
child, impressed by her immense power, they wound Fate
around the fledgling and told her she came from the God
Yamm. Leviathan transformed and, in her confusion, her
tumultuous love for chaos grew. For causing chaos around
her soothed the chaos raging within her. Thus, you see how
the Gods twisted the great Dragons.
Ladon was a small wyrm who protected a tree of gold-
en apples. His spent his days manifesting new songs The
World had never heard before. He fell in love with a great
golden lion and the two were happy living in the cradle
of creation. When the lion left the cradle, Ladon waited
patiently for his lover’s return. Return the lion did, but
not alive and instead worn as a pelt by the hero Heracles
who came to steal Ladon’s apples. For the first time, Ladon
learned a song of sorrow for the deep pain sunken into
his heart. Thus, you see how bitterly the mortals hunted
Dragons.
K’uk’ulkan accepted his new role of God and Dragon,
working within his Pantheon to carry the sun across the
sky. No Dragon had a greater capacity to care for The World
and the mortals in it. Year after year, K’uk’ulkan watched
the mortals grow and performed his duties. He saw them
learn of industrialization and pollute his home, yet he still
cares. He saw them burn forests and decimate species, yet
he still cares. So great is this creatures’ capacity for caring,
his Heirs now carry others from one locale to the next,
no matter the cause or trouble. They keep the Serpent
grounded and stop hate from consuming the beast, for their
Draconic History
sacrifice echoes his own and propels him forward. Thus,
you understand why Dragons need Heirs.
Dragons did not start out in a unified manner, but
have learned to work together through strife. Some are
dangerous creatures, but others are scholars, lovers, and
politicians. All are planners, which they have learned to
plan over the long-term through necessity. For they all but
lost a war with the Pantheons, one they didn’t ask for, but
one they plan to win in the future.
DRACONIC
HISTORY
D raconic history is neither linear nor all encompassing.
It spirals through time, folding in upon itself when
necessary and mixes the truth as remembered with realities
created by Fate. Before the universe understood divinity,
there were Dragons, immortal beings who existed outside any
concept of Pantheons or Fate. Their history reads differently
from that told by the Pantheons, for they remember all truths.
THE YOUTH OF CREATION
Ask any Dragon, and she will tell you that she was
born into The World as it was first forming. They all tell the
same story, even the ones who didn’t come until long after.
They remember the beginning and all that came after, and
so it is truth.
Born into the cosmos, the new earth took its first des-
perate gasps and with every breath bore a new Dragon into
existence. The call to life from the void screamed louder
than all else in the dark stretch of eternity for the young
wyrmlings. So it was that Dragons inhabited The World
long before fin took to water, claw to land, and wing to sky.
Dragons spent short millennia amongst only them-
selves — before The World changed around them, and
changed them as it did. In those early days, Dragons
explored their surroundings, uncovering secrets buried
deep within mountains, plumbing the deepest depths of
the ocean, and hearing the soft music of breezes through
ancient foliage.
Before they knew it, they were no longer alone. The
World changed and grew at a rapid pace compared to the
Dragons’ immortal lifespans. Tiny microscopic organisms
gave way to larger and larger life in the blink of a scaled eye.
Dragons marveled at the rapidity of change, the miracle of
new growth, and the brevity of mortal life. Soon, creation
perfected its formulae and birthed children of scale and
claw to The World.
17
 in the children’s mouths. They formed societies and cults
CHILDREN OF dedicated to blood worship which persist to this day. Many
CLAW AND TOOTH of these cults forgot their draconic parentage, and members
So similar were these creatures to Dragons, the ancient addicted to the taste of draconic blood hunt Dragons in
ones called them children and in the mess of living within hopes to taste even a single drop of their sweet life force.
all time at once, some Dragons forgot they did not create
these children. Life in this blossoming world was peaceful. FATE’S BIRTH
Amidst the draconic children’s cultural revolution
At first, Dragons lived alongside their children, their
new beings sprung into existence. These beings were
influence near imperceptible to the young creatures who
unique and unlike anything that came before them. Their
wanted nothing more than to hunt and eat. However, slow-
form was strange to the Dragons: two arms, two legs, and
ly, generation by generation, the Dragon’s children became
no scales nor fangs. While the Dragons’ children appeared
more aware of their presence. The first great cultures grew
somewhat like their parents, these new beings did not, and
from this newfound awareness modeled after the titanic
so they did not understand or care much for the Dragons
Dragons watching over everything.
or their children. The advent of humanity brought with it a
Each culture was unique and based off the Dragon it course of something Dragons still do not fully understand
worshipped. The largest of them followed the Sleeping to this day.
Mother, a Dragon who fell asleep deep within the ocean’s
Humans had imagination, belief in the unseen,
waters. In a time before naming things was important, her
and told stories of their Gods. They saw divinity within
raw power birthed a thousand dreams for her followers to
themselves, and their Gods looked and acted as they did.
revel in. Each child who worshipped her swam down to see
Dragons cannot say if Gods came before humanity, or vice
her gargantuan figure and sleep next to the Dragon for a
versa, as that part of history is probably the most muddled
time. As a reward, she gifted them with one of her dreams,
to their minds. With humanity came the concept of Fate,
a new idea to bring to the surface and act upon.
and with Fate came the trappings of divinity, and with
Not all these new creatures were peaceful, for some those trappings came the ability to bend truth and reality
Dragons taught them the art of war. Bašmu, child of Tiamat, to fit mythology.
warped the draconic children’s natural sense of the hunt to
In the early days, Dragons accepted Gods and their
follow him into battle against his mother’s enemies. For each
people, as they accepted all changes to the earth. Dragons
enemy they killed and consumed, they saw a glimpse of dra-
understood little of the God’s abilities, for reality was never
conic memory stretching into time immemorial. His forces
so frozen there could be a single truth, but they enjoyed the
eventually lost their fight, but the taste of blood was sweet

18 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS

newness of the Gods and lived beside them in peace. While
some Gods saw fit to meddle in the lives of the Dragons’
children, most of the children paid little attention to the
God’s attempts, yet the Gods persisted growing jealous of
the Dragons’ dominion over their own children.
EGO OF THE SKIN
It is this point in history that is the most debated.
What happened between Dragons and humanity, be-
tween their children and the Gods? Each Dragon has a
different version of the story, and each pantheon has one
completely contrary. Dragons were fascinated with hu-
manity and their Gods. They welcomed them, gave them
space to roam, for The World was a big place. They kept
their children separate, but they did not remain separate
from humanity.
Most were indifferent to humans, allowing the Gods
their domain over humans’ lives, but a few took a keen in-
terest in the fleshy creatures. These Dragons wanted to be
as the Gods. They mingled with humanity — sometimes us-
ing magic to take their forms — as they tried to understand
them. They reveled in the human’s creations and some bred
with the humans creating a new form of life born into two
worlds — neither draconic nor human.
Some Dragons were completely impartial to the peo-
ple, acting in ways that lead to destruction and death. Some
were only interested in humans as animals to hunt, delight-
ing in their crafty ways, but ultimately devouring them all
the same. This angered the humans, and some Gods, but
the Dragons ignored their outcry. The cycle of life, death,
and the mutability of time was all part of coexistence and
there was little point lamenting over a creature who died
now, but still existed in the past.
REWRITING HISTORY
As human culture grew, so too did their Gods. They
went from a few settlements worshipping one or two Gods
to civilizations worshipping several. The Gods formed
pantheons, and in doing so, used Fate to rewrite their own
histories. Dragons remember this part well, for they can
remember branching realities and truths as Gods came to-
gether and described how they created The World, a World
they had already been existing in for some time. A World
that Dragons had seen grow without them, and suddenly
they too remember those Gods who created it.
Dragons can’t remember when their own children dis-
appeared from collective consciousness of The World. Or
truer to the point, they remember them being there, and then
they remember them not ever existing. Their children were
not as resistant to Fate as the Dragons, and so their existence
was written into pantheons, or overwritten completely. That
doesn’t mean the Gods killed them necessarily, but those
overwritten were suddenly living outside of the reality the
Gods had created, making it difficult for them to continue.
And the Dragons were far too different to be truly
changed by the God’s actions. Rather, most Dragons un-
derstood The World now had two truths, one truth which
Taking on a Mantle
had always been, and one created by the Gods. They lived
accepting both realities as truth, because the ancient crea-
tures always understood the truth behind multiplicity.
The Dragons who spent the most time with Gods got
caught up in their Fates. These Dragons became Gods who
were also Dragons, but could not explain why it was so. The
worst thing Gods ever did to Dragons wasn’t hunt them
down and kill them, but embroil them in the gods’ reality
so tightly that they started to question their own memories.
Fáfnir’s form was confined to the word dwarf, which then
transformed into a Dragon. Fáfnir keenly remembers a time
before Gods rewrote history, but also understands he was
born into The World as a dwarf. Both realities are equally
as true to him.
With pantheons came politics, and with politics came
war. Unsatisfied with dominion over humanity, the Gods
slapped labels on one another from Primordial to Titan,
casting aspersions as to each one’s ability to shepherd hu-
manity. And Dragons? Well, if they weren’t wholly for the
growth and prosperity of humanity, they were just as bad
as titans.
IMMORTAL CONFLICT
This fundamental shift in The World’s realities, while
accepted by Dragons, did not go unnoticed. The wisest of
the ancient ones were always wary of the Gods, for they
were too unlike them to be trustworthy. They knew that the
moment the Gods arrived in The World, a game had started.
This game would wind through mortal history steeped in
tragedy and loss, dancing in violence, and singing through
screams. It was a game that would cost the Dragons much,
but it was one they planned to win.
If all myths are true, and Gods created The World in a
hundred different ways, then Dragons will end The World
in a hundred different acts of vengeance. It wasn’t enough
for the mythology of the pantheons to rewrite Dragons’
place in The World. They also put humanity above all else,
causing those Dragons who wanted nothing more than to
simply exist to become enemies. Dragons are large and
dangerous, and their acts rarely consider human life. So,
the Gods rallied their followers and children against them,
to hunt them to extinction. They made a few distinctions,
but they barely mattered. Gods only accepted Dragons who
accepted a role as a God within their pantheons. All else
were Titans and beasts to hunt and kill.
Some Dragons did not make things easy for them to
negotiate any sort of peace. For instance, the Joka, Isa Bere,
had little taste for mortal flesh, though he craved the sweet
refreshment of running water. In one day, he drank the
entire Niger River causing a massive drought. Numb to the
cares of mortals, he then went on his way without a second
thought to why they were so angry. When humans finally
hunted down and killed Isa Bere, he still understood little
of why they were so angry at him.
The Gods and their followers waged bloody war against
Dragons to great efficiency. Stuck as they were in this new
19

THE TRUTH
DRAGONS KNOW
Every statement of true and unblemished
fact in this section represents the perception
and opinion of dragonkind: no more, no less.
History according to Dragons is exactly that:
history according to Dragons. The truth Dragons
know is likewise the truth Dragons know. We
use a lot of generalities throughout this section,
because Dragons like to lump the pantheons all
together, even when they absolutely know that
some individual Gods are actually trustworthy
allies and friends. Taken as a whole, Dragons
rarely care to separate the damages caused by
Theoi and Æsir Heroes. And all pantheons get
looked at with suspicion due to the most brutal
acts, even as the many Dragons continue to
treat with the pantheons they are most familiar
with.
The stories presented here are a type of truth.
A truth that Dragons remember, despite Fate’s
touch on The World around them. These stories
fit into The World mythology as a counterpoint
to the legends that grow around Gods and
pantheons.
reality shaped by the pantheons, their immortality was no
longer guaranteed. They lived only within the memory of
other Dragons, and could hope at reincarnation rather than
it being a given. Some fought against the onslaught, only
bringing more ire, others tried to hide. But even those who
were Gods could see that being a Dragon would eventually
end in death, and were forced to either abdicate the pan-
theon or their draconic mantle.
FORMATION OF FLIGHTS
Grouping Dragons into Flights, or groups of like-mind-
ed individuals, is a newer invention — a convention created
out of necessity. Before Gods and humanity, the Dragons
had no need for such things as Flights. The idea of group-
ing together to enact plans as a cohesive unit was ridicu-
lous; how could such unique beings ever truly act as one?
Age does not always gift wisdom, and when far too many
Dragons had already fallen, they finally understood how
naive their past views were. In order to survive, they would
have to band together.
One united draconic front against all of humankind
would never work — Dragons’ individual egos and ancient
rivalries would never allow for it. Instead, Dragons orga-
nized themselves into Flights based on similar ideologies.
Not every Dragon would come to join a Flight, but those
who did not disappeared from draconic memory. Most as-
sume they perished at the hand of some hero or another, but
some stories still circulate of ancient wyrms so powerful
20 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS
they hid from humanity and remain safe to this day without
the protection of a Flight.
THE FLIGHTS
The Draq Flight is comprised of those who rallied
behind the great Tiamat, a giant and glorious Dragon who
claimed to be first among them all. They called the great
queen Mother and followed her lead into battle against the
Gods who sought to bring them low. Tiamat led each battle
the Draq waged against the Gods herself, relentless in her
fury against the young Fate-benders who threatened her
children. It took Marduk, a young God seeking ultimate
power, to kill her. Her remaining children went into hiding,
collecting other Dragons who were as bent on revenge as
they were to fill in the Flight over time. Now they seek to
emulate Tiamat’s chaotic nature to bring much needed
change to the world.
The ever-hungry Joka formed along the lines of yearn-
ing for the past in a way that manifests as deep unabating
hunger. Ammut was a great prophet who could swim
through memory into the future. There she saw the Gods
changing The World and saw the downfall of her lover,
Apep. Heeding her warning, Apep chased the sun across
the sky to consume it and stop the Gods. In response, the
Egyptian Pantheon rewrote the history of the Joka’s found-
ers — Apep became Apophis the dread Titan and Ammut
became a pawn of the Gods. Not only did they fail to stop
it, but they also brought on the doom they tried to prevent.
They lost everything, and what’s worse, is that they re-
membered what they once had. A deep relentless hunger
crept into their beings — an emptiness haunting them for
eternity until the two reunite. Raina, who also felt the loss
of her future sight, called together a Great Feast inviting all
Dragons who hungered. Those who responded became the
Joka, and she fed them all the esoteric things that would
sate their existential needs.
Lindwurms have always been hoarders. They once
collected songs and stories, now they collect whatever
helps them remember. These Dragons hoarded knowl-
edge, collecting stories and retelling them with perfection.
Lindwurms were overall a peaceful bunch — allowing them
to work together, form friendships, and enjoy the intoxi-
cating experience of shared memory. Vishap died first, and
when she did she let out a death curse that sent her memo-
ry flooding into those of her fellows. Her shattered memory
wreaked havoc, and those she had been closest to started to
lose their memories. Jörmungandr was the first to realize
and he gathered others to try to preserve what they could.
Any who sought knowledge, memory, or truth flocked to
the Flight. Now they are marked by greed and avarice, and
a desire for more to replace what they lost.
Among the Flights, the Lóng was the only one to
take a strategic step back from The World. Forming due
to geographic proximity, when the Gods rewrote history,
many of their numbers were relegated to roles with a sec-
ondary importance to mortals. Gods stole their forms and
created insulting stories of Dragons, many of which deeply
disrespected the culture the Lóng created over many years
living in The World. The Gods began to minimize the
Dragons’ existences, with each act of selfishness or vile at-
tack a thousand cuts against the draconic way of life. With
each conflict, the Dragons understood it would not be long
before the Gods took more extreme measures to minimize
their existence. Dominion isn’t enough for those hungry
for power unless it is absolute. Shaking off the falsehoods
placed upon them by Fate, the Lóng organized themselves
and vowed to take vengeance on the Gods, taking back over
The World they are destined to rule.
The Naga were once curators of a Terra Incognita
called the Divine Realm. Here they collated and gathered
all the concepts of The World for examination and contem-
plation. From the realm, the Dragons grew connected to
The World’s concepts and began to embody the ones they
felt closest to, even growing new heads to better encompass
all the concept’s parts. With humanity came confusion, and
the Dragons were forced to close off the Divine Realm to
protect it from those who wished to hunt them. Those who
remained in The World became the Naga, and those who
were trapped inside remain to this day. Now, the only thing
that holds them together is their desire to return to the
Divine Realm. Any who remember it, or seek it are consid-
ered brethren.
Those who became the Serpents loved The World
above all others. For every new wonder birthed into the
vibrant haze of life, the Serpents fell more deeply in love
with the tiny planet of blue and green. And when humans
finally evolved, the Serpents were the first, even before the
Gods, to love them desperately and deeply. When humanity
exploited the earth, the Gods didn’t care so long as wor-
ship came to them. The Serpents though tried to correct
humans, teach them to treat The World better. Some hu-
mans seemed to respond well, but the others needed hard-
er lessons. The Gods took notice, but only to chastise the
Dragons for harming humans. So to prevent a war with the
Gods, the Dragons faded into the background and became
the Serpent Flight. From the shadows, they still try to teach
humanity, and kill those who refuse to learn their lessons,
all in the name of saving The World.
FLIGHT GOALS
Dragons have not forgotten what happen to their kind
in the past and each Flight formed based on a unifying goal.
How much everyone wants this goal is down to the individ-
ual Dragon. Likewise, what this goal looks like also differs
between Dragons. Some may find individual pursuits more
important than the party line, and others may obsess over a
minutia of the goal for centuries.
The Draq have a deep vendetta against a specific pan-
theon. It’s true, they spend a lot of their time embroiled
in a millennia long war, but their ultimate goal is to bring
new growth from the seeds of destruction. While many of
their members seek this in unique ways, the overall goal of
destroying the pantheons and allowing something new and
vibrant to grow in their place drives them ever forward.
Dragons Today
The Lindwurms seek power and knowledge, appear-
ing grasping and greedy. While they may not completely
recognize it themselves, the Lindwurms seek to repair
the shattered memory they once shared. They each lost so
much when the Gods rewrote history and Vishap’s memo-
ries shattered that they barely remember their own imper-
atives. They seek to be whole again, and to gain whatever
knowledge they can.
Where the Lindwurms focus internally, the Serpents
seek external wholeness by fixing the World. The Serpents
are wholly motivated by the need to protect the planet and
its inhabitants from themselves. Pollution, climate change,
and species extinction are all hastened by human activity,
and Serpents see this spelling doom. If the Serpents could
only help them curtail that activity, they could all live in a
clean and safe World. Of course, no one can agree on how
to best help humanity.
For the most part, the Joka don’t blame humanity for
their faults, but instead turn their eyes to the pantheons.
Many of the Joka were deeply twisted by the rewriting of
history and thus their goals are trapped within the new
concepts. They hunger and yearn, often for power, some-
times just for sustenance. Their ambitions know no bounds.
The Lóng have more disparate goals based on factions:
Sea, River, Shallows, or Heaven Lóng. Unlike other Flights,
the Lóng’s strategic retreat gave them an upper hand in
retaining their original reality and capabilities. Many of
the Lóng’s goals focus on the pursuit of glory, fame, or
knowledge, though deep down they hope to eventually
supplant the pantheons as the true rulers of The World and
humanity.
Finally, the Naga have one of the most unifying goals
enacted by individualistic members, each with their own
schemes on how to achieve it. Nearly every Naga works
to gain access to the Divine Realm they closed from The
World so many years ago.
DRAGONS TODAY
T oday Dragons act in secret, laying low and using a variety
of intermediaries and pass-through entities to enact
goals. The Gods may have scrubbed Dragons from humanity’s
collective consciousness, giving them new roles or killing
them off, but Dragons have not forgotten everything that
has happened. Their goals are not new, and they have been
working on them since the Gods first arrived and started
meddling with reality.
While Flights formed along common goals and mutual
protection, everyone has a different idea on how to achieve
those goals. Dragons often work individually, enacting plots
and plans that end up intersecting those of their Flightmates
as they try to get at the same goals from different angles.
While they do communicate with each other, each believes
their plots to be superior, and many are unwilling to aban-
don something they have invested resources in. Especially
if they view the working as inherently inferior to their own.
21
 Draconic inability, or better put, unwillingness to work
with one another en mass means their plans are often slow
working and contingent on many different factors. For any
creature other than a Dragon they’d be completely unmanage-
able, luckily Dragons have all of memory to work with and an
infinite amount of time. For dealing with pesky matters need-
ing immediate attention, Dragons make use of Heirs, humans
who are related to or are reincarnations of themselves. Heirs
enact a Dragon’s will in The World and most strive to carry
out these plans, or at least understand them.
SAFETY IN SECRETS
In order to survive, a Dragon keeps secrets. Even their
Heirs never know the full truth of their plans. A single truth
may lay folded in a hundred lies, given to the Dragon’s fol-
lowers to decode and enact to prove they are worthy of the
Dragon’s patronage.
Birthed in millennia of plotting, waiting, and schem-
ing, completing a Dragon’s goals is never straight forward.
Any person, or creature, who follows a Dragon’s designs is a
pawn on an exceptionally large chessboard and likely never
knows more than what is required of them. Save perhaps
Heirs, who Dragons see not as pawns, but as knights who
protect their carefully constructed goals. Those who seek a
greater part to play in their Dragon’s schemes must prove
themselves repeatedly. And if they are lucky, they gain
insight into a greater piece of the puzzle as they go. Even
then, they may not get a clear picture, or only learn half-
truths. Dragons understand both truth and lies as veracity
after all.
A loyal Heir follows her Dragon ancestor’s orders
without question. If her Dragon tells her to kill, she kills.
If he tells her to steal, she steals. This sort of unquestioning
loyalty is likely to gain an Heir a comfortable, if not unspec-
tacular, life. In contrast, a smart Heir finds the truth behind
the orders given to him by his ancestor. He sifts through
conflicting accounts and cryptic messages to understand
what his Dragon genuinely wants — and performs that
deed instead. The Heirs who do this rise to true greatness
… or are eaten by their Dragons, great reward comes with
great risk after all.
When not utilizing Heirs, Dragons hide their secrets in
inanimate objects to enact their plans all over The World.
Dragons mean for humans to find and engage with them,
so they make them as enticing as possible. The secrets
held within are often encoded messages which lead peo-
ple to perform tasks for the Dragons. Intelligent planners,
Dragons know people won’t lust after something simply
given to them and so Dragons make a game of finding their
secrets. Trunks full of lost treasure, forgotten languages
scrawled on cave walls, a song only heard on a single hill
under a blood moon are all examples of where Dragons
hide their secrets.
Some Heirs hunt down the secrets left behind by their
Dragons in hope of undoing their plans. The Heir collects
these information drops in hopes to reveal a greater plan
her Dragon has. Deciphering that plan unbeknownst to her
22 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS
Dragon is the key for the Heir to break free from the claws
slowly wrapping around her and come into her own.
Dragons cannot just leave their truth lying around
for their Heirs to find. Mortal dragon hunters search out
their secrets as well, to better know their quarry. The same
hoops an Heir must go through becomes an impediment to
a would-be hunter. Though hunters who dig deep enough
find more than just a Dragon at the end of their hunt. The
desire for truth, knowledge, and power is intoxicating.
Dragons find any mortals who seek them intriguing. More
than one hunter has ascended to Agent Heir after impress-
ing a Dragon with their tenacity.
HOARDS AND SECRETS
Many of the stories and legends people know about
Dragons come not from Dragons themselves, but instead
from the pantheons. Because of this, most of their stories
are wrong, often seriously so. However, one important
feature of many stories about Dragons is that they are crea-
tures given to avarice, and those stories are entirely correct.
Most Dragons or at least most Dragons who are not hiding
and in immediate fear of their lives, have collections that
they refer to as their hoard. Dragons hope that part of the
process of regaining their place in The World will be the
ability to return to collecting and tending their hoards,
rather than having to constantly struggle to avoid notice or
battle deadly threats.
While stories about Dragon hoards emphasize them
collecting vast piles of gold and jewels, the reality is far
more complex. Most Dragons possess hoards, but what
any individual Dragon hoards is a deeply personal, and
often highly idiosyncratic choice. Wealth is exceedingly
common, and obviously quite useful. However, even this
can take many forms, from piles of gold bars and bags of
gemstones to digital “wallets” filled with cryptocurren-
cy. In addition, wealth is far from the only option. Some
Dragons hoard knowledge, often in the form of books,
others collect various divine or semi-divine Relics, and
the range of options for hoards also includes land, weap-
ons, and in some cases, humans, particularly as retainers,
servants, and allies. However, some Dragons instead
choose more ephemeral hoards, like secrets or favors.
In the modern age, those who hoard secrets or favors
have done especially well. As a result, this practice has spread
among most Flights. Increasingly, Dragons have let Gods,
Titans, Scions, and humans who possess wealth, power, or
simply uncommon amounts of knowledge about the super-
natural, know that they can offer useful services, for a price.
Most Dragons who trade in secrets use the same
system — if you want to learn one of the Dragon’s secrets,
you must offer to share one of at least equal value that the
Dragon does not already know. Naturally, the only one who
can determine whether secrets have an equivalent value is
the Dragon, but most Dragons are ruthlessly fair in their
evaluations, and those that aren’t soon find their reputation
drives prospective clients to seek out someone else. As a
result, most Dragons who deal in secrets endeavor to keep
their clients at least minimally satisfied, because doing so
means that they can obtain more clients and thus obtain a
steady supply of new and better secrets.
The trade in favors is more complex and can become
quite convoluted. In its simplest form, the Dragon offers to
do something for someone else, in return for that individu-
al owing the Dragon a favor that she can call in later. Often
the Dragon making the deal specifies the favor in advance,
and if she doesn’t, she usually provides a general outline
of the magnitude of what she’ll ask in return. Dragons also
have a multitude of ways to ensure that others perform the
services they agree to.
In addition to the fact that some Dragons who deal in
favors possess the ability to bind others to keep their oaths,
everyone with sense knows that getting on the bad side of a
Dragon is a terrible idea. Not only does that individual risk
the Dragon’s wrath, but some other Dragons refuse to deal
with them, and may also attempt to capture the oath-break-
er and hand them over to the Dragon who is owed the favor.
A few Dragons have attempted to cheat those who perform
services for them, but most understand that such behavior
is bad for business, and risks turning prospective clients
into embittered would-be Dragon slayers.
This exchange of favors can become even more compli-
cated because many Dragons use favors as currency. If two
or more Dragons are owed favors that they each consider
to be of equivalent value, then they sometimes exchange
Dragons Today
them. The result is someone who has asked a favor of a
Dragon finding that they now owe this favor to a Dragon
they have never met and know nothing about. Some indi-
viduals who deal with Dragons have begun insisting that
the Dragon cannot trade their favors. While most Dragons
agree to this condition, in return they expect the individual
to perform a notably more difficult and demanding service
than they otherwise would.
Today, a growing number of Dragons who collect all
types of hoards use both secrets and favors as currency. A
Dragon who collects rare jewels may have little intrinsic
interest in secrets or favors, but is willing to deal in them as
a means to acquire additional rare jewels.
POWERBROKERS
When the Titanomachy started, Dragons learned an
important lesson: The Gods cared not if they wanted to be
involved. The price of complacency was to be cast in the
drama the pantheons were playing out. When the Flights
formed, and Dragons took measures to protect themselves,
they also decided that they couldn’t just stay out of things.
They would be hunted regardless of their involvement, and
Gods would retell their histories without their approval.
The Flights made plans not only for survival, but for
revenge, restitution, and to reclaim their rightful place as
the rulers of The World. They can’t beat Fate outright, even
if they can skirt its effects and retain their memories of a
23
past before Fate’s touch. So, they plot against the panthe-
ons, and hope to use their Fate and turn it against them.
They work both ends, helping a God here or a Titan there
to stoke the fires of a cold war and hope the two will burn
each other out and Dragons can simply pick up the pieces.
They aren’t above tipping the scales one direction or an-
other if it suits their needs, but pantheons at war with one
another, and their Titans are pantheons who are too busy to
notice a Dragon meddling in deeper affairs.
This makes Dragons a bit of power brokers. While they
avoid acting overtly within The World, their Heirs are in
demand amongst Scions, known to work for both sides if
the price is right. And while many Heirs are happy to adopt
a mercenary outlook, most keep their Dragon’s plots in
mind before accepting any kind of job, either to help or hurt
those draconic plans as needed.
MEMORIES
Dragons have long memories stretching back to the
youth of The World. Part of the memory is their own, col-
lected from the various experiences they’ve had through
their life and the other part of their memory is the truth
all Dragons share with one another — a memory stretching
between all beings and linking reality together. The Gods’
changed realities pollutes this shared collective memory
and Vishap’s memories which flooded into them when she
died muddies it even further. Despite those things, Dragons
depend on their ability to remember all instances of reality
as their greatest asset.
Because Dragons know and accept many realities in
one, their schemes are based on obtaining information,
planning for all outcomes and enacting a long game with
many different contingencies. Before Gods and their plots,
there was little for Dragons to do than play at besting one
another. Setting their might against other creatures of pro-
found sight honed Draconic skill into a keen edge they now
use to whittle away their enemies.
One of the most powerful abilities a Dragon has is to
pore through memories and apply what happened in the
past to a current situation. Everything happening now
has happened before and so Dragons can see the end of
a situation before it occurs. Rarely is a Dragon genuinely
surprised, and if they are it is normally because their Heirs
have done something extraordinarily novel to warrant their
attention. Of course, that takes time, and reacting to imme-
diate stimulus or threats requires a faster sort of response
than sifting through all the memories of The World entails.
This is where Heirs come in.
Dragons pass their memories to their Heirs through
Bequeathal. Dragons show their Heirs memories to grant a
deeper understanding of the Dragon’s position on a certain
topic or to manipulate an Heir into doing what the Dragon
wants. Seeing a Draq’s broodmates murdered one by one
by blood-thirsty Scions is enough to turn the stomach of
even the most hardened Heir. Heirs never know everything
their Dragons knows, some parts of a Dragon’s memories
24 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS
are purposely kept secret, and Heirs slowly understand
only enough to find their place in The World.
Each memory an Heir gains grants them more access
to their Dragon. They connect to their ancestor emotionally
and spiritually through the memories which reveal bits and
pieces of who the Dragon is. The more an Heir remembers,
the more secrets they unlock within the memories and thus
the more powerful they become. Dragons do all of this by
design, the more powerful their Heirs, the more dominion
they have on earth and the better they can carry out their
short-term goals.
PLANS FROM THE PAST
Just because Dragons have a memory of everything,
doesn’t mean they remember every fact every moment of
the day. In fact, many things are so insignificant to the great
beasts they instantly forget them. When a Dragon wants to
remember something exactly as it was, they go through the
Knowing, literally traveling back through their memories to
experience exact details they may have forgotten.
During the Knowing, many Dragons travel to mem-
ories fitting the problems they currently face. Applying
past models to new situations allows the Dragon to plan
out for nearly all eventualities, because they’ve already ex-
perienced something before. Rather than hindsight being
something causing them to look back at past actions with
shame, Dragons turn it into a weapon to use against their
enemies.
Dragons who spend too long Knowing are in danger
of casting their thoughts into the past in perpetuity. They
may meet a foe in the past that they always underestimate,
or they may find the past too intoxicating to extricate their
mind from. For many, the past is a dedicated time before
anyone hunted their kind, and when The World still held
wonder and mysteries. The Knowing is a seductive place,
but can also be dangerous. Vishap’s memories float through
the collective draconic memory as shards of information.
If one is not careful, she may find herself pulled into one of
Vishap’s memories with no way to escape.
Nehebkau is one such Dragon caught within the
Knowing and unable to escape. When judging whether or
not souls should be allowed into the Underworld, he often
traveled into the Knowing for wisdom. Nehebkau had long
forgot he was ever only a Dragon and not only a God, so
each travel into the Knowing confused and enthralled him.
He met familiar faces he’d forgotten and experienced deep
magic he could barely remember. Each trip drew him deep-
er and deeper within living memory. Then, at the barrier
between The World and the Underworld he met a familiar
face, a lesser wyrm who called him father, who he could
not remember forgetting. So Nehebkau once more dove
into the Knowing and swam the waters of time to find the
face he’d forgotten. Since then Nehebkau has not been seen
in The World and many assume he still swims within the
Knowing to this day.
If a Dragon so wishes she may share the Knowing with
one of her Heirs. Normally, an Heir experiences a Dragon’s
memories as he would any other memory of thought. They
can be intrusive and all encompassing, but they are not
literal traveling into the past. If an Heir is given the expe-
rience of Knowing, it is likely his Dragon has big plans for
him, because living through something, truly knowing it, is
much different than only remembering. However danger-
ous the Knowing is for Dragons it is doubly as dangerous
for Heirs who have much less talents at their disposal than
their draconic ancestors.
The Cult of Vishap, a group of humans who trace their
ancestry back to the great Dragon, seeks entrance into the
Knowing through their draconic blood. Through delving
through ancient tomes for forgotten rituals they’ve found
whispers of a portal created by draining a person’s blood
of all memories and ingesting them as your own. The cult
plans to use this knowledge to delve into the Knowing, col-
lect the pieces of Vishap’s shattered memories, and imbue
them into a living vessel to revive the dead Dragon.
CHILDREN’S GAMES
Dragons create complex and convoluted plans.
Partially because they have all the memories of their time
on earth and those of their brethren to pull from, and
partially because they have had far too long to make those
plans. These carefully thought out plans, laid out and en-
acted over several years require not just one action at the
right moment to pull off, but a series of events, played out
over several years to come to fruition. This takes a team of
actors, people on the ground to ensure everything moves
smoothly and built in redundancies in case someone fails
to perform.
Heirs are a Dragon’s top actors, the people in The
World who know the Dragon and her plans the best, if im-
perfectly. He isn’t just an agent, he is an extension of the
Dragon, either sharing her draconic ancestry or a reincar-
nation of the Dragon herself. He is entrusted not just with
one part of a plan, but is often the linchpin in ensuring a
millennia old goal comes to fruition. The Dragon depends
so much on her Heir because he understands how The
World works in a way which she never can. Even the most
aloof Heir still has a mortal foundation he uses to interact
with The World giving him the ability to react to changes
far faster and more efficiently than any Dragon could.
As good as Dragons are at long-term goals, understand-
ing situations, and delving the past for answers, they are
equally bad at quick responses and dealing with unexpect-
ed situations. Thinking fast and making quick decisions is
terribly lacking, and even the youngest Dragons have issues
thinking quick on their feet. Dragons rarely act in the heat
of the moment when it comes to their overriding goals and
if they do, they spend years puzzling out the consequences
of their actions.
To this end Dragons need and deeply cherish their
Heirs. Only a fool would do otherwise. A wise Dragon un-
derstands his own shortcomings and knows how to utilize
his assets wisely using an Heir’s unique skills to complete
his goals. A smart Heir, one who gets her orders, interprets
Heirs
them correctly, and enacts them with little mistakes rises
quickly in her Dragon’s eyes — learning more secrets and
unlocking untold powers.
Some Dragons have difficulty showing appreciation
for their Heirs. Either because the concept is foreign to
them, or because of a nasty temperament, it is easy for an
heir to assume his Dragon hates him. This is rarely the case,
and it is far more likely his Dragon is indifferent to him.
Many older Dragons existed in a time before things like
compassion and kindness were terms ascribed meaning by
mortals. The idea that one needs to exhibit them in order
to co-exist is unfamiliar. Instead, these Dragons reward
their Heirs with something far more meaningful — power.
Younger Dragons, on the other hand, understand the terms
quite well and ensure they keep their Heirs happy. If they
happen to be overly judgmental or cruel to their Heirs, it is
only to teach them a lesson or down to genuine hatred (in
which case the Heirs doesn’t last long).
This balance between the ancient foresight of a Dragon
and the quick reactions of their Heirs makes them a deadly
combination.
DRACONIC LINEAGES
When humans first walked the earth, Dragons were
fascinated by them and considered them equals. Yes, they
were different, but the concepts of better or worse meant
little to them. All things could be better or worse depending
on their position within reality. Some Dragons used their
magic to assume their forms, walking amongst them, learn-
ing from them, and falling in love with them. Eventually,
those who did created offspring with these humans. These
children, completely human by human standards, carried
the magic of their draconic parent within them. They were
the first Heirs, before Heirs were a necessity or even called
Heirs. They became Dragons if they wanted, or remained
human if they desired.
As Dragons, Gods, and mortal all became separate, dis-
tinct things, the thought of breeding with humans became
taboo. First, humans were seen as weak, lesser things. How
could something as great as a Dragon lower herself to a
mortal’s level? Then, humans became enemies. How could
one breed with a people who would see him extinct? By the
time written history was embraced by most cultures, the
practice of intermingling with humans was non-existent
and those Dragons with draconic lineages rarely mentioned
the dozens of mortal children who still gave them homage.
Today, very few Dragons would dare dream of creating
offspring with a mortal. Those who do, the rare few, either
have a greater scheme under their scales or they genuine-
ly care for the mortal. Humans who find themselves in a
Dragon’s favor and understand the centuries long game the
creatures play never truly know if the beast loves them or is
using them. Some Dragons would argue it doesn’t matter, if
a person feels love, even if it is false, isn’t that enough? Isn’t
that in itself a form of truth?
25
 The Dragon’s children remained though, and the
magic running through them never once weakened as they
propagated throughout The World. Each generation giving
rise to more of those touched by dragon magic, and today
many people all over The World carry the draconic lineage
within them. Some lucky few grow up in a family who re-
members their lineage and teaches them the truth about
Dragons. But many more end up in a Dragon’s sights with
no knowledge of the magic they carry.
HEIRS
H eirs are a Dragon’s greatest asset on earth. They are
mortal, born of the mortal world, but have access to
a Dragon’s magic and power. They dance in the web of
mysteries woven by their Dragon ancestor and draconic
enemies, bobbing, weaving, and dodging through schemes
in order to grab more power for themselves or foil whatever
plans they can. There are two types of Heirs — Agents and
Reincarnated. Both are equally as important as the another
but take two different roads to come into their powers.
Agents are Heirs chosen and activated by a living
Dragon. An agent always has a draconic lineage, even if he is
completely unaware of it, and even if the Dragon who acti-
vates him is not his direct ancestor. The Dragon activates her
Heir by passing memories to the agent, giving him flashes of
her life. Through exploring the memories, the agent gathers
information on the Dragon and receives cryptic orders he
must follow in order to learn more about himself. The path
of an agent is one of light and dark, uncovering memories
while being plunged deeper into a Dragon’s control.
Reincarnated Heirs are literally the reincarnation
of a dead Dragon. She too has a tie to a draconic lineage,
which the dead Dragon’s memories used to latch onto her.
Unlike agents, a reincarnated Heir has no living Dragon to
guide her steps. She must unlock the Dragon’s memories
herself. With each memory the reincarnated unlocks, she
unveils a game she has been playing for centuries. Every
time she remembers, she understands more of her place in
The World as a Dragon and realizes how muddy the truth
of her position is. The path of the reincarnated is one of
impossible gray; Heirs who risk losing their identity to a
Dragon’s plots or overcoming their ancestor and taking
power for themselves.
Due to an Heir’s importance it may feel as if she must
agree with her Dragon’s plans and play along with whatever
centuries old game he is playing. This is far from true; in fact,
many Heirs vehemently disagree with their Dragon’s end
goal or specific orders. Heirs learn quickly to sift through
missions, twisting goals and sidestepping plots in an attempt
to balance their humanity with their new draconic nature.
The value of Heirs is that they can act autonomously and
with authority. If all goes well, she acts to benefit her Dragon,
which benefits her. But she may wish to claim the Dragon’s
power for herself or rebuke the power and return to her life
as a normal mortal. An Heir who tries to destroy her Dragon
or foil his plans plays a deadly game. Because a Dragon’s
26 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS
memories unlock the power within an Heir, she must keep
her Dragon close enough to gather more power, while also
working in secret to foil the Dragon without him knowing. If
a Dragon were to ever discover his Heir’s betrayal, it would
mean a fate worse than death, centuries in the making.
BEQUEATHAL
Heirs refer to the process of learning about their
draconic heritage as Bequeathal, in which the Dragon
Bequeaths to them what knowledge he wishes the Heir
to have about his plans, about her abilities, and about her
place within the greater World. They call it this because it
comes in flashes of memories and visions, and with these
visions comes the first taste of draconic magic and the pow-
er to become a dragon.
AGENT BEQUEATHALS
Dragons generally pick agents based on their perceived
usefulness. A Dragon inevitably watches an individual for
a long time before deciding to lay their mark on them and
sometimes this involves small nudges drawing the person
to them. Even without prior knowledge of dragonkind, the
groundwork prepares the individual somewhat. Níðhöggr
once chose an ambitious CEO, hungry for power, and laid in
her path an item bestowed with Memory: when she picked up
the item, she gained a flood of his memories. Her hunger grew
as her mind flooded with images of the World Tree and her
father curled around its roots. Ryujin’s most recently activat-
ed agent made great strides in renewable energy before the
Dragon King chose him. He invented a new collector which
makes ocean wave energy much more attractive to investors.
Dragons choose agents from among people who carry
within them a draconic lineage. The agent doesn’t need to
be a true descendant of the Dragon, just having the latent
magic within her is enough. Sometimes, a Dragon finds he’s
created an Heir in someone else’s lost lineage — no wonder
he found that person so attractive! Conflict flares when
Flights battle over promising Heirs.
REINCARNATED BEQUEATHALS
Dead Dragons pick reincarnations through some plan-
ning and random chance. Unlike when picking an agent, a
dead Dragon cannot ease his Heir into her new life. Instead,
the Dragon’s memories flood the reincarnated Heir’s mind
at Bequeathal, with little to no warning. Dead Dragons are
still active in the draconic memory and try, if possible, to
find direct descendants to reincarnate through. If that isn’t
possible, then they look for someone who is already open
to the mythical or with knowledge of Dragons. Even so, re-
incarnated Heirs often stumble through finding their place
in The World with relation to their dead parent’s Flight
and other Heirs. Without a draconic parent to actively
guide them through their Bequeathal, many make terrible
messes of their Inheritance before other Heirs find them.
While some Reincarnated Heirs manage to piece together
the puzzle of their memories on their own, others need
the help of other Heirs. Without assistance, some Heirs
become dragonkind’s most tragic tale: lost reincarnations.
Imbued with powers beyond their control or understand-
ing, driven by urges and toward hoards they can’t really un-
derstand, overwhelmed by fragmented memories flooding
their brains, the minds of some lost reincarnations fracture
beyond repair.
Rampaging wildly in their confusion, reincarnated
Heirs have the potential to cause tremendous damage.
Those who do receive interventions from their peers often
hear the cautionary tale of that one rather nasty Heir play-
ing out his love-hate relationship with Tokyo — probably a
reincarnation of some long-lost ryu of water.
HANDLER
When an Heir has proved their worth and is ready to
ascend to the ranks of Lesser Wyrm it is time for them to
meet their Dragon. Only agents get this chance of course,
because reincarnated Heirs embody all their Dragon was.
From here on out agents often refer to their Dragon as a
Handler, further obfuscating their exact mission around
those who are not in the know.
The exact shape meeting with a Handler takes de-
pends on the Dragon and what Flight they hail from,
however there are a few commonalities. First, a first true
meeting is always in private. A Dragon may meet her Heir
a hundred times before this true meeting, but always in
disguise or within dreams with her presence wrapped in
some subtle subterfuge so she can gauge the Heir’s wor-
thiness. Handlers consider the first time they truly reveal
themselves to be the first true meeting, because it is free
from pretense. It is the first time her agent is allowed to
take in the Dragon in all her glory.
Second, Handlers enjoy no small amount of ceremony
when meeting their agent. Whether it is the agent having
to survive a deadly maze on the way to the Dragon’s Lair
or finding out the items they collected in various dead
drops were to complete a ritual to summon the Dragon —
Handlers make a show out of revealing themselves. Many
Dragons see the first meeting as yet another test the Heir
must pass, and design convoluted games so he can prove his
worth. The first true enemy an Heir may come across could
be the Dragon, and only by finally besting the foe does the
Handler reveal herself.
Sometimes a Dragon must meet her agent for the first
time out of sheer necessity. These first meetings are less
spectacular and often involve a hurried meeting and rushed
instructions. Usually because a Dragon is facing a problem
they cannot solve without direct contact with their Heir,
or if the Heir is on the verge of completely ruining the
Dragon’s plans. Most Dragons loathe doing this, because
it means the schemes they’ve set in place, sometimes even
before the Heir was born, are foiled in one way or another.
Even if it is not the Heir’s fault, they are likely to catch some
of the blame for this.
REINCARNATIONS
By the time a reincarnated Heir would be meeting
a Handler, she is instead making the hard decision to
Heirs
embrace her Dragon fully or push against him and become
her own wyrm. All her interactions with her Dragon have
been through visions and glimpsed memories, though by
now she has probably uncovered enough information to
have a decent idea of who and what that Dragon was. She
may even have a chance to speak with the Dragon in her
memories, as she tries to grapple with her existence as a
Dragon lost in the folds of time, and an Heir becoming a
new Dragon. She doesn’t have to make a final decision as
she becomes a Lesser Wyrm, but it becomes harder and
harder to separate herself from the Dragon she once was
as she grows into her power, meaning if she doesn’t rebuke
him, she may end up becoming him despite her best efforts.
Lost reincarnations suffer the worst from never meet-
ing their Dragons. If they don’t sink into a wallowing pit of
despair they warp into terrible creatures. Without other
Heirs to guide them, many lost reincarnations internalize the
memories of their Dragons into meaning they are some sort
of great beast, though they do not know who. These violently
alien memories wrap a person’s sense of self. With a fractured
mind, these Heirs work to understand this beast and trans-
form into a monstrous person with terrible goals. Unable to
make real sense of their memory, they apply their own terrible
logic to what they see and become menaces other Heirs (or
hunters) must deal with, lest they wreak havoc on The World.
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
Dragons give their Heirs missions, sometimes through
visions and memories, and sometimes through more mun-
dane means such as sending an agent or a message through
a dead drop. Some orders are specific — go to the East Side,
kill Freya’s Scion who is hunting Heirs. These orders are
clear, and a Dragon is unhappy if his Heir doesn’t follow
them explicitly. Other orders leave room for the individual
agent to use their creativity — deal with Freya’s Scion hunt-
ing down Heirs. In this case, Dragons expect their Heirs to
find the best possible solution to the problem — one that
even the Dragon may not have thought of.
No matter the orders, specific or vague, every Heir
takes the utmost care on their missions lest they fall prey to
unseen dangers. Dragons trust their Heirs to carry out the
mission, giving them leeway to decide how to best achieve
the end goal. The Heir might not fully understand why
she has these particular orders, and she dare not ask the
Dragon himself — and in the case of reincarnated Heirs, she
just can’t — and so uses her time performing the mission to
gather as much secondary information as she can.
Understanding the Dragon’s ultimate goal allows an
Heir to better serve her Handler or gives her an edge if she
is trying to work against him. The more she knows about
her Dragon Handler, the better she can understand her
role, and the more power she can harness for herself. She
must keep such information secret though, unless it falls
into the wrong hands and ends her life early, either at the
hands of an enemy or her draconic ancestor.
Being an Heir is a life lived on a razor’s edge. She must
balance life threatening missions and dangerous games with
27
being her own person. The moment she steps into the web
of a Dragon’s plots, she is trapped. She must work her way
through them and hope to come out the other side whole.
Even if she wants nothing to do with her draconic ancestor,
she cannot fully ignore his intrusions into her life. One way
or another, she must learn about her Inheritance if she wants
a life of her own making. Otherwise, she will become a pawn
in the Dragon’s game, and pawns rarely last long.
It isn’t that an Heir can’t trust her Handler. She simply
knows that she never has the full truth, and this leads her
to question everything. Just as her Handler likes it. How an
Heir navigates the duplicitous nature of her Handler, and
the world of gray she lives in, is at the core of remaining
sane. Most Heirs find others to commiserate with and to
share the burden of acting through centuries old plots with
only half the script.
BROODS
Broods are groups of Heirs who come together for what-
ever reason. Broods form for various reasons, such as shared
goals or shared Flight and are often bonds lasting a lifetime.
Heirs often join one another for one-off missions or because
their Handlers paired them together, but this is different
from forming a brood. Broods are deep connections between
Heirs who trust one another implicitly. These bonds can
form instantly or over many shared missions. However they
form, a brood bond lasts for life, and to betray a brood-mate
is the worst act an Heir can perform.
28 CHAPTER ONE: DRAGONS AND THEIR ANCESTORS
Broods often form as Heirs meet and they share com-
mon goals or interests. Heirs rarely trust anyone other than
their mortal family, and sometimes their Dragon ancestor,
so gaining the trust of other Heirs is a game of give and
take. When first meeting, they often adopt carefully craft-
ed personas, only dropping their guards when they have
proven themselves to one another. Just like any other kind
of relationship, broods take time and energy to form and
maintain. It is easy for Heirs to fall in with one another,
though, as these are the only other people in their lives who
understand what else they are going through.
Many Broods chose to live together combining assets
such as their Lairs and Hoards into one large pool everyone
can access and utilize. For some Broods this means investing
in a well-stocked library of forgotten tomes and for others it
means amassing literal wealth so everyone can live in a top-
floor penthouse. Each brood-mate works in their own way to
contribute to the Lair and competition is rife among Broods to
see who can bring the most glorious treasure to their group.
Heirs maintain friendships with one another, even if
the bond isn’t as tight as a brood. Heirs may be paired by
Handlers, or Heirs of the same Flight might compare notes
and enjoy one another’s company. They don’t necessarily
trust one another, but they have friendly working relation-
ships unless someone has done something taboo enough to
put them on the outs with other Heirs. Betraying a brood is
often a good way to get you shunned by all other Heirs.
 Heirs in a brood trust one another completely, but
that doesn’t mean they share everything all the time. Heirs
expect one another to keep some secrets — after all, it
comes naturally to each of them. Major secrets can cause
problems, but brood-mates are quick to forgive one another
white lies and small omissions made to protect one anoth-
er. Of course, an Heir who hides too much too often will
gain suspicion from her brood-mates, which could lead to
devastating consequences.
HEIRS AND SCIONS
Some Heirs interact freely with Scions, forming alle-
giances and working alongside the children of Titans and
Gods. They don’t necessarily form the same kind of last-
ing bonds with Scions the way they do with other Heirs.
A Scion’s relationship with her divine parent is so far
removed from an Heir’s that they often have a hard time
understanding one another. But that doesn’t mean they
can’t team up every now and then when their goals align.
It may seem counterproductive for Heirs to spend their
time with Scions. Dragons ultimately want to eliminate the
pantheons and their goals and plots tend toward undermining
the Gods and restarting the Titanomachy. Just because that is
their end goal, doesn’t mean they don’t treat with the enemy in
the meantime to jockey for position. Heirs may find themselves
on a mission to help a Scion of a God or Titan for a purpose they
have yet to understand. And maybe they will find themselves
pitted against those very same Scions at a later date.
Some Heirs may find companionship amongst Scions,
feeling a kinship with these divine heroes and demigods de-
spite their other differences. They certainly have a lot more
in common with one another than with mortals. Scions and
Heirs do not have a defined relationship, though they rarely
trust one another when first meeting. Smart Heirs navigate
relationships with Scions carefully, knowing that at the very
least the interaction is a learning opportunity if nothing else.
DRAGON CULTS
T here are far more people living in The World carrying
the blood of Dragons inside them than there are active
Heirs, or even Dragons to activate them. Some of these
people are members of long lines of draconic lineages who
remember their draconic ancestor and worship them. These
groups who remember their draconic ancestry form Dragon
Cults venerating the draconic progenitor who gifted them
with her blood.
Most cults are made up of fanatics who would do any-
thing for the Dragon they worship. Dragons pull operatives
from cults for mundane missions which would be a waste
of an Heir’s time. The cult’s unwavering loyalty means that
while the orders are never as important as that of an Heir,
they follow them to the Dragon’s exacting requirements.
Whether or not every cult has a legitimate claim to dracon-
ic ancestry is widely up for debate. Dragons view the practice of
breeding with humanity as taboo, and even those who did so in
Dragon Cults
the past refuse to admit it now. It’s one of those topics no one
discusses, even though a large swath of humanity carries dra-
conic magic in their blood. Few Dragons who use cults admit its
members might be their descendants, even if they are.
Families who claim a draconic ancestor have well doc-
umented genealogies that point to the Dragon with tales
and lore built up century upon century. These cults often
discourage marrying outside their extended family in order
to keep their blood pure. While no amount of human blood
can dilute the Dragon within, no one ever understands the
fire in your blood quite like family.
Other cults have fewer concrete ties to a Dragon. If cult
membership does require a person to have draconic blood,
there is often an archaic ritual a person must go through or
sign of physical proof they must have. The Cult of the Obsidian
Scale for example requires each of its members have a Dragon
mark — each new member must show one or more birthmarks
signaling their draconic heritage such as black eyes, a patch of
scales, or clawed toes. Rituals to prove a person’s heritage can
be anything from walking over hot coals unscathed to a ritu-
alistic dream-quest. Many of these methods are fraught with
doubt as to whether they prove a person has Dragon blood.
Finally, Dragons form some cults themselves. Taking a
page out of the Gods’ playbook, Dragons appear to humans
in a vision telling them they are meant for something great-
er. Opening their eyes for the first time to the true wonders
of The World these people find one another and work to-
gether to achieve a Dragon’s goals. The Dragon often views
these cults as disposable pawns, but this doesn’t lessen
their fever to serve. Once the cult has served its purpose the
Dragon either disposes of it or leaves it to its own devices.
The Order of the Silver Daughter, one of the oldest cults
in existence, is one such cult whose draconic patron aban-
doned it more than a thousand years ago. Unbeknownst to
the imugi (members of the Lóng flight) they serve, they’ve
worked in secret for years trying to achieve what their
Dragon told their founders many years ago — to find the
silver haired girl who opens the cave to memory.
Often, cults are largely comprised of people who are
not true draconic descendants, but who are unfailingly loy-
al, and this suits Dragons just fine. History is riddled with
numerous tales of children turning against their parents
and Dragons aren’t so ignorant to believe they are above
such betrayal. It’s better to have a follower who would die
for you than a daughter who would see you dead.
Those who join cults and start to question their place
within them find themselves at the end of a fanatic’s blade
rather quickly. There is no room for doubt when worship-
ping a Dragon, at least according to a Dragon’s followers,
and at the first sign of doubt, cult members are struck down.
This is also why Heirs are rarely pulled from the ranks of a
cult. Dragons don’t need their Heirs to be unquestionably
loyal — they need them to be smart, to think on their feet,
and to realize there is more than one truth at any given
time. Most cult members, at least in their loyalty to their
Dragon are too short sighted for that.
29
 “The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.”
— Tacitus
M ythologically speaking, Dragons are singular creatures,
making their lairs in remote areas and protecting
villages or terrorizing them in equal measure. The truth is
that Dragons are highly social but choose to live singularly.
The idea of community meant something completely
different to Dragons before the Gods restructured The
World, when they could gather freely without fear from
humanity or irate Gods. Now they find community and
security in Flights, in which Dragons know no matter how
remote their lair, or how distant their cousins, they have
a support system in place. They might not call upon their
Flight for much other than transactional exchanges or gossip,
but when an enterprising dragon slayer comes knocking,
he finds the weight of a Flight behind his supposed prey.
When the Gods created pantheons, Dragons grouped
into Flights in direct response. As the Fates shaped
The World to accommodate pantheons and the Gods’
Fatebindings created webs of ties that changed everything
they touched, Dragons realized that trying to weather
such changes alone would meet a swift end. At that time,
Flights formed loosely along geographical lines with
those Dragons closest to one another banding together for
safety. Of course, ego and mindset also played a role, with
Dragons finding those of like mind to call friend. Some
of the earliest Flights formed well before anyone called a
Dragon a monster, but not before the first few died.
Flights do not follow a cultural zeitgeist of belief
systems the way Gods have patterned belief in pantheons.
Instead, Dragons share methodologies and goals with
their Flightmates, and while they may be wildly different
in every other aspect, they certainly have one another’s
backs.
Protection isn’t the only reason Flights formed, but
it is the foremost. Dragons may have become paranoid
creatures living in hiding, but they are still curious by na-
ture. Flights also offer an interesting distraction, a group
of likeminded individuals with which to brainstorm, and
a list of powerful allies all working toward similar goals.
That doesn’t stop some notoriously vicious Dragons from
sacrificing their Flightmates in the name of personal
goals. Most agree such activity is counter-productive,
even as they put measures in place to protect themselves
from their brethren.
Any atmosphere of camaraderie disappears between
Flights. While ostensibly all Dragons seek to bring down
the pantheons and restore The World to their rule, the
details of how and when to go about such an endeavor has
no agreement. Indeed, some Flights don’t even want that
as an end goal. Each Flight has a different idea for their
end goals, and those often come to cross purposes with
one another. While the loss of any Dragon in this day and
age is a sad affair, sometimes people just get in your way.
Laying Low
LAYING LOW
W hen Dragons went into hiding, they used a variety
of methods to cover their tracks. Some joined
pantheons, some closed off Terra Incognitae to The World,
some settled into Strange Places, and some used their magic
to transform into human form and lived among people.
They stopped creating children to live in The World, but
they didn’t stop interacting with it. Dragons just changed
their tactics. Instead of letting people know they were
around, they took on different — lesser — forms and started
playing the long game. From that time forward, they have
been setting plans into motion, subtly moving pieces in The
World and consolidating what power they can get their
claws on. During the early years, this was just a defense
mechanism used to keep out sight and out of the minds of
Gods who often lumped them in with Titans during the
first Titanomachy. Later, it was power for power’s sake.
And now, they hope to shift the odds in their own favor,
undermining both the Gods and the Titans in the hope
that they will come out on top.
MANTLES OF DIVINITY
Dragons are not inherently divine, though some are
certainly divine beings. When the Gods were making
pantheons, Fate played its hand and Dragons got caught
up in it. Gods ascribed divinity to their draconic friends,
and their divine nature allowed Fate to grant this divin-
ity to those Dragons willing to accept it. Such Dragons
became Gods and Titans on their own, their stories
rewritten to fit a new narrative. The Feathered Serpent
was reborn to K’uk’ulkan and Ryūjin reinvented himself
as Áo Gu ng. They still remembered a time before, when
FLIGHT OR DRAGON
Unlike Scions, Heirs have little information
on Dragons when they set out on their journey.
This game focuses on self-discovery, and part
of that can certainly be learning who your
draconic ancestor is as you go. When choosing
a draconic ancestor, it’s perfectly okay to only
select the Flight you like the best and leave
discovering the Dragon patron to gameplay.
Likewise, it’s perfectly okay to select a Dragon
you want to be your character’s Dragon, and
then learn about them more through play. Either
way, the actions you take in game and the
mysteries you uncover define your character’s
Handler more than anything we print in this
book.
31
 INCARNATIONS
AND FATE?
When Gods want to interact with The World
without their full divinity wreaking havoc, they
create incarnations. These pieces of the God are
mortal shells that buffer their divinity, though the
very act of creating one still warps The World
as Fate bends and flows to accommodate it.
Dragons do not succumb to Fate’s rules in
the same way. It may touch them briefly, and
define a story for their arrival, but because
Dragons remember all aspects of themselves
equally well, Fate doesn’t stick. A Dragon can’t
rewrite the history of The World the way a God
can, so it isn’t that she can choose her Fate or
manipulate it, but she is a mercurial being, and
even Fate knows when to give up.
Where the Gods have been rewriting the history
of The World for millennia to accommodate their
divinity, Dragons have been watching all histories
at once which gives them a much better sense of
The World. Their passing is subtle and distinctly not
divine. When they show up in The World, they do
so either in all their draconic glory, or physically
transformed into another shape via magic. These
aren’t incarnations of the Dragon wandering The
World, but instead the Dragon herself.
they were just a Dragon, but they were willing to accept
these new divine mantles from their friends. When
Flights formed, some of these Dragons left their Godly
mantles behind, while other clung to them for safety.
Other Dragons, seeing the writing on the wall, asked
to join pantheons, and the Gods granted them mantles,
but only if they agreed to fill specific roles. Dragons can-
not make or adopt divine mantles on their own, meaning
they are at the mercy of the Gods if they want to reach
divinity. A few are willing to accept whatever role a pan-
theon wants to put them in, though many wonder what
benefit a Titan mantle gives them if they are being treat-
ed the same anyway. Jörmungandr chafes at his Titan
mantle, but accepts it if it means the Æsir underestimate
him. No matter if a Dragon has a divine mantle and
spends all her time there, she is still a Dragon. Which
leads to situations in which a Dragon may find herself
fulfilling both the role of a Dragon within her Flight, and
as a member of a pantheon, either as a God or a Titan —
in rare cases both.
Dragons do not have mantles of Dragonhood. Once
a Dragon dies, she does not leave a mantle behind for
someone to step into. Instead, her memories and expe-
riences enter the collective memory that all Dragons
share to await reincarnation. No one will become that
Dragon unless one of her reincarnated Heirs accepts all
her memories and is reborn as the Dragon once more.
32 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
MEMORY
AND DEED
D ragons share a collective memory, a web of thoughts,
experiences, and stories from the beginning of time
that all Dragons and their Heirs can access. Flights collate
memories of their members, giving greater emphasis in the
collective memory to their own Flightmates than to other
Dragons. That isn’t to say that Witz’ can’t tap into Bašmu’s
memories, but more that he’s unlikely to want to when he
can tap K’uk’ulkan’s memories.
Remembering everything that has ever happened
is a big task, and few Dragons rarely care to tap into the
whole of the collective memory at once. This selective-
ness means that their Heirs end up with a biased view of
the memories as well. Flight by far defines the collective
memory that an Heir experiences over anything else.
While an Heir may experience her particular Handler’s
memories, she is going to be influenced by the Flight’s
drives and memories regularly. These hold the roadmap
to their ultimate goals, plans, and drives, and these are the
most important memories that any Dragon shares with
his Heir.
Individual memories are the meat of how Dragons
communicate with their Heirs. Memory Deeds are how an
Heir pursues the specific agenda her Handler has set her
OTHER DRAGONS
AND FLIGHTS
The Dragons listed here are certainly not the
only ones out there in The World. We have put
a strong emphasis on describing each Flight
more than describing the individual Dragons
found therein. You might not find some of your
favorite Dragons listed, such as Azi Dahaka,
Yamata-no-Orochi, or Con Rit or even groups
of Dragon mythologies such as the zmey or
wyverns. They do exist in The World, but space
constraints prevent us from including literally
every Dragon in mythology in this book.
Instead, we hope you pull the Dragons that
interest you the most and incorporate them into
a Flight to use in your own games, or create
new ones. You can even use our community
content program, the Storypath Nexus, to
share them with others.
Additionally, the Flights we present aren’t
the only ones in The World, nor are they the
only groupings that you could possibly go
with when attempting to classify Dragons. Feel
free to regroup Flights based on smaller myth
groupings, or including Dragons in Flights if it
would otherwise make sense.
on and how she fulfills the Flight’s desires. Each Dragon
has a set of memory triggers, events or actions that may
occur that will trigger an intense memory in her Heir. It’s
how she knows her Heir is on the right track, and how an
Heir knows what her Handler wants of her.
Within each Flight, you’ll find a description of the
kinds of memories an Heir may have associated with the
Flight itself. You’ll also find specific memory triggers for
each individual Dragon. Read these as prompts, or sugges-
tions of the kinds of things that could trigger a Memory
Condition (p. XX) to start a character on a Memory Deed.

Memory and Deed 33

 “Life is nothing without a little chaos to make it interesting.”
— Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
S trength comes from change, change through chaos, and
only through chaos is anything possible. It is through
crucible and cutting out weakness that makes one strong
enough to claim your destiny and birthright as the guardian
of this World; or so it is with the Draq. During a period of
upheaval when the primordial salt and sweet seas of creation
ran through The World, Tiamat and Abzu united as one.
These forces begat creatures rivaling even the stars in
number, who then begat their own progeny, who rose
up against their progenitors in a struggle
for supremacy over the cosmos.
In the ensuing chaos, Tiamat
shed her skin and took her true
form: the first Draq, The Glistening
One. She was also the first of all
dragonkind, a Dragon worthy
of deep, reverent awe. Other
Flights argue against Tiamat
as the mother of all Dragons,
but it doesn’t matter; the
Draq know. They have
always known and will be-
lieve until the day they all
die. It is only a matter of
time until the others fall in
line and realize this simple
truth as well. And if they
don’t, it doesn’t really mat-
ter to the rest of the Draq, for
they know who the true mother
of Dragons is.
Enki, one of the many chil-
dren birthed by the union of Abzu
and Tiamat slew Abzu. Tiamat, in
her rage and anger at her children’s
betrayal, birthed eleven monsters: Bašmu the Venomous,
Ušumgallu the Great, Mušmaḫḫū the Exalted, Mušḫuššu
the Splendid, Laḫmu the Hairy, Ugallu the Weathered,
Uridimmu the Mad, Girtablullû the Stinging, Umūdabrūtu
the Violent, Kulullû the Piscean, and Kusarikku the
Aurochs. They all fought alongside the Glistening One
against her wayward children, the Anunna. This act of
34 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
war against a pantheon, at once defiant and belligerent,
become the first true Flight. Though the Joka and Naga
may try to claim such a distinction, everyone knows it was
the Draq who first rallied against the pantheons.
At the end of the conflict, Marduk slew Tiamat, who
gloated his victory over the dragoness before dismember-
ing her body, casting her remains across the land, taking
her youngest born Mušḫuššu as a hostage, and sending
those who still lived into hiding all across the globe.
Believing that slaying Tiamat had cowed
the others, who were no longer a con-
cern to him, Marduk largely ignored
the remaining Draq, which suited
the still-nascent Flight recovering
from near destruction. If you don’t
think a bunch of Dragons who
just watched you murder their
mother are anything to worry
about, then who are they to
correct you? It certainly isn’t
their fault if some Scions
end up at the bottom of the
Marianas Trench in a freak
storm as payback.
In the years since, the
survivors of Tiamat’s first
and only clutch scoured
creation for those like
them: those who had, for one
reason or another, been driven
to ground by the Gods and their
Scions and hunted to near ex-
tinction by would-be dragon slayers
seeking to make a name for themselves.
Their numbers swelled, pulling in the likes
of Illuyanka, Brosnya, Ḫedammu, and Leviathan among
others to the banner of the Draq. They all joined for the
sole purpose of gaining vengeance for the deaths of their
brethren, sowing chaos along the way, though those goals
have grown since.
The Draq’s shadow war as led by Bašmu has not gone
well and has led to more than a few members whispering
against his leadership, fearing he has lost his senses. They
only need point to the butcher’s bill: the first to perish
was Illuyanka. Illuyanka stole the eyes and heart from the
Hurrian God, Teshub. Afterward, his Scion Sarruma took
Illuyanka’s Heir, Yara, to wed under the false pretense of
peace. Teshub promptly slew Illuyanka after the nuptials.
Rife with grief knowing they had played an unwitting part
in the death, both Sarruma and Yara drank of Illuyanka’s
venom and died together — refusing to be pawns in the
game of Gods and Dragons. This incident has played
harshly against Bašmu’s bid for leadership despite at-
tempts to spin it as part of his grand design. In a cold war
against cruel Gods who seek to destroy what they do not
understand and cannot control, you may need to sacrifice
a few Dragons for the greater good. But more than a few
Dragons have fallen to Bašmu’s ill-conceived plans, and
the Flight grows restless under his rule.
Many view the Draq as being too disparate for its own
good; what good is chaos in the long term? Their conflict-
ing desires, their penchant for chaos, and obvious lack of
self-preservation will eventually lead to tearing them-
selves up from the inside. The belief that the Draq are a
fractious and self-destructive bunch is one they foster,
and it works to their advantage. Gods underestimate the
Draq’s ability to plot on the long-term, and easily believe
their members are fickle and disloyal — such is the way
of chaos and self-destruction. Ḫedammu, the natural born
offspring of the God Kumarbi and the sea, has ingratiated
himself with Ishtar making her believe she has charmed
him away from the Flight as her newest pet. In truth,
Ḫedammu keeps his ear to the ground and merely feigns
loyalty to keep information flowing to the Draq.
So, what drives the Draq? Other Flights attest they
seek revenge for Tiamat and all the other dead Dragons,
but that’s not the whole of it. The Draq have believed since
the days of Tiamat they are a necessary force. You gain
nothing through stagnation, change is the core of life, and
it is only through the disruption of order that can change
transpire. Revenge may drive the vehicle for change for
the Draq, but they all know that their chaos will bring
about lasting change.
CHARACTERISTICS
The first Draq hail from the Middle East with their
roots coming from deep within Mesopotamian and
Sumerian civilizations of yore. The core members of the
Flight were born from Tiamat, the Mother of Dragons and
self-proclaimed first among Dragons, and as such most
follow her in appearance, if not also temperament. The
rest come from across The World: the cast offs, mistreat-
ed, and vengeful. The archetypal depiction of dragons is
derived primarily from the Draq — four legs, long body
and tail, with or without wings — but not all Draq look
like this, even if it is the most associated appearance. Bolla
and Mušḫuššu are the stand-out differences, though there
are others.
THE DRAQ
THE DRAQ AND
TRAUMA
The entire Draq Flight is filled with Dragons
who have undergone a great deal of trauma.
Moreso than any Flight, except maybe the
Naga, the Draq have lost a great deal of its
members to attack, matricide, patricide, and
familial trauma. Many of the Draq are half
siblings with the Anunna who they hate so
much.
The desire for chaos may seem strange to
outsiders. The Draq are bent on revenge, but
they do so in such a way as to want to create
something new and beautiful. How they go
about gaining that is by giving into entropy. The
trauma that the Draq have undergone informs
this more than anything else. The Draq don’t
want anyone else to go through what they’ve
gone through, and they are trying their best to
prevent that for all other Dragons.
Draq stories are filled with trauma, and
Storyguides should be careful about how they
present that kind of trauma in game. Players
who have Draq Handlers may find that their
memories of betrayal, and familial trauma are
close to home, so please talk with your players
before bringing up anything that could be
triggering for them.
Writhing, twisting embodiments of chaos and change,
the Draq run the gamut as to what each care about. At
their core, each recognizes and acknowledges the need
for disruptive change to cause growth, but how each one
pursues their goal varies individually. Both Tiamat and
Leviathan worked through their primal elements, wash-
ing whole ships, cities, and civilizations away at whim,
allowing for even greater cities and civilizations to rise up.
Some still follow this trend, creating natural disasters as a
means to spark change and growth.
Of the Draq, Bašmu has the largest ego and undoubt-
edly the most entitled outlook. He was the first Dragon
born of Tiamat, and who better to guide the Draq and
be the successor to her legacy? His losing battle against
Marduk notwithstanding, Bašmu believes defeating the
Anunna is still possible and gladly sacrifices Heirs and
Dragons toward that end. The ends justify the means, and
the ensuing chaos would be a feat only he could claim. It is
not lost on the rest of the Flight that he alone would smug-
ly be willing to do what it took to right the cosmic scales.
Many members of the Draq prefer solitude and care
little for Bašmu’s plots. Bolla’s one earnest desire is to
hoard knowledge in hopes that they can find a way to ex-
act lasting revenge for the Draq. They dream of powerful
magic and a single blow to end all conflict, not a long and
35
bloody war. This only leads the other Draq to view them
as lazy, though one would never say so to their face, espe-
cially when she goes begging Bolla for information only
they hold.
Mušḫuššu acts as a counterbalance to Bolla’s lazi-
ness and Bašmu’s fanatical determination, adding some
much-needed neutrality to a Flight pulling at the seams
as it casts itself in different directions. It isn’t easy, as
Marduk still calls on him to be his eyes and ears, which
he obliges if only for the wealth of information it gains for
the Flight. Mušḫuššu has earned Marduk’s trust by always
being at the ready, but Marduk hasn’t forgotten he holds
Tiamat’s youngest in captivity. Even if Marduk doesn’t
seem to suspect the Dragon’s duplicity, it’s a dangerous
game to play. But the Splendid One does whatever it takes
to atone for his past mistakes — even if it means going toe
to toe with an entire pantheon.
LAIRS
The Draq is the most reclusive Flight. Tiamat’s death
has led them to near paranoid levels of seclusion, and they
fear the Anunna as much as they hate them. While it’s
been many years since an Anunna Scion has graced a Draq
Lair, they believe their war with the pantheon is too overt
to risk anything other than complete secrecy. The Draq
have an innate ability to blend in with their surroundings,
which makes their seclusion only natural.
Draq hide in all manner of dark corners, hidden areas,
or caverns. While some stories have them sleeping in dark
caverns or under crushing waves for centuries on end,
the truth is less dramatic. The Draq prefer to be nomads,
moving from hiding place to hiding place, keeping their
location unpredictable and untraceable. No one can catch
you if they never know where you are, or where you’re
going to be. Due to constant movement, their hoards are
unusually small for Dragons — what they can’t take with
them they might discard or bury to come back for later.
Sometimes a Dragon dumps a portion of their hoard on
an unsuspecting Heir, telling her to guard it with her life,
or else.
OCEANS AND SEAS
A majority of Draq feel most secure in the depths of
The World’s salt oceans or brackish in-land seas, as it re-
minds them of the all-encompassing presence of Tiamat.
It affords them with a feeling of security, as they remain
safely out of range of most land-dwelling creatures, in-
cluding humans. The Draq can range from oceans to seas,
including estuaries leading to larger bodies of water, and
even some long lengths of particularly large rivers. Even
those who hide in oceans tend to move from location to
location, never staying in one part of The World for too
long.
Those who dwell in oceans typically make their
homes in underwater caves and grottos; places which
are notoriously difficult to reach should Heirs come
calling. Dragons test an Heir’s worthiness based on if she
36 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
can make it to the hard-to-reach lairs. If she can endure
the challenge, then she deserves an audience. Heirs of
Leviathan have an even greater challenge finding their
draconic ancestor, as she has been spotted everywhere
from the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, and even
Loch Ness on the rare occasion. As Leviathan moves, so
does her lair, leaving some to speculate this ancient crea-
ture possesses a unique magic which allows her haven to
move at will, or it is located outside of the physical realm
all together.
RIVERS AND LAKES
Land-dwelling Draq make their lairs in or around
rivers and lakes. Many live in the water itself, finding the
deepest point to settle, while others stay in nearby caves
or abandoned cities. There are three rivers which all
Draq feel a deep kinship with: the Tigris, the Euphrates,
and the Litani. The Tigris and Euphrates formed from
Tiamat’s weeping eyes in her dying moments, imbuing
them with her essence and spirit of creation. The point
where the two rivers intersect serves as a gateway to what
has become the collective meeting ground of the Flight —
a Midrealm in the form of a shimmering paradise among
the milky sea of stars.
The entire length of the Litani River is a Strange Place.
Stories say it is the resting place of one of Leviathan’s
many forms. Some rumors pronounce it is Leviathan her-
self, hiding in plain sight and tricking the eyes to believe
she is a river. Either way, the closer one gets to the river,
the stranger the land becomes, where lush and fertile land
grows in vibrant unnatural colors and the animals grow
larger and more vicious.
FORESTS
Other land-dwelling Draq, such as Bolla, Tugarin, and
Zilant prefer more reclusive lairs nestled deep in forests,
favoring those with small lakes, tributaries, and winding
creeks. It allows for some semblance of anonymity while
being able to keep eyes, ears, and claws alert to threats.
Of these three, Bolla takes greater care to find deep, dark
caves to slumber for the majority of the year, and woe be
unto anyone who stumbles into Bolla’s domain for risk
of losing a limb. On more than one occasion other Draq
have nearly lost limbs when seeking out the devourer of
knowledge. Tugarin prefers to nest in trees, blending in
among the leaves and playing pranks on hikers. He steals
small trinkets from them to barter with Dragons of other
Flights. The trees also help him scout out intelligence,
which he then brings back to Zilant, who carries it to
Mušḫuššu, who then shares it with the Flight.
TERRA INCOGNITA
Some Draq keep their homes under the pantheon’s
noses, as is the case with Mušḫuššu and Ḫedammu. Both
are able to come and go as they please between The
World and the land where the Anunna reside and stalk
the ancient ruins of old Babylon itself. Mušḫuššu has been
guarding the gateway into this sacred space since Tiamat’s
death, and due to his proximity with Marduk, became im-
mortalized in mosaics on the Ishtar Gate. Granted, how he
looks in those mosaics differs somewhat to how he looks
now, but it is just an added layer of operational security.
At least for now, both can enter the realm of the Anunna
without suspicion, but Bašmu hopes his brother will one
day use his position to allow the Draq to invade and take
the land for themselves.
MYSTERIES
All Flights are secretive, but the Draq protect their
secrets with a ferocity derived from a chaotic lifestyle
mixed with a healthy dose of paranoia. They have never
truly stopped being at war with the pantheons, though
that war is now simply a background element for their
more pressing need to renew the world through chaos.
Myths paint the Draq as nothing more than chaos for the
sake of pure chaos, and nothing drives them but abject
destruction. While these stories aren’t true, they serve as
cover for their true intentions. The Draq know their own
truth, and the less time they must spend weaving stories
to hide themselves, the more time they have to organize
and plot their enemies’ downfall.
Contrary to the widespread belief that the Draq seek
to destroy order, the Draq seek to utilize chaos as a means
of disruption and eventual change. Through disruption
and challenge comes new growth, and a strength of char-
acter. Those forged in the crucible of fire are stronger than
those who never face adversity. The concept of the cycle
of destruction and rebirth is not lost on the pantheons, but
they certainly don’t credit the Draq for the idea. The Draq
remember a time when Dragons alone were responsible
for destruction and the new growth that came after. It
might not have originally been the Draq’s duty, but they
have eagerly adopted it as a way of life.
The Draq’s paranoid secrecy isn’t unfounded. Gods
and their Scions have hunted and killed them for their
acts of destruction. Emboldened Scions still search them
out for legend and glory looking to save an unknowing
World from the machinations of these enigmatic crea-
tures. A few, like Bašmu, live unapologetically out in the
open. He sees his actions as bold and brave, goading and
harrying the Gods and daring them to fight him. Others
quietly question if his grip on reality is slipping. This only
perpetuates the rumor that the Draq are prone to bouts
of madness and therefore they are too chaotic and must
be hunted. It was Marduk’s excuse for slaying Tiamat,
so why wouldn’t the same apply to those who descended
from them? If that was the case, however, it would also
implicate the Anunna as they were the pair’s first progeny
— it’s a double-edged sword that both have come to utilize
in their back and forth cold war.
THE GREATER GOOD
You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few
eggs, and the Draq do not shy away from destroying their
own kind, or their Heirs, to fulfill a goal. The Draq do not
THE DRAQ
treat their Heirs as expendable by any means, but they
won’t go out of their way to prevent a death if it serves a
greater purpose. The ends justify the means, even if the
desired results take a millennium to come to fruition. The
outcome will be worth it.
Many Heirs are hard pressed to reconcile the knowl-
edge that they might become a sacrifice to a greater goal
with the drive to create positive change through danger-
ous acts. Many acknowledge the need for deconstructing
institutions to make space for new growth. The fact that
when the Draq are involved no large changes can truly
come without bloodshed is not lost on them. The rumors
of self-destruction aren’t true, but all rumors hold a ker-
nel of truth. The war the Draq wage has gone on for mil-
lennia, and their belief that whatever doesn’t kill you only
makes you stronger leads to some rather dark endings for
Heirs. More than one Heir has opted to wash their hands
of the whole affair. Some have completely disowned their
draconic nature and instead chosen to throw in with a
pantheon to work against their former patron.
MEMORIES OF DEATH
If these rumors weren’t hard to swallow on their
own, every single Draq Heir is plagued with memories of
being part of a dying kind, the Gods seeking their absolute
destruction and stopping at nothing to achieve it. This is
especially true of Heirs of Tiamat, Bašmu, and Mušḫuššu,
whose dreams are violent recollections of the Anunna
taking up arms against them. They experience visions of
ensnaring nets, limbs bound in ropes, forced servitude,
and constant uncertainty and fear as they flee for their
lives. It’s a restless feeling, and one that causes a linger-
ing need to look over one’s shoulder. For some Heirs, this
burden is too much to bear and drives them to vice while
others do whatever it takes to get through the day.
Not all Draq Heir memories are of war, pain, and loss.
They also experience memories filled with chaos and tur-
moil and the need to create with devastation. This creates
destructive urges that they must always temper. They
remember setting fires to burn away old vegetation and
make way for new growth. They remember flooding rivers
to lay silt for new crops. They remember stirring hurri-
canes to break unworthy trees and bend and strengthen
the worthy. They remember shaking the earth to build
mountains and level land. They remember destroying en-
tire civilizations to make way for new ones. The destruc-
tion always comes with a hopeful element, the cleansing
of a land or the new growth that comes after.
RELATIONSHIPS
The Draq are tied forever to the Anunna of
Mesopotamia and were under the aegis and protection of
that pantheon for a brief period. Tiamat herself was one
of the primordial beings who helped birth many of these
Gods before they even knew what to do with themselves.
Of course, when Abzu grew paranoid and war raged,
relations soured. Marduk likes to remind everyone that
37
he slew the Mother of Dragons and where he stands in
regard to them, much to the chagrin of Mušḫuššu who
has had to hear about it for centuries while in service to a
thundering, murderous braggart.
The Draq consider Titans less threat to their exis-
tence than the Anunna. Due to the Titan’s own propensity
for disrupting the natural order of things, the Draq look
to them as a sort of counterbalance to the Gods. They
know the Titans don’t care for humanity, but they see a
kinship in their purpose of destruction for the purposes
of creation. They also know the Titans make a good dis-
traction. If the Gods set their focus on fighting the Titans,
it means they leave the Draq alone. The Draq realize that
the Anunna are not indicative of all other pantheons and
Gods, but they are reticent to trust anyone with a Godly
mantle.
In recent centuries, the Draq have sought out ties
with other Flights to forge a stronger, more unified front
against any who would seek to hunt them down. While
getting disparate groups of Dragons to work together is
easier than herding cats, it still requires trust. Yet, they
are making reasonable headway, having grown particular-
ly close with the Naga on account of the kinship between
Bolla and Kulshedra. The Naga enjoy how the Draq em-
body chaos, and some commend their solid stance against
the pantheons. Those who seek to destroy humanity see
kindred spirits within the Draq.
38 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
The Lindwurms have acknowledged a distant rela-
tion between Leviathan and Jörmungandr, though they
fear the Draq’s direct approach while they still seek their
own truths. They have been trying to temper the Draq’s
approach, which only ensures that Bašmu discredits them
as a useful ally. The Joka are warming up to the proposal
but have yet to make a definitive move one way or another.
NOTABLE DRAGONS
The Draq have lost many of their members through
war. From Tiamat and her many children to those sacri-
ficed on the altar of Bašmu’s war. The following are the
most prominent and best remembered.
BA MU, THE VENOMOUS ONE
Aliases: Mussatur
Among the Draq, few are as violent as Bašmu, and it
is not without good reason. When Tiamat lamented the
murder of Abzu, she birthed her champions — firstborn
and foremost among them being Bašmu, the Venomous
One — who quickly rose to the challenge of defending
the Mother of Dragons and bringing down those who
stood against her. As valiantly as Bašmu and his ten fellow
broodmates fought, these newborn Dragons could not
compete with the might of fully realized Gods. They scat-
tered upon hearing Tiamat’s dying cries, but not before
Bašmu vowed he would wreak vengeance upon those who
had turned against his mother by spilling his venomous
blood into the ground of the desert, forever cursing it
against fecundity.
While the Bašmu does not cut nearly as impressive a
figure as other dragons, lacking wings and the ability to
fly, he makes up with lighting speed, boney spines down
the length of his back, and poisonous blood which he uses
to coat his claws to affect even greater damage upon its
foes. Stories abound of whole skiffs of fishermen cap-
sizing and drowning in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
to satiate his appetite for destruction, but sometimes he
spares a single survivor who makes it to shore to tell the
story of the great river monster which lurks beneath the
surface. It is simply Bašmu’s way of showing the Gods,
Titans, and would-be Dragon slayers where he is, daring
them to come and challenge him to go another round for
the sake of Tiamat’s memory.
Since Tiamat’s death and the diaspora, Bašmu has
effectively taken on a nominal leadership role within the
Flight, ensuring those wishing to remain safely hidden
in relative obscurity find succor. The cowardice of those
who choose to hide irks him somewhat, but Bašmu does
not make it a sticking point; sometimes being the firstborn
means having to watch over the others and protecting
them until such a time when they are ready to stand and
make themselves known.
THE DRAQ
These days Bašmu keeps a low profile. Despite fre-
quent changes to his appearance, he is simply the most
recognizable Draq. Something about him sets people on
edge and pings him as being “not normal,” so he tries to
keep to sparsely populated areas. He isn’t hiding, but he
has had a number of run-ins where the police pick him
up as a “person of interest” in local brawls. Bašmu’s Heirs
share their ancestor’s quick temper but have found ways
to hone it like a blade: military officers, prize-fighters,
resistance members fighting against corrupt governments
in developing countries, to name a few.
Callings: Destroyer, Judge, Predator
Memory: Losing your temper, indulging in wanton
destruction, a second wind in a fight
Dragon Magic: Decay, Fear, Transformation,
Weather Control
BOLLA, THE BLINDED ONE
Aliases: Bullar
In the time before Gods, Bolla was not one being, but
many. They remember a multitude of themselves existing,
but when Gods came and redefined The World, there was
only the one left. They can remember their other selves,
but all those disparate memories sit trapped within the
same body. Such a collection of memories makes Bolla
wise, but also slow to act as they try to reconcile their
clashing thoughts.
39
 Perhaps the least frequently seen member of the
Draq, Bolla joined the Flight later than all the rest when
Mušḫuššu discovered them while patrolling across
Marduk’s domain. When he found the small water ser-
pent, Bolla was small and timid. He took pity on them and
hid them far away from the favored mountainous terrain
of the Gods (where else could they gaze down upon cre-
ation?), deep within the forests where they could live
undisturbed and largely unseen. In return for saving their
life, Bolla gifted Mušḫuššu with the wisdom that he was
not a servant. Until that time, Mušḫuššu had lost himself
in Marduk’s lies, but Bolla reminded him of his original
purpose, and that his servitude was not lasting.
In those early days, Bolla spent much of their time
sleeping and dreaming of a multitude of different lives.
When they did awaken, they glutted themself on whatev-
er they could find; including any humans who happened
upon their lair. On occasion, a would-be Dragon slayer
would stumble upon Bolla’s sleeping form and wake them.
The slayer either escaped quickly, or Bolla devoured him.
As much as Bolla would like to admit that no Dragon slay-
er has ever bested them, only one has. Sometime in the
11th century while off demanding a sacrifice from a nearby
village, a rider by the name of George surreptitiously en-
tered the Bolla’s dominion to save a local maiden from the
Dragon. While the Dragon slayer did not kill the creature,
he did curse Bolla with blindness on all days except the
anniversary of their battle.
That act sent Bolla into hiding, but also solidified
their need for vengeance. Instead of sleeping all the time,
they now act more overtly in The World, having taken
up Mušḫuššu’s idea of plotting and planning for a war to
come. Bolla treasures knowledge above all else and many
view them as an unlikely member of the Draq, though
their desire for revenge against the Gods and their cham-
pions for their current state has given them drive to act
in accordance with the rest of the Flight. Their reactions
to those who would hunt them are drastic, which pleases
Bašmu, though he wishes the serpent would act more
often. While Bolla may be more active now than ever be-
fore, they were never active to begin with, and they prefer
long-term plots over brash action.
Bolla’s collection of information and knowledge
is vast, which give them a position of power within the
Flight. Dragons and Heirs alike visit the serpent in search
of their wisdom. Those who happen upon the sleeping
Dragon appease them with sacrifices or bits of informa-
tion in exchange for their knowledge. Knowledge seekers
beware; a substandard offering may result in a drought
plaguing the land where Bolla resides, or they just might
eat you. There really is no in-between with Bolla.
When forced to leave their lair in order to interact
with The World, Bolla cuts a rather ambiguous figure,
wearing clothes purely out of necessity and function rath-
er than to make a statement, and can be found stalking
university libraries or niche bookstores in search of
knowledge they’ve not yet attained. All Bolla’s Heirs are
40 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
similar in their pursuit of knowledge, whether it be in
learning it, gathering it, or dedicating themselves to a par-
ticular subject as librarians, graduate students, teachers,
and researchers.
Callings: Collector, Destroyer, Predator
Memory: Fight or flight situations, protecting what
is yours, the temptation of unknown knowledge
Dragon Magic: Flight, Illusion, Luck, Understanding
MU U U, THE SPLENDID ONE
Aliases: Musrussu, Sirrušu, Sirrush
If Bašmu is the angry one and Bolla is the lethargic
one, Mušḫuššu fills the middle gaps and is perhaps the
most even keeled and responsible known Dragon among
the Draq. The last-born of Tiamat’s grief-ridden creations,
Mušḫuššu is best described as “creation’s leftovers” on ac-
count of how awkward he looks in comparison to the rest
of the brood. He has scales just like any other Dragon, but
his talons are like that of an eagle, legs that of a feline, a
long giraffe neck, and a tongue like a serpent’s. Despite its
strange appearance, Mušḫuššu a formidable force to reck-
on with, and the most conniving and shadowy of the Draq.
After Marduk slew Tiamat, the thunderer quickly
turned upon the Glistening One’s newly begotten brood
and demanded their subservience lest he kill them as well.
Marduk claims he kidnapped Mušḫuššu, making him
a servant to teach the others a lesson. In reality, Bašmu
wanted to make a final stand, but Mušḫuššu convinced
his brother that it was now time to play a long game.
Mušḫuššu offered himself to Marduk, who took him as
a prize. He assured his brothers that he would do all he
could to help them from within. He hoped doing so would
give the rest time to scatter and appease the Gods enough
to forget about them.
Marduk immediately set Mušḫuššu to hunting and
killing his brethren. Ever the pragmatist, he did so, hoping
they would forgive him for the apparent betrayal. His plan
required Marduk to trust him implicitly, which required
drastic deeds. Of all the Draq, Mušḫuššu feels he has the
most to prove. Unlike Bašmu who wanted to make a final
stand immediately upon Tiamat’s defeat, he instead chose
appeasing the Anunna — a decision he deeply regrets.
Many Draq find Mušḫuššu unnerving to be around.
He perpetuated violence against their kind, and no matter
that Marduk ordered it, the Dragon followed through.
And even if some do forgive him, he cannot ever forgive
himself for doing so. He throws himself into furthering
the Flight’s goals, hoping to ensure he did not make his
decision in vain, and that he can use the intelligence he
gathers as Marduk’s pet to bring the Anunna low. As of
yet, Marduk does not suspect Mušḫuššu’s split loyalties,
but it is only a matter of time until he does.
Although named as Tiamat’s “Splendid One”,
Mušḫuššu appears as less than memorable when he takes
a human form, easily blending in with indigent popula-
tions to keep an eye to the sky and an ear to the ground,
with the dead giveaway being his bright, unnaturally red
hair. Mušḫuššu chooses his Heirs from those he dwells
amongst, as they have all experienced circumstances
that have brought them low and are working on bringing
themselves back up —something he knows all too well.
They have their fingers on the pulse of the streets, and
while they might not wield great power or hold prestige,
they are nevertheless intrepid, clever, and wanting to
prove themselves as being more than what they are.
Callings: Guardian, Judge, Watcher
Memory: Adapting to an impossible situation, nar-
rowly escaping life of death situations, a lone survivor’s
guilt
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental
Manipulation (Fire), Transformation, Luck
LEVIATHAN, THE WRITHING ONE
Aliases: Livyatan, Lotan, Ouroboros, Rahab, Têmtum
The great sea serpent Leviathan remembers a time
before the Ugaritic sea-god Yamm, created the truth that
she was merely a manifestation of his will, and forced to
serve him. She was the great serpent with eight heads who
existed as the concept of chaos. But she also remembers
her life as Yamm’s servant, and the satisfaction it brought
her to break away and disappear into the deep waters of
the Mediterranean.
When the Draq began looking for allies, they sought
out Leviathan first, as the physical embodiment of chaos.
She joined them readily enough, hoping that their in-
fluence would be enough to keep her safe. Survival had
not always been her driving goal, but after dying and

FLIGHT PATH OF THE DRAQ

Asset Skills: Subterfuge, Survival
Favored Draconic Knacks: Devastating Dragon’s Presence, Poison Blood
Draq Heirs, much like their draconic parents, are often those misbegotten, having gone through life not
knowing anything but a constant stream of disruption. While others fall victim and spiral into despair, these
Heirs instead thrive; little unnerves them, and it takes a great feat to render them flat-footed in situations.
It’s a quasi-sixth sense which alerts them to rapid changes in a situation and gives them the opportunity to
act before others.
Remembrances: Chaos (Cypher) vs. Order (Defection). Chaos is often portrayed as a solely
destructive force, but the Draq use chaos to disrupt the natural order of things for something new to come
forth. The cycle of destruction and rebirth played out through Tiamat and Abzu and the creation of all The
World. In order to achieve the goals of their draconian parent, Draq Heirs must disrupt the natural order of
things to give rise to a new way of thinking, action, or being. Sometimes it is self-destructive, brought about
by not thinking the act or its repercussions through. Other times it can be conveniently forgetting to share
some manner of knowledge which leads others to make choices that create pandemonium. Giving into this
act of disruption is difficult for some Heirs, regardless of being inherent to their nature.
When an Heir wants to push against her draconic nature, she focuses on Order. Those moments of lucid
stability where she takes refuge in measured action as opposed to the erratic. These actions can be as
simple as showing up on time, keeping to a daily routine, or as complex as spending hours in meditation
attempting to ascertain the cosmic patterns of the universe. Often, it is simply doing what one believes is the
objectively correct thing to do. For them, while chaos adds a certain spice to life, moderation is key, and
it’s only through the stability of an orderly existence can one resist the tempest call.
Humanity tends to try to organize the disorderly and put chaos to order, no matter how futile such
attempts turn out to be. So, too, does an Heir’s humanity call upon this desire for order versus disruption.
While some Heirs may manage to strike a healthy balance between passionate chaos and sedated order,
all too often they may find themselves swinging wildly like a pendulum between the two. The wilder they
swing one way, or another may lead them down a path of abject destruction or toward a total rejection of
their Dragon nature.
Signature Draq Dragon Magic: Pandemonium Wherever the Heirs of the Draq go, some
manner of chaos is sure to follow. This propensity to be the cause of or epicenter of some manner of uproar
or change to the status quo is a distinct form of Chaos Magic specific to the Draq and takes the form of
Pandemonium. By invoking the nature of the Draq, they can find a way to slip out of situations by causing
distractions, disrupting order, anything to get out of a moment that may compromise the goals the Heir, or
the Flight as a whole, may have. However, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and
the Heir should be prepared for their twist of fate to come back and haunt them, if not outright hinder, their
future plans. When one meddles with universal chaos, it’s reasonable to assume the universe will meddle
back — likely when an Heir least needs it to..

THE DRAQ 41
reincarnating at least once before, she had no illusions
about how dangerous it was to be a lone Dragon in The
World.
In nature, Leviathan is not dissimilar to Tiamat.
Indeed, the two have been mistaken for the other on more
than one occasion due to their penchant for chaos and
deep, swirling waters, but that is where the similarities
end. Leviathan is the embodiment of chaos; her chaos
doesn’t need to have a purpose, so much as it just ex-
ists. The tenuous similarities are not lost upon Tiamat’s
surviving brood, who tend to look up to Leviathan as a
mother figure, regardless of her unstable nature. They
may see in her a glimpse of what Tiamat could be if she
were to reincarnate today, and Leviathan’s own multiple
reincarnations gives them hope.
Despite being an adoptee into the Draq, Leviathan
is perhaps the most well-known among them. Many cul-
tures have all claimed, at one point or another, to have
defeated or killed Leviathan or some form she took; be
it as Lotan, Rahab, or Têmtum. To this day, Hadad-Ba’al
still brags about it, much as Marduk does about Tiamat.
Those deaths are merely an inconvenience to Leviathan,
who has reincarnated so many times everyone but her has
lost track. These setbacks have made her more paranoid
than the rest of the Draq, leaving her to writhe in the
deep oceans and cause the great churning of seas. Woe be
to those who profane her sacred waters. When one has
died a multitude of times, you begin to devise creative
punishments.
More enigmatic than the rest of the Flight — and
certainly the least sociable of the bunch — Leviathan is a
giant serpent who lives at the bottom of the ocean. Which
one? Take your pick, as she’s always moving around. If her
Heirs do meet her, she appears as a sharp-dressed wom-
an of indiscernible descent who speaks curtly like she’s
running out of time. Leviathan chooses her Heirs with
reincarnation always on her mind, picking those who
share her same frenetic, always on-the-go energy: travel
writers, foreign correspondents for international news
outlets, and diplomatic aids all around the globe.
Callings: Destroyer, Nomad, Primeval
Memory: Breaking away from those who would seek
to manipulate, storms on the horizon, being mistaken for
someone else
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Fire,
Water), Luck, Weather Manipulation (Storms)
TIAMAT, THE GLISTENING ONE
Aliases: Bis-Bis, Mammu-Tiamat, Thaláttē, Thalassa,
Ummukhubar
While most Flights might balk at placing one of
their number above all, the Draq have no qualms raising
Tiamat above all others as the Mother of All Dragons, the
Glistening One. She rose from the chaotic and primeval
salt seas, and along with Abzu of the sweet waters, created
several Gods from their commingling: Lahmu and Lahamu
42 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
who begat Anshar and Kishar, who begat Anu and Ki.
From Tiamat and Abzu did all the Anunna descend, and
they formed the foundation of the cosmos.
All was in order and in balance, that is, until Abzu
believed his children were conspiring against him and he
rose up to strike them down. Even with assurances from
the duplicitous Mummu who by all accounts is a spirit of
pure chaos who rivaled Tiamat, tricked Abzu into a false
sense of security and aided in his capture. This betrayal
sent the Glistening One into a rage, whereupon she turned
into a dragon and birthed eleven monsters — Bašmu and
Mušḫuššu the only two to survive as Dragons — to serve as
her champions. The eventual death of Abzu at the hands
of her grandchildren drove Tiamat into a madness and
she sought to drown The World and rebuild it — even if
it meant killing her own children and creation to achieve
her goal.
When faced with an enraged, draconic embodiment
of the chaotic primordial seas, the burgeoning Anunna
faced a terrible dilemma: who was going to take on the
Mother of Dragons? In the end, it didn’t matter who did
the deed so long as she stopped rampaging across creation.
So Marduk, with the blessing of Anu, took up a net, a club,
and an invincible spear to bring down the Glistening One.
Slicing her in half with a single blow, the sheer size of her
ribs formed the heavens and the earth. As she lay dying,
her tears for Abzu and all her slain children became the
source of the Tigiris and Euphrates rivers. Lastly, her
tail became a stream of stars in the sky which formed the
Milky Way.
Tiamat’s Heirs carry vivid memories of the Glistening
One; her dark hair piled atop her head like a crown,
eyes as bright as stars and a noble bearing that belies a
mournful sorrow. All of those who have awoke to her
memories have a deep understanding of what it means to
lose everything, but still fight to maintain what remains.
She has not yet reincarnated, and she chooses Heirs who
would be most sympathetic to her. Parents torn away from
their children, social workers protecting those unable to
protect themselves, and survivors of unjust wars are just
a sampling of those who have been blessed (or cursed) by
Tiamat’s memories.
Callings: Ruler, Primeval, Watcher
Memory: Devotion to one’s partner, defending those
you love to the death, going mad with grief
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Fire),
Flight, Fear, Understanding
COMMON DRAQ
BIRTHRIGHTS
The Draq might use their Heirs as soldiers in a war,
but they don’t treat them as expendable. The Flight pro-
vides their Heirs with assistance, information, and all the
equipment they could ever want, so long as they keep on
good terms with their Dragons.
GUIDE
• Aqrabuamelu: When Tiamat gave birth to her
eleven children, they too gave birth to their own
children. Girtablullû’s children, the scorpion-men
were some of the fiercest warriors. These scor-
pion-bodied foot soldiers waged war against the
Gods, and when Tiamat fell, they remained in
various Terra Incognitae as Legendary Creatures,
often in service to the very Gods they fought. All
Aqrabuamelu remember their true brethren, and
the Draq use them discreetly to guide their Heirs.
LAIR
• Grotto: A Draq’s grotto, while not a Terra
Incognita, acts as a Strange Place. Usually built into
a rocky area such as the underside of a promontory
overlooking a body of water, a cloistered tidal pool,
or a cave or outcropping of rocks in a forest. This is
a place for an Heir to escape to for safety from ad-
versaries and where they can commune with their
Flight. This Lair also serves a secondary purpose in
that it allows an Heir to stash any relics or artifacts
they might have acquired through nefarious means
and protects against magical means of tracking
them.
THE DRAQ
PAWNS
• Black Hats: Some people just want to watch the
world burn, while others just want to foment chaos
to see what happens. For some reason, Black Hat
types from hacktivists to social agitators flock to
the Flight’s banner and eagerly welcome their new,
draconian would-be overlords. These ready-to-
please minions, for the lack of a better word, are
ready and able to act at a moment’s notice: taking
down websites, creating social media campaigns,
and releasing incriminating documents to hurt the
reputations (and possibly even Legend) of Scions.
Whatever causes the most havoc, they are willing
to do.
• The Crypt: In an age where information is in-
creasingly available at one’s fingertips and few
encryptions work perfectly, having secure access
is paramount. The brainchild of one of Bolla’s
tech-savvy Heir-turned-Lesser Wyrm by the name
of Andreas Ogden, the Crypt is a play on the system
of measures for apprehending criminals as well as
a network for Dragon information. Its purpose is to
collect, analyze, and secure information and make
it readily available for Heirs to use to the forward
advancement of the Draq’s goals.
43
 “One could not have everything. Not even Nicol Bolas. He was not greedy.
Greed implies wanting something you didn’t deserve. Everything Nicol Bolas
wanted was entirely deserved.”
— Ken Troop, “Hour of Devastation”
B efore the Netjer were a pantheon, Ammut and Apophis
were seers and lovers. They both swam the collective
memories of dragonkind better than any other, and could
pass backward and forward in time to see all. It was Ammut
who saw the Gods form pantheons, and the death of her lover,
Apophis, at the hands of Re. When the sun arose in the sky,
Apophis began to chase him down, hoping to stop the future
Ammut saw from happening. But time knows better than a
Dragon, and soon the Netjer renamed Apophis as Apep, and
he accepted the mantle willingly as he lost sight of all else but
his desire to destroy Re. The Gods changed The
World around them, and in the changing,
Ammut and Apophis forgot their love
for one another, though the memory
of such persisted.
The loss of their love
sent ripples amongst other
Dragons, reminding them of
all the Gods had taken from
them when they changed
The World. They began to
yearn so deeply for the time
that came before, they sought
for anything to fill that void. In
the first few days, Raina called
all those who remembered and
yearned as much as she did to her
lair and held a great feast. She offered
not food with which to gorge, but all the
esoteric things in the world that would bring
power in the hope the Dragons could recover their
past. Everyone who attended ate their fill of her offerings,
finding only more desire and ambition, and a deeper yearn-
ing for what they had lost. Kazim-Azizi devoured as much
knowledge as he could, including the knowledge of where
Raina made her lair, which she fed him happily as she still
held the memory safe in her mind. Raina fed them all that
day, and put out a call to those who would seek power and
a return to draconic domination.
44 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
Now all those who feel this hunger are called Joka.
Dragons all over The World hunger, but none like those of
the Joka Flight. It isn’t a physical hunger for food so much
as a metaphysical hunger for more power and an existential
desire for what they have lost. They may consume physical
objects, but they just as much consume knowledge, power,
and lives in the hopes of regaining a modicum of their care-
free lives slipping through time.
The Joka view The World in simplistic terms. There
are predators and prey, and if you want to remain a
predator, you must stay sharp. Consumption,
predation, and ambition are all words
that bring power. Not all Joka are so
militant about their hungers, but
those who aren’t find that the
game doesn’t care what they
want. Some Joka are simply
selfish, drinking deep of a
major river without a care
about how that would affect
those who live on it. Others
channel their appetites to
be beneficial, consuming haz-
ardous materials or corpses to
prevent the spread of disease.
Some try for benevolence, like
Adebiyi was for those suffering
from a drought and Belgian oppres-
sion, opening his farm-like lair in a
Midrealm to those in need. Alas, in doing so,
he incurred the notice and then wrath of Leopold
II’s forces and hasn’t been heard from since. Many Joka
see this as a cautionary tale about helping humanity, and
others assume that Adebiyi was just weak and got what he
deserved.
While all the Joka are united in their bone-deep hun-
ger, that isn’t what truly keeps the Flight together. When
they first joined, Raina promised the group power, and a
return to that time when they could all swim through the
memories of time itself. Her first act was to remind Apep
and Ammut that they were once Dragons, restoring them
to the Flight. She then told the Flight that power was the
only way they would ever wrest their lives back from the
pantheons, and that all should strive for something great-
er. Now, the Joka collaborate to help one another achieve
greater power, and accept any who can prove their worth
and their unbridled ambition.
Many Joka readily form pacts and agreements with
others, be they Scions, Gods, Titans, or even just local hu-
mans. If it can bring them power, or sate their hunger, they
have no qualms in making a deal. Ouagadou-Bida made
such a pact with a local king, though it eventually lead to
her doom, but Ammut has sat at the foot of the scales of
Ma’at which decide who goes on to Duat for time immemo-
rial, so much so that the Hall of Two Truth functions as her
lair. Others use human networks and cat’s-paws to acquire
what it takes to maintain themselves.
The Joka gain power from consumption. While
nothing they eat fills the emptiness of a life lost, they have
learned to turn that hunger into rage, and their consump-
tion fuels that rage into their magics. But Joka must under-
stand when to indulge and when to fast. Gaining too much
power all at once brings unwanted attention and endangers
the whole Flight. The greatest cautionary tale is Nahla,
who was devoured by the entire Flight in a rare show of
self-regulation. A group of her Heirs, led by one overcome
with ambition and hunger for power that he ignored rea-
son, tried to wrest control of Nahla’s lair and power. She
caught them, and in her rage, she consumed them as they
would have her. She amplified her power many-fold from
this, which attracted the attention of the Òrìshà. Before the
Gods could locate her, the Joka Flight rooted her out and
killed her, consuming her and all evidence of her existence,
including finding her children and Heirs throughout The
World and destroying them. Some say they even fed her
memory to Kazim-Azizi so that she may never reincarnate,
but if that were true, no one would be able to tell her story.
CHARACTERISTICS
The Joka are a disparate group of dragons originally
from all over Africa. These Dragons are large, and often
described as having two legs and no wings, or else four
legs and wings, and their hunger. The Dragons of Africa,
from the near prehistoric time of the Netjer to the more
modern and diasporic era of the Òrìshà, are renowned in
myth for their near gluttonous nature. The mythology of
the continent concerns itself with dragons who consume
nearly impossible things, from all the waters of the Niger
River, the hearts (and thus, the souls as well) of the unjust
dead, to order itself.
Joka are, primarily, pragmatic to a fault. They con-
stantly seek a way to sate their hungers and care about little
else than that and power. They side with anyone who can
promise them power and are often viewed as mercenary for
it. Those who work with a Joka long-term ensure that they
pay in whatever counts as sustenance, or else their contract
The Joka
POWER THROUGH
CONSUMPTION
The Joka Flight are connoisseurs of everything
from physical objects to more esoteric and
ephemeral things to gain their power. Eating
something like an idea or concept is hard to
conceptualize for most people. But the Dragons
hunger for more than just a physical bite to eat.
In play, a character may find that her Joka
Handler wants her to devour something as part
of a scheme or plan. For the Dragon, anything
is edible, from gold to the concept of crime. For
the player, the character does not literally need
to eat gold (though she can if she has the right
Draconic Knack) to fulfill this request. If a Joka
Heir wants to eat something ephemeral as a
way to gain power or fulfill a memory deed,
then have them eat some small representation
of the idea as a way to physically devour the
concept.
The character doesn’t have to literally eat
gold, or nuclear weapons to fulfill the Dragon’s
needs and goals, she just has to eat something
that could represent that kind of power. She
could eat a battery, a lottery ticket, a secret
written in invisible ink, the last known copy of a
Wu Tang Clan album, or the deed to a house.
The key is the narrative idea of the consumption,
not the physicality of the thing. Anything and
everything works if it can be justified.
is bound to come up short. Few alive can say they have ever
cheated a Joka out of a promised prize.
The Joka remember the dawn of humanity, they
remember a time when they could know all with just a
short swim through the time stream. They know what The
World could look like if humanity had never risen, and they
remember a time when all truths were still a possibility.
They remember when humanity was nothing more than an
amuse-bouche, and shudder to think that The World that
was theirs is now in the hands of humanity and their Gods.
And for this, the Joka hunger for a return to what they have
lost. They despise living in hiding, or in service to the Gods,
and they haven’t forgotten their former place. Joka tempt
their Heirs with their memories of a past and future that
never and always were. An Heir must always be on her toes,
as each mission is a test of her ambition and a push to make
her greater. At the end of the journey is a vast reward if she
can but prove herself.
As the saying goes, you are what you eat, and the Joka
are no different. When you spend several hundred years
collecting military stratagems, you become a wise and
perhaps bloodthirsty general, and when dinner time comes
around, the secrets of how to build a weapon of legend
makes just as good a meal as anything else. According to
45
the historian Yao, the last time anyone remembered how to
make Greek Fire was when Kazim-Azizi decided he want-
ed to eat Mediterranean.
Joka are particular in what they eat. While they can eat
nearly anything — mystically so — and gain some benefit
from it, each member of the Flight tends to only like a cer-
tain kind of thing to consume. This could be anything from
the physical, such as precious metals, stones, weapons, or
technology, or more metaphysical concepts, such as cher-
ished icons of love, information, or memories. Whatever
it is depends on the Dragon, but it is a taste curated from
millennia of trying to fill a deep hole, leading to an epicu-
rean desire.
LAIRS
Joka lairs are specific to the Dragon, her ambitions,
and her hunger. They are as different from one another as
each of their diets, as the lair must serve as both home and
larder. One Dragon may call a cavern filled with copper
veins or crystal outcroppings home and another may live in
a warehouse full of bolts of cloth.
While the Joka’s lairs may be different to accommodate
their various appetites, they all share some commonalities.
IN THE WORLD
In urban locales, Joka live in places where people
store objects in vast amounts. Warehouse districts might
have a subterranean section connecting a few buildings,
each owned by different shell companies that all can be,
eventually, traced to one holding company. In the more
metropolitan parts of town, a Joka lives in the archives be-
low a museum, sometimes snacking on a piece of art once
a year as she places a forgery in the gallery above. Others
live in or around massive factories where if anyone looked
closely at, they would see that the factory ships out a lot
fewer products than it produces. Some live in labs where
breakthroughs are reportedly discovered near monthly, but
the startup never seems to get off the ground.
Whatever the thing the Joka in question eats, to
maintain its secret existence, the thing it consumes must
be hidden from prying eyes. Perhaps there’s a family who
has been blessed by a Dragon for generations, who started
as simple shepherds and are now the leaders of one of the
largest cattle ranches in Texas. They use otherwise rare
southern African Nguni cattle, but the herd takes massive
losses every other year in what looks, from the outside, like
a string of bad luck. Another way to hide a Joka’s consump-
tion is through exclusivity. A small company makes the best
whiskey in the entire world, but only releases 300 bottles
of their twenty-five-year-old liquor each year. Often, those
bottles are sold legitimately in the lottery created for that
purpose. Sometimes, through payments made to loyal col-
laborators, many of them are sold, but are all delivered to
the same place: a cave on the distillery’s land. In less mod-
ern times, it wouldn’t be unheard of for an artist of great
skill and acclaim to work exclusively for a noble family,
46 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
who is quite private and never lets those masterpieces see
the light of day.
IN MIDREALMS
This matters less for those who live in Midrealms,
whose lairs still are accessible from Africa, and elsewhere.
One of the eldest Joka, Raina, has such a lair, remaining
far removed from the affairs of The World since her feast
began centuries ago. Water spills from her table and flows
from the Midrealm through subterranean aquifers. These
are the much sought-after source of the Nile. Meanwhile
Apophis, the would-be end of the Netjer, waits plotting
deep in a vault in Egypt, an offshoot near Duat, consuming
any and all Netjer relics his servants, Heirs included, bring
him.
Within these lairs, everything has a place, orderly and
neat, not unlike a doomsday prepper’s pantry. There is
always a method to the organizational pattern of a Joka’s
lair, even if it is not readily apparent to anyone but them.
Collections of their food item, whatever it is, lay readily
available. This is for two reasons: first, when hunger strikes,
it is best for all involved that the Dragon sate it with all pos-
sible haste, and second, as a defensive measure. If someone
were to attack the Dragon’s lair, he can ensure he’s at maxi-
mum power with a snack from anywhere in the liar.
THE UNDERWORLD
As it is common for Dragons of the Joka Flight to
consume the living to feed their hungers, some choose to
make their lairs close to entrances to various Underworlds.
Doing so prevents their lair from becoming cluttered with
ghosts, while those looking for said lair might notice it as a
source of spirits that would otherwise make no sense. Joka
whose hunger features death — but not so much the dead’s
spirits or corpses — find their ways into the Underworld
proper. Some find empty spaces to set up shop, while others
make deals with unscrupulous Gods.
THE RITUAL OF VISITS
Should a Joka Heir wish to find any of these lairs, she
must understand the hunger that lives within herself. What
does she long for, crave more than anything? Is there some-
thing from her time before becoming an Heir that she saw
weirdly often? It is difficult, but not impossible, for her to
discover the trail of evidence from purely external sources
that leads to a Joka’s physical lair, and if it is metaphysical,
myth and legend should serve as better guides. An Heir of
Ammut probably has some connection to the Netjer, and
has heard stories about the creature whose form sounds
draconic in nature, and who eats the souls of the unwor-
thy dead. It wouldn’t take a far leap to assume visiting her
mother would involve a journey to Duat and a test of her
morality. Meanwhile, an Heir of Kazim-Azizi would look
for any place where a great loss of information and culture
might have taken place, like the site of the lost Roanoke
colony in the American state of Virgina or the burned out
residence of Soga no Emishi in Nara, Japan, where both the
Tennōki and Kokki were lost.
 As a Flight, it is customary to bring an offering of food
when visiting a Joka lair, and to not consume more than
you require while there. Similarly, it is customary to offer
the visitor to fill themselves to their heart’s content, as both
a matter of honor and a show of wealth. What the food in
question is, the gifted or the offered, is up to the guest and
host respectively, and it is not common to find a lair with a
corner of untouched food that doesn’t fit with the motif of
the rest. The best guests bring food in offering that the host
enjoys, and the most hospitable hosts take the trouble to
find not just suitable substance for their guests, but their
favored food as well.
For those Heirs who receive memories about dead
Dragons in the Flight, legends abound about what remains
in their now-vacant lairs. Many Heirs search for the lost
lairs of renowned dead Dragons whose Hoards are likely
full of rare and valuable treasures. It also means that trea-
sure hunters of all stripes are also on the same hunt.
MYSTERIES
Due to the nature of a Joka’s hunger — made worse
when confronted with evidence of their past lives — they
are unlikely to interact with one another if they don’t have
to. Those with the wherewithal to interact with servants
and perhaps even their own Heirs, can use them as emis-
saries when interacting with one another. There is no love
lost between Flightmates, and further still some disavow
one another entirely, like the bitterness that lives between
Apophis and Ammut, artificially instilled by the Netjer.
Heirs of either of these Dragons have memories of the
other. The traitorous Ammut working in league with the
Netjer Gods, acting as their lapdog so she has easy access
to souls and feed without ever having to work. The duplici-
tous villain of ages, Apophis, who should be cast down and
torn asunder, lest he release his hunger for all that is or-
dered and cast The World back into the chaos from whence
it was wrought.
FLICKERS OF THE PAST
Myths swirl around the Joka, and many of them
involve them being a menace to humanity. Isa Bere who
drank the Niger, prompting King Samba to track him down
to end the drought the Dragon caused. All the explorers
who looked for the source of the Nile at Raina’s lair who
never returned. Those who did find it on her table, as their
cooling blood mixed with the water.
Rumors abound that the Joka’s stomach’s utterly
controls them, and they would eat you a few moments af-
ter meeting you if given the chance. This is true for some,
but the Flight is loath to allow those Dragons to survive
in earnest, as it threatens their security to draw too much
attention.
Memories of past glories of conquest, vast feasts,
and devouring foes filter down to the Heirs of this Flight.
Perhaps an Heir’s draconic ancestor once defeated a myth-
ical knight in single combat, and once they completed their
meal, the knight’s magical weapons and armor added to a
The Joka
pile of such discarded items in the dragon’s lair. Perhaps a
child of Isa Bere recalls the short lived and unique sensa-
tion of satiety when he drank the Niger, and a descendant
of Raina dreams of tempting European explorers with hid-
den knowledge they could claim, before taking their lives.
Depending on how often the Dragon moves, by choice or
force, they might see glimmers of their lairs as the Dragon
last saw it before fleeing: Stocked richly with food or
wrecked and in shambles.
IN MODERN TIMES
Filtering through the memories of a time before the
rise of the Gods and pantheons, more recent ones cloud the
shared mind of the Joka as well. They see resorting to eat-
ing human power sources such as nuclear energy or coal,
seeking temporal power through government structures,
and building lairs in places made by human hands and still
guarded as such.
While they are seldom to move as one united Flight,
the Joka all crave one thing: to live in a World without their
yawning hunger, as they once did. Those who do work
together often act as go-betweens for Gods and Titans,
playing both sides against the middle as much as they can.
They use their Heirs to bolster whichever side might need
the advantage and keep them busy with one another rather
than turning their attention to the rest of the Flight. Joka
Heirs know that their Dragons find any secret fulfilling,
but ones associated with the Gods seem to be all the better.
Regardless of the side they serve, the Joka want the cold
war of the Titanomancy to flare hot once more in hopes
they will kill one another off, or at least weaken themselves
to the point where the Dragons can end it once and for all.
Where the other Flights might pull strings here or
there trying to influence another Titanomachy, the Joka
are all in. They push and pull, happily adopting various
mantles in hopes of pushing one side or another into a con-
flict before it’s too late for them to realize they have been
played. In this, the Joka wait, cold calculation and a hungry
belly giving them an edge against foes who do not know
their true nature and consider them allies. With both sides
wounded and weakened, the Joka would swallow them
both whole and reclaim all that is and always was rightfully
theirs.
CASCADING MEMORIES
Apophis notwithstanding, the Joka Flight’s pragma-
tism makes them more prone to vague and cryptic truths
than misinformation and lies. The impressions and stories
Heirs glean from their memories and dreams come hidden
in riddles, flashes, and base instincts. Whatever the Joka
preferred to consume weaves itself through the memory,
always present. A Dragon whose palate craves innovations
and ideas might activate Heirs who go into the arts or sci-
ences, while one who hungers for rare antiques may acti-
vate an archaeologist or someone employed at a museum.
Each Heir, regardless of their patronage, feels the
compulsion to feed their hunger; to go forth and feast.
This exists as such a core part of what it is to be Joka, that
47
Dragons cannot hide it from their shared memories, how-
ever much it draws attention to both themselves and their
Heirs. Handlers vary greatly in how they expect their Heirs
to deal with these invasive urges. Ammut demands that her
Heirs feed their hungers with the unworthy, hunting down
those whose souls would be heavier than the Feather of
Ma’at, and dealing with them before they cause any more
harm. Raina drives her Heirs to find somewhere under
threat of invasion and spoilage, and consume any would-be
interlopers.
These kinds of memories are the most prevalent that
Heirs receive, but they also hide what the Handler wants
her Heir to accomplish. In a way, they direct their Heirs
with these base urges, and as long as the Heir performs
her other duties, indulging herself is a treat. The Dragon
benefits from her strong Heir, and if the Heir shares some
of her meal, all the better.
An Heir of Kazim-Azizi finds he holds the one and
only copy of important documents that would reveal a
grand cover up, but instead of publishing them online for
all to see, he stores them away, keeping this information for
himself. That night, in his dreams, he finds himself walking
among the stones of Tenōchtitlan, watching a Spaniard
agent feed Mēxihcah codices into a fire, claiming to be de-
stroying them for their pagan imagery, but in fact sending
them to the lair of his draconic father.
Elsewhere, an Heir of Oormatige revels in booze and
other substances at a nightclub, electing to party and fuck
her evening away rather than take care of the matter of
importance that her comrades had entrusted to her. In her
near delirious altered state, she sees flashes of a similar
night of debauchery during a revel with Dionysus, where
she often is not able to tell where Dragon, God, or other
being’s bodies end and where her own begins.
RELATIONSHIPS
Joka tend to be particularly mercenary, always willing
to throw their weight behind whichever side of a conflict
has the most to offer them, particularly when this means
payment can be whatever they require to satiate their hun-
ger. Because of their seclusion, in many ways these Dragons
are dependent on these connections, though it would be
less than ideal to draw attention to that fact — at least not
to one’s face. It is a grave insult to the Joka to infer that
their actions are coming from their stomachs, rather than
their mind.
In the modern world, many Joka have infiltrated major
powers, governments, and corporations in the areas they
live. The Dragon makes pawns and Heirs from these pow-
erful groups, ensuring that she can live in relative peace.
The humans in the area might not even know what they
are protecting, only that they have a powerful benefactor
who lets them do as they please as long as they leave an
esoteric offering. Deep under the earth near Cape Town in
South Africa, lay Yokutya’s lair. He’s created a top-secret
alliance with the African Union. They protect his lair, and
48 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
in return, he allows them to store waste from the Koeberg
nuclear power station.
Ammut, perhaps the most well-known member of
the Flight, works so closely with the Netjer Gods of the
Underworld that some believe her to be merely a Chthonian
of Duat. This serves her purposes well. If the other Gods
and Titans of The World have forgotten her draconic na-
ture, she has less to worry about as she bides her time.
Apophis offers aid to anyone who would help him loos-
en the chains that bind the Netjer Titans. He doles out his
pawns and Heirs in service to the Netjer Titans, and acts
as a weapons dealer to any who might help him. He only
genuinely cares about freeing his Titan mantle, Apep, from
Duat so that he may finally consume Re. The Netjer Titans
might also benefit from his actions, and he’s fine with that
for now. He’ll deal with them later, once all his aspects are
free.
Other Joka all over The World work with Sònpònná,
using their iron constitution to consume the infectious
dead to prevent the spread of various illnesses. The Joka do
not only work with the Gods of Africa. Oormatige travels,
whenever possible, in the retinue of Dionysus, and is one
of the God’s best friends, for his hedonism and appetite for
overindulgence is rivaled only by the Theoi God’s own.
NOTABLE DRAGONS
The Joka hail all over The World. The following are
only a few of their better-known members.
AMMUT, DEVOURER OF THE DEAD
Aliases: Ammit, Ahemait
Seated at the foot of Anpu in the Hall of Two Truths,
Ammut dutifully consumes the ibs, or hearts, of the Netjer
dead, giving them the second death of oblivion. Her hunger
demands justice and the punishment of the sinful, and she
gets her fill with her collaboration with the Netjer. Her
temperament is more stringent than the feather, believing
that most mortals live lives not worthy of continuing onto
the next life. All but the purest would fill her gullet, so she
demands this of all her Heirs, both through her memories,
and directly to any who make the journey to the hall. She
would never leave the Hall of Two Truths herself; the line
of the Netjer dead never halts, and her duty is never done.
Some of the Joka view her as a traitor, having aban-
doned them and forgotten them. Only she and a select few
know that her dual role in service to the Joka alone. Let
them think what they want, but when the time comes, she
will be there beside her brethren ready to devour those
who would keep them down.
Before Dragons went into hiding, and before the estab-
lishment of Flights, Ammut was a great warrior and lover.
She cared about justice and what was right. She believes as
the Gods do that Titans are a danger to the natural order,
and remembers an age old vision of a future in which Titans
ran rampant, which nearly destroyed The World. She be-
lieves that Gods must keep the Titans at bay to maintain
the order of the universe, even as those Gods seated her in
the Hall of Two Truths and bade her to eat the hearts of the
unworthy. A lowly task, meant to consume all her time and
force her to forget her draconic nature. However, the Gods
have, thus far, worked in half measures. If Ammut had her
way, she would consume all the Titans and the Gods, and
use their powers to correct other injustices in The World.
Ammut’s Heirs tend to be impassioned about protect-
ing the innocent and righting injustice, though how they go
about doing it is deeply personal. Some become members
of law enforcement, while others lead revolutionary or
political movements. However, they channel their need to
punish the sinful, they do so often with a ferocity that gets
them in trouble. Many are hotheaded, impulsive, and quick
to judge, often inheriting their mother’s misanthropy and
pessimism.
Callings: Destroyer, Guardian, Judge
Memory: Witnessing an act of cruelty or true evil,
meting out justice to those who are unworthy, the souls of
the dead and the weight of truth.
Dragon magic: Decay, Energy Manipulation (Fire),
Flight, Understanding
APOPHIS, SERPENT OF CHAOS
Alias: Aapep, Apepi, Apoph
Apep has been chasing the sun for as long as he can
remember. Before he did so though, he was Apophis, the
Dragon who loved Ammut and knew all truths. When the
Netjer formed, he was already chasing Re across the sky,
and he greedily accepted divinity even knowing the conse-
quences would be dire. Thus, he was knowingly responsi-
ble for his and Ammut’s fates, though few know that truth.
He hoped he would forget his own betrayal, and for a time
he did, accepting that he was only Apep.
The last time the Netjer Titan got close to victory
against Re’s boat journey through Duat, he swallowed the
sun God, and when he did, an eclipse swallowed the sun
over Egypt. When Set and the others cut open his gullet and
freed Re, the sun was freed. But in that moment of darkness,
Raina reminded Apep of who he was, and Apophis recalled
both his duty, and his own burning desire for The World
to return to the way it was. But his time as a Titan had
changed him, and he was no longer the pragmatic Dragon
he once was.
The Serpent of Chaos lays in a dark and dank lair deep
under Egypt, in the ruins of a temple, though to which God
no one could tell. All iconography is scratched and marred
as his massive, coiled bulk grates against the walls. Piles of
relics surround his bulk — mostly Netjer — and he chews
them with a maw filled with jet-black teeth. His hunger
is deeper than the others, as he yearns both for a love he
lost, and to kill those who made it happen. He focuses it on
destroying all the Gods, which he hopes to do by freeing
the Titans and allowing them to run rampant. He whets his
appetite for such a day by feasting on any symbol of faith, or
those who are particularly faithful.
The Joka
To this end, Apophis’ web of pawns, cat’s-paws, and
hired guns seek to undermine the Gods wherever they can.
A victory against any one of them, regardless of pantheon,
is a victory against them all as an institution. He seeks dis-
cord, and often schemes to pit Gods against one another,
whenever he can. This can be attributed to the Greek flavor
to his mantle, and he delights in tormenting the Theoi as
well as the Netjer.
His Heirs can commonly be as self-serving and duplic-
itous as their father, though that doesn’t mean they are as
malevolent as he. Some use their talents at manipulation
and deceit to find their way into work as actors, marketers,
or lawyers. As they open themselves to their draconic na-
ture, they all receive an invitation to visit and kneel at the
coils of Apophis. Their first memories are always of how his
Titan form was the most victimized of the Netjer, and how
much he has to teach any who would kowtow to him.
Callings: Destroyer, Mystic, Primeval
Memory: Titanspawn of Apep wreaking havoc, lying
in wait for the right moment to strike, the feeling of being
bound and helpless, never-ending battles with no winner,
swimming through memories that are fragmented and
disjointed, chasing the sun across the sky and never under-
standing why
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental
Manipulation (Water), Fear, Understanding
ISA BERE, DROUGHT BRINGER
Alias: Ongbẹ, Nga Nelanga, Chini
When The World was young, Isa Bere swam through
all waters and called them his domain. He waded in placid
pools and soaked up the sun without a care in The World.
When the Gods came and rewrote The World, he tried to
remain in his watery homes, but people drove him out.
When he tried again, the Gods drove him out. He was a sim-
ple Dragon who only wanted a place to bask, and though he
could see his heart’s desire, he could not have it.
His desire consumed him to the point where he de-
sired not to just be in the water, but consume it all. He made
his lair atop Fouta Djallon and was known for consuming
whole lakes at a time. Myths tell of the Dragon taking flight
over what would become Guinea, looking for some other
watering hole to swallow. It was not long until he lost con-
trol of his hunger and set himself on a collision course with
his own doom.
His eyes turned to the Niger river, and in the course
of a day’s drinking, the nearly twenty-six-thousand-mile
river was dry. Despite the river ending in the Atlantic at
both ends, the might of the Joka’s hunger made not just the
waters vanish, but the ability for it to refill as well. Soon,
the Niger River Delta dried, and the area’s leader and Scion
of Ògún, King Samba, faced drought and hunger. Unable to
move his people away, he took up arms and with his bard,
Tarafe, who recorded the tale, and went to combat the
Dragon.
49
 For over eight years they fought tooth and nail, the
king throwing over eight hundred spears and withstanding
attack after attack. Isa Bere could not feed again in all that
time, and eventually King Samba wore the Dragon down
and slew him with a final spear through the heart. The wa-
ters returned to the river with his death.
Even though he died hundreds of years ago, Isa Bere’s
Heirs remain, and through them, his voracious hunger. His
Heirs are perhaps more ravenous than other Joka, and that
is what his legacy passes on. Whatever it is they hunger for,
they do so with a need that borders on fixation. Those with
a level head on their shoulders channel it into a career or
hobby, those who do not often end up like their forebearer.
Callings: Collector, Predator, Primeval
Memory: Echoes of an insatiable hunger, the feel of a
decade-long battle, the hunt for the next meal, the need to
find something of importance but it being just out of reach,
drinking and drinking and never feeling sated
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Water),
Flight, Weather Control
OUAGADOU-BIDA, GHANA’S GUARDIAN
Aliases: Bida, Ougadou-Bida, Wagadoo-Bida
The Kingdom of Ghana’s capital was built in parallel
to a Midrealm, a sacred grove, wherein stood the lair of
Ouagadou-Bida, a great Dragon. The first king made a pact
with the Joka: protect his family line, and thus all of Ghana,
50 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
and the king would supply the Dragon with a source to feed
her hunger. Each year he would send one girl to the grove,
and she would never return.
Ouagadou-Bida had developed a taste for something
precious: sacrifice itself. She released the women sent to
her, but she told them they could never return home, which
they invariably also accepted this sacrifice giving her ad-
ditional nourishment. For generations, the Kingdom flour-
ished under the assumption that Ouagadou-Bida was eat-
ing their young women. That is until Amadou Sefedokote’s
fiancé, Sia, was to be the next sacrifice. His divine mother,
Òshun, lent him her jeweled knife, sending him into com-
bat to save his love with her blessing. He entered the grove,
and hid there, waiting for the so-called Guardian to leave
to reclaim Sia.
As Ouagadou-Bida made to leave, Amadou used the
goddess’ blade to slide through her serpentine neck and
severed her head, but to no avail, as another grew to replace
it. They fought, and only with the power of the blade was
the Scion able to withstand the onslaught, decapitating
the Dragon another half dozen times until she finally died.
Surrounded by the heads of the Guardian of Ghana, he
stood victorious with his lover and they fled, leaving her
corpse and the protection she offered to wither. Without
her, Ghana suffered from drought, and the people were
forced to become nomads, as the Kingdom fell.
 Heirs of Ouagadou-Bida commonly share their
mother’s covetous nature, hungering for acts of service,
self-sacrifice, and sometimes simply precious items and
wealth. They tend to find work in ways that they can easily
sate themselves as financial advisors, organizing volunteer
organizations, or as bankers. Because their hungers tend to
be more on the esoteric side of things, they keep precious
objects in their lairs, though they rarely feed on them. They
are also known to have the largest and most lush lairs, as
flaunting their precious items can serve to give them nutri-
tional value when sacrificed.
Callings: Collector, Healer, Mystic
Memory: Protecting those who cannot protect them-
selves, searching for high value items, finding something
important, learning new things of value, wanting some-
thing that does not belong to you
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Earth),
Illusion, Luck, Weather Manipulation, Understanding
RAINA, KEEPER OF THE SOURCE
Aliases: Skerm, Umkhuseli, Olutọju Ọkunrin
Raina was born of the rivers and the water. She flowed
as the river does, and existed in all rivers at all times. When
the Netjer rewrote the story of Ammut and Aphophis,
Raina lost her connection to time, and was rooted in the
world. She more than any other felt the injustice of the
God’s action, and she hungered to right the wrongs she felt
The Joka
in The World. This did not manifest as it did with Ammut
as a sense of human justice, but instead a desire to protect
The World and a hunger to right the wrongs against it. She
fled into a place that only she could remember, the rivers
that birthed her.
Even in the time of Ancient Greece, those from out-
side Africa had made it their life’s mission to search for the
source of the longest river in The World, the Nile. Alexander
the Great looked, as did Cyrus from Persia, and Caesar
himself. The phrase in Latin, Nili caput quaerere — literally
“to search for the head of the Nile” — meant to attempt
something impossible, a fool’s errand. Most explorers and
colonizers who attempted the feat vanished, never heard
from again. Many thought the endeavor ridiculous, but few
knew how dangerous it truly was.
Raina’s lair lies in the Source of the Nile, a Midrealm
which has an access on the rivers and tributaries that spring
from it, and only those searching for the source can enter.
The Source of the Nile is not any one place, but a network
of multiple lakes and feeder rivers in southeastern Africa.
Within, the serpentine Raina waits, guarding the unspoiled
wellspring of life-giving waters which made one of The
World’s first empires possible. She protects it from those
who want to claim it for themselves or their nation.
While her efforts are a boon to the peoples of Eastern
Africa, as well historically to the Netjer and other pan-
theons, that is not why she does it. She cares little for the
51
pantheons, nor for humanity, but for the natural World
and protecting it from being despoiled. If it were up to her,
she’d give The World back to the Primordials who created
it and leave it at that, but she doesn’t act on that desire.
She hungers to punish those who would sully a place
or defile a land, she never goes without. The sheer number
of explorers who find their way into her mystical lair, along
with the colonizers, deforesters, polluters, and endangered
animal hunters who her pawns capture and drag to her
table keeps her fed and happy.
Raina’s Heirs likewise feel drawn to nature and feel a
deep-seated need to protect it. From wildlife rangers, activ-
ists, climate change scientists, to full blown eco-terrorists,
Heirs of this Dragon move to protect the natural World
from the predation of humanity, and try to heal the harms
done to it already, their hungers ranging from plastics and
pollutants, to those who hunt merely for sport.
Callings: Guardian, Healer, Watcher
Memory: The satisfaction of restoring justice, cleans-
ing a land of its taint, protecting something or someone
from those who wish them harm, keeping a difficult secret.
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental
Manipulation (Water), Weather Control
COMMON JOKA
BIRTHRIGHTS
Often a Joka Heir finds a whole system in place for
their lairs, should they still be alive, when they come into
their power. These fixers can get an Heir started on making
a lair and figuring out what it is that they hunger for, as well
as providing support for the effects of such experimenta-
tion. Even Heirs to dead Dragons find a support system
comprised of detailed memories and servants ready to help
them.
GUIDES
• Mokele-mbembe: Legendary Creatures, said to be
Raina’s own children, live in Strange Places near
rivers and caves. Some of them find their way to
Midrealms, and many serve as Raina’s lair guards.
PAWNS
• Lair Concierges: Joka keep hirelings who maintain
their lairs, keeping them well stocked and provi-
sioned. These concierges provide for the daily needs
of a hungry Dragon, going so far as to hunt down
rare cuisine or fight alongside an Heir if it serves the
Lair’s needs.

FLIGHT PATH OF THE JOKA

Path Skills: Integrity, Survival
Favored Draconic Knacks: Power Tasting Bite, Seizing Jaws
Remembrances: Indulgence (Cypher) and Moderation (Defection). A constant conflict lies within
every Heir of the Joka Flight. On the one hand, their draconic blood roars within them filling them with an
unnamed hunger that only indulgence can attempt to sate. On the other, constantly consuming does not
sate a hunger created through existential crisis, and power is temporal.
An Heir’s draconic nature calls for Indulgence as she seeks power and to control The World around her.
The more she consumes, the greater her power grows, and the hungrier she gets. Through this, she begins
to understand her Handler’s desires, and those drives become her own. With every new power she learns,
she can advance the Flight’s agenda and bring the Gods low. If only she takes one more bite, and her
power will overflow. The only problem is the more you feed such a hunger, the larger it grows.
Hunger is a harsh ally. No matter how much one feeds it, it comes back another day begging for more.
Heirs know that only through moderation can she be sure to temper her hunger. She must eat every day,
and if she eats it all at once, she won’t have anything the next day. Power is simply a means, and there are
other ways to live her life without also tapping into a yearning so great it might drive her to rash acts.
A Joka Heir must balance her driving hunger with the knowledge that if she goes too far, she’ll lose
herself in the Flight’s constant desire for a past she never knew. She instead builds a solid lair, and keeps
a strong hoard, and when she is tempted, she remembers to moderate herself, hoping that her splurges of
indulgence can carry her until the next time.
Signature Joka Dragon Magic: Refinement: The Joka are defined by their hunger, and it is there
that their magic comes from. Over time as the Dragons developed a palate for anything that would sate
their hunger, they learned to metabolize any matter or energy, magic included. But it also taught them
how to make anything into a more palatable form. Eclectic tastes have pushed them to learn to refine
information, matter, and energy. Turning one thing into another or consuming it for power. This allows the
Joka to store more esoteric cravings, such as the sound of children laughing, or brilliant light, as material
objects which still give them satisfaction when devouring them. The Joka might have created Refinement
to help satisfy cravings, but the usefulness of converting energy or absorbing information outside of those
needs is not lost upon the Flight..

52 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

• The Ṣiṣe Tabili Group: This cabal of wealthy
business owners and petty royalty front as equal
parts agriculture conglomerate and philanthropic
organization trying to end world hunger, but in ac-
tuality, they are servants to the Joka, facilitating the
procurement of whatever they and their better con-
nected Heirs hunger for, in return for their blessings.
• Skylar-Garrison & Co, Limited: Known worldwide
as an auction house on the same level as a Christine’s
and Sotheby’s, they are open to whomever can afford
to bid on the wares they sell for their affluent and
strictly anonymous clients. They are renown for set-
ting up deals between Dragons, and facilitating sale
of hard-to-find goods. They are even willing to steal
for a client, if the price is right.
LAIRS
• The abandoned Atlantic Avenue tunnel, spanning
from what is now Columbia Street and Boerum Place
in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill, lay home to repository
and lair of the Joka Arafa. Her hunger lies in rare
The Joka
iconography and rituals and while she eats many of
the real and powerful ones, her knowledge of esoter-
ic lore is second to none. It is she who pioneered the
ritual of Hadhi. While forming a lair, Hadhi imbues
it with the ability to retard spoilage or decay, as well
as the entropic loss of energy in magical items.
HOARD
• Fadhila’s hunger led her to consuming many wealthy
people. She craved those with wealth, but not the
money itself, so her lair lays crowded with gold,
silver, jewels, and piles of money in hundreds of cur-
rencies from ancient to modern.
• While long dead, Kazim-Azizi’s lairs, as he had
many, still exist somewhere, and are full of instruc-
tions of how to make or do many things that history
has lost. Other Joka who knew him say that his main
lair was the Library of Alexandria, and the fire that
consumed it was actually his magic which sent the
entire building into a Midrealm that only he, and his
Heirs, know how to enter.
53
 “There comes the dark
dragon flying from beneath,
the glistening serpent,
from Nida-fells.
On his wings bears Nidh gg,
flying o’er the plain,
a corpse.”
— V lusp

I n the regions of The World that would later be called

northeastern Europe and Scandinavia, Dragons gathered
in considerable numbers. There the Dragons shared stories
In the moment of her death, Vishap stretched out her
talons and scattered her Memory across The World. When
her blood soaked into the soil, aquifers deep beneath the
with one another, and some collected information to share earth carried it to the sea. When her bones sank into the
out with all other Dragons. Some had a reputation as mud, the stones themselves took up her song. Then those
living libraries, able to call forth all manner fractured memories flooded into the col-
of information without needing to lective memory of every Dragon in The
swim through the memory streams. World, muddying what was once clear
Dragons from around the globe waters. Most Dragons wouldn’t ad-
would come and share food and mit owing anything to the death of
stories with these Dragons. The a Dragon at the hands of a Scion,
most renowned of them all was but Vishap’s final death Magic
Vishap, and they called her created the network of dreams
the Keeper of Memories. She and signs that Dragons use to
became a repository of all communicate with one anoth-
that dragonkind knew, and as er and their Heirs to this day.
long as she lived, all Dragons But with that magic,
knew what she knew with Vishap inadvertently stole
little effort. Those closest the memories of the oth-
to her were the keepers of er Dragons who held the
sacred memory and gentle collective memories of all
librarians who sang and dragonkind. As they became
swam and stomped and connected through her
shimmered their stories. magic, their memories start-
When the Gods formed ed flowing away from them.
pantheons and changed Jörmungandr, the oldest and most
The World, these Dragons thought knowledgeable of them realized first
nothing of it. They collected this new what was happening. In a desperate attempt
information and stored it with the rest, falling to hold on to what he was losing he called all
easily into whatever roles the Gods described for the others to him. Even as he explained what Vishap’s
them, because they knew these were simply more magic was doing, he could feel that he had lost something
stories for them to remember. It worked well for them, at vitally important. The other Dragons also knew deep down
least for a while, until Heracles slew Vishap.

54 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

that they were missing something, and so they all pledged
to find it once more.
Those who joined Jörmungandr in his search became
the Lindwurms, and any who seek understanding, knowl-
edge, memory, or even just peace of mind found their way
to the Flight to fill its numbers. Now they seek all knowl-
edge, memory, and story that tells of their past. They have
not forgotten it completely, but certain pieces of a puzzle
are missing, and they cannot see the whole because of it.
As they forgot their own stories, Fate took hold and
let the Gods weave their tales instead. Many who were
already following a story set forth by a pantheon forgot
they were ever Dragons to begin with. Others simply ac-
cepted these new roles in hopes that they would jar loose a
memory or two. The stories Gods and their followers tell of
the Lindwurms have taken such a hold on the mythology,
that even the Lindwurms themselves don’t know the truth
anymore. The pantheons and their Heroes cast Lindwurms
as simplistic monsters, and at first this served them well as
their foes underestimated them, but over time the truth be-
came muddied due to the Flight’s own fractured memories.
What’s worse is they know it. They know that the
tales told about them don’t tally with their memories, but
they can’t match up the fine points. The Lindwurms know
what they remember about how they came into The World
doesn’t match the ridiculous tales written down in Greece,
Russia, or Poland, or the stories the Æsir tell their Scions
today. They know they weren’t always Titans, or that they
aren’t titanspawn at all. They act as monsters sometimes,
yes, but more importantly they seek a way to clear their
memories and regain their true identities.
Lindwurms know their history lies scattered across
The World hidden in the crystallized blood of Vishap
turned up as rubies and sapphires the size of a person’s
fist. It is wound through the deep earth in veins of gold,
and threaded through the metal the Gods beat into their
sacred weaponry. An Heir who brings home some fragment
of missing history to his parent receives exultation and re-
ward above all others. An Heir who untangles the truth of
his Handler from the false myths of The World receives the
adulation not just of his parent, but the entire Flight.
In their weakened state, Lindwurms became easy prey.
Vishap’s death was a harbinger of what was to come as the
Æsir and Theoi hunted them relentlessly. Those who didn’t
die, went into hiding, hoping their memories would come
back to them over time.
Lindwurms — with a few notable examples — don’t
spend a lot of time in The World, and they generally don’t
get involved in much of anything. They haven’t left The
World; they have just retired to their chambers, so to speak.
When a Lindwurm decides to interfere directly with The
World, however, they leave little doubt what is happening.
You think icebergs sink every ship that’s ever run afoul of
something in the North Atlantic? Sometimes Lindwurms
get hungry, or sometimes submarine activities disturb
their resting places, and then ships go missing, U-boats
The Lindwurms
LINDWURMS AND
PREDESTINATION
Fate has dictated much of what humanity
knows of the Lindwurms and with their lost
memories there is little they can do to fight
against it. Of all the Flights, the Lindwurms are
the most touched by Fate, having forgotten
who they truly are in the throes of Vishap’s
death. Though Fate has dictated much of the
Lindwurm’s existence, that doesn’t mean they
can’t change their own Fates one way or
another. It just means that they have a harder
time at it than other Dragons.
Predestination and the roles which are
assigned to you by others (or the roles which
you assign to yourself) are large underpinnings
of the Lindwurm stories. Storyguides should
be careful not to let predestination circumvent
player agency at the table. Just because a
Dragon has a role within the Æsir doesn’t
mean that the players can’t change that role for
them over time.
Additionally, the changes that the Gods
have made to the Lindwurms could be seen
as magically enforced gaslighting. The Gods
have told the Lindwurms who they are and
what they should be doing, and the Lindwurms
have a hard time remembering anything else.
Storyguides should take care at the table
when presenting these stories and giving Heirs
memories that might trigger players at the table.
Talk with your players about the kinds of stories
they want to tell with the Lindwurms and how
they want to move forward with their own part
in that story.
For example, Jörmungandr has been
relegated to the butt of Thor and Loki’s tricks and
breaking him out of that could be an incredibly
empowering story. It could also be incredibly
triggering for someone who had dealt with
being relegated to a similar role in their own
life. Remember, always think of the players first.
disappear from the radar, and not even a wreck lies on the
ocean’s bottom.
CHARACTERISTICS
To a one, the Lindwurms live up to their names:
Lindwurm means “ensnaring snake” in old Norse, and,
with the addition of limbs and sometimes wings, that sums
the Flight up exactly. They look like serpents, long with
glistening scales, with forelegs only. Morphologically, they
resemble the Lóng Flight (see p. XX), but their tempera-
ments and ultimately their goals separate them from the
other Flight.
55
 Once upon a time, Lindwurms had great cunning and
a considerable intelligence. Vishap’s death robbed them
of their bone-deep memory, but not their cunning. They
know what they’ve lost, and they know that they can regain
it if they just find all the pieces and put them back together.
The Flight does not blame their lost member for the losses,
but instead the Gods who let this happen. As a result, they
crave more than anything a return of their knowledge, and
they crave revenge. Some desire one more than the other:
The Loch Ness Monster missed much of that history and
has her own very specific axe to grind, and Níðhöggr’s de-
sire for revenge has an awful lot more to do with the sons
(brothers? he can’t remember) slain before he lay trapped
under Yggdrasil for so long.
That desire for payback has led some Lindwurms to
accumulate stunning piles of treasure, which they hoard
in their various and sundry homes, and sometimes deign
to parcel out to their Heirs, either on loan for a particular
purpose or on a more permanent basis. They delight in the
treasures they’ve accumulated and stolen back. As much
as they say they want to be left alone, their ongoing desire
to steal from the Gods comes into conflict with that. What
better way to tweak the noses of the Æsir than to steal their
treasures, or to steal back the treasures which the Æsir
stole from the Lindwurms in the first place? Níðhöggr once
swore that if he could get away with stealing Odin’s other
eye, he’d do it in a heartbeat.
Lindwurms all carry an incredible weight of sadness,
which permeates their mannerisms and speech. They’ve
lost more of their members to dragon slayers than most
other Flights. The Æsir and Theoi began killing them well
before any of the others, save maybe Naga. The Lindwurms
didn’t act fast enough, and by the time they fled to safer
shores, they’d lost so many of their number that they have
yet to recover. As a result, they press their Heirs to embrace
their draconic natures in hopes to refill their ranks.
LAIRS
Lindwurms prefer not to make their homes in The
World, as their generous size would force them to shape-
shift or be too obvious. They are loath to do either, though
some live beneath the sea, resting their heads on distant,
untraveled rocky shores. Many live outside the physical
realm, in Strange Places or Terra Incognitae created in a
desperate effort to stay safe from the Gods.
To find a Lindwurm, you must travel to the end of the
world, and then go a little bit farther. Heirs have sought out
magical items which allowed them to dive deep into the sea
to speak with Jörmungandr. They have climbed a tree until
they couldn’t climb anymore in search of memories from
the long-lost Vishap, who loved to swim in the clouds. And
sometimes, if the moon is right and her mood is good, find-
ing a Lindwurm might just be as easy as driving out past
Inverness and waiting on the edge of a loch.
A Lindwurm’s home invariably contains mountains of
weaponry, treasures, and books. Yes, even the underwater
homes: when a Lindwurm adds a book to their hoard, the
56 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
book survives, even under the water. They might not have
the capability to read the ancient or encoded language
scrawled across the book’s pages, but they keep that vol-
ume all the same. In the middle of their piles of broken
swords and magical shields, Lindwurms make nests out
of pebbles, curling up into small, warm knots of draconic
flesh, surrounded by all the things they stole back from the
Gods (especially the Æsir and Theoi). As far as they’re con-
cerned, though, anything the Gods have, they got by steal-
ing it, so taking it from the Gods doesn’t even count as theft.
It’s appropriating the tools of the people who displaced and
murdered their people.
Even the youngest Lindwurm begins to accumulate
hoards exceedingly fast, demanding tribute from their
Heirs at every contact. Don’t bother calling your Handler
unless you’ve brought something shiny. Each Dragon tends
to focus on one thing in their Hoard over all else. The Loch
Ness Monster absolutely loves sharp things, and an Heir
who brings her a new magical dagger will gain special at-
tention at least until she gets bored of it and wants another
one.
BENEATH THE WAVES
Many Heirs and Lindwurms make their homes in
subaquatic Lairs. For example, Jörmungandr lives at the
bottom of the ocean. Which ocean? A cold ocean. Any
cold ocean. Lindwurms are just that big. Jörmungandr
rests his head on the stony shores at the very north edge of
Norway, in a subterranean cave where the ocean plays in
and out. One often accesses such lairs by means of a cave
system which begins seven miles away, and which devours
incautious intruders. Weaving their way through the cave
system, Heirs must pass a series of pitches, squeezes, and a
few water hazards.
STRANGE PLACES
One might expect finding the Loch Ness Monster’s lair
the easiest of all the Lindwurms, but due to her relatively
great power for her age, Heirs discover that finding her lair
is more difficult even than visiting Jörmungandr, and many
model their lairs after hers. Nessie’s lair doesn’t even exist
in The World, but in a Strange Place formed down at the
bottom of Loch Ness. Most Lindwurms try to stay out of
the World as often as they can, but leave some way for their
Heirs to find them. Nessie has so few Heirs that making
herself available to them matters less than keeping herself
safe from prying hucksters and conspiracy theorists with
their newfangled digital cameras. Lindwurms and their
children hide in Terra Incognitae and Strange Places, and
many Lesser Wyrms create their own Strange Places as
they grow in power.
LOST AND FOUND
Finding a dead Lindwurm’s lair takes a lot of research,
a great deal of luck, and an even greater deal of foolhar-
diness. Many Lindwurm Heirs go on long and impressive
quests, some spanning centuries and the lifetimes of mul-
tiple Heirs, to reclaim the lost homes of their deceased
Handlers. For example, Vishnap’s Heirs (who call them-
selves Vishapakar) have made it their mission to find their
mother’s lost lair. Over the centuries, this has served only
to thin the numbers of Vishapakar walking the world. If
she left a lair at all, the shifting of mountains may well have
concealed the secret ways in, or the links to Terra Incognita
may have disintegrated from the locations at which she en-
tered her home from The World. It doesn’t keep Heirs from
trying to find lost lairs like hers, searching for clues left by
long-gone Dragons.
MYSTERIES
An awful lot of legends about Lindwurms have no
relation to the Flight’s actual origins but do relate closely
to how the Flight’s members function today. When the
Gods and their children rewrite your history over and over,
sometimes even you forget who you were and are.
Heirs often experience dreams which begin with a
sense of confusion when they’re first coming into their
Inheritance, even before their Bequeathal. As they delve
into those mysteries, they find puzzle after puzzle, and
a compulsion to put the pieces together. Reincarnated
Heirs stumble through why they suddenly dream of drag-
on-carved stelae from Eastern Europe, or why thinking
about gold makes their skin itch, and causes them to feel
irrationally angry, as if they’d just overheard someone in-
sulting their mother. Lindwurm Heirs find themselves par-
ticularly prone to sudden fits of fury when they encounter
something which links to the altered myths surrounding
their draconic parent.
So much of what an Heir might learn about his dra-
conic parent could fall under rumor, truth, or some combi-
nation of the two. Much of what the Lindwurms once were
has become warped and changed by loss of memory, the
multiplicity of myth, and the fact that several of the most
notable members have mantles as Titans which makes
the entire thing utterly bewildering. Add to that the fact
that Lindwurms don’t have good memories of the truth
themselves, and trying to figure out which parts are rumor,
which are truth, and which are a mixture of the two can
frustrate even the most astute Heir.
PRESENT TIMES
Some Lindwurm stories remain lost to this day, with
only words or fragments of stories threaded into human-
ity’s mythology. Many of the zmaj, who walked more fre-
quently among humanity than any of the other Lindwurms,
and who gloried in taking human appearance and reputed-
ly took people as spouses, died so long ago that they exist
only as in fairy tales. The few who are left have integrated
so fully into human society that they make no ripples across
the surface of the Lindwurms’ memories.
The other members of the Flight mourn the Dragons
they can barely remember and would pay dearly for knowl-
edge of their reincarnation or any trace of their lost lairs.
Conversely, Python of Delphi’s stories centered around her
putative role as the chariot-puller for the Oracle of Delphi
The Lindwurms
until her Heir took her place in the last fifty years. He and
Nessie give their parents incredible hope for the future of
the Lindwurms.
FRAUGHT SECRETS
The Flight doesn’t rely on secrecy to keep themselves
safe, so much as secrecy comes as a side effect from for-
getting so much of their own history. When an undeniable
truth surfaces and makes its way into the grasping talons
of one of the Lindwurms, or into the mind of one of their
Heirs, they guard it with jealousy and fervor. And it isn’t
enough just to have it, they must utilize it against their en-
emies. Which means the Gods can’t know how much they
are underestimating the Lindwurms as they slowly piece
together their memories.
Lindwurm Heirs experience fractured memories.
A disjointed flash of images rushing in all at once might
herald a directive from an ancestor. They sometimes have
vivid dreams of a lost truth or knowledge but wake in the
morning with only the vaguest sense of what it was. Their
memories are often tinged with sadness for knowledge lost,
or the nagging sense that they are forgetting something im-
portant. Vishapakar often dream of being trapped in stone,
or of carving stones with their own teeth and claws. In their
dreams, they understand exactly what they mean in those
carvings, they comprehend the deeper mystical meaning of
those big rocks with lines, but in the morning, they can’t
remember any of it: meaning dangles tantalizingly out of
reach. These memories drive an Heir to solve riddles, puz-
zle out the past, and learn all they can.
RELATIONSHIPS
Calling the relationships between the Lindwurms and
the Æsir fraught vastly undersells the matter. The Æsir and
their Scions have hunted Lindwurms since their ascen-
dance, and the Lindwurms have — by and large — returned
the favor as best they can. An uneasy peace occasionally
breaks out for a century or two, and then one side or the
other starts up the cycle again. The Dragons can’t stand the
way the Æsir myths about them make them seem small, and
weak, and the Æsir get a little annoyed that the Dragons
won’t just stay dead or chained up and out of the way.
Despite their animosity, the Lindwurms mourned
Baldr when Loki tricked Höðr into killing him with mis-
tletoe. That part of the myth matches reality perfectly: only
Þökk refused to mourn Baldr of all creatures. Every Dragon
mourned the bold, brave, and generous Baldr, if only be-
cause he treated them as cheerfully as he treated everyone
and everything. They couldn’t bring themselves to hate the
kid.
The Lindwurms stay largely detached from politics
between the other Flights, and don’t even indulge in poli-
tics within their own Flight. Most of them don’t count coup
against one another or jockey for position. Lindwurms
might come into conflict with one another because their
Heirs come into conflict, but even that usually resolves
itself when the Heirs work out their issues on their own.
57
They only get riled up when a juicy bit of information is in-
volved, or a long-lost secret they think could be a linchpin
to a puzzle they’ve been working on for centuries. And if
their Heirs can’t seem to figure out how to satiate that need
to know, then the Dragon cuts them loose.
Or eats them. Sometimes if their Heirs become too
much trouble, the Lindwurms simply eat them. They have
hungers just like everyone else, and for the most part, just
want peace and quiet. Emphasis on the quiet. No jerks
fishing for them with cows on a hook, no shepherds with
layers of dresses tricking them into taking off all their skins.
Relationships with others generally begin and end with
“are you bringing me knowledge? No? Then leave or I’ll eat
you.”
Occasionally, the Flight comes into conflict with
themselves through the Titan mantles some have taken
on. Níðhöggr agreed to his Titanic mantle so long ago, but
when he has it on, he forgets who he is completely. He’s
embarrassed that he spends so much time chewing the
roots of the world tree, but he keeps going back to it when
he forgets why he hates it. Every so often, those Titans or
their titanspawn get into conflict with the Dragon or their
Heirs. Many wonder why a Dragon would fight with him-
self, but the Lindwurm’s fractured memories have made
their mantles into almost entirely different and separate
personas unaware that they belong to the same entity.
NOTABLE DRAGONS
The Lindwurm’s numbers have shrank and swollen
over the years. They are recently on a recruitment cam-
paign, hoping to draw in all Dragons who are intent on
gathering knowledge, or pushing their Heirs into drag-
onhood as fast as possible. The following are some of the
oldest, or most active members of the Flight.
F FNIR, CURSED BY GOLD
Aliases: Andvari, Frænir
The Æsir tell a story about a dwarf named Fáfnir. Loki
killed his brother and paid his father in gold as recompense
for the act. Fáfnir responded poorly to the whole affair and
stole all the gold which Loki had given, and that gold turned
him into a fearsome dragon. If that doesn’t seem to make
much sense, the context doesn’t help much: Loki and Odin
came across Fáfnir’s brother, Ótr, while he spent the day in
his otter form. They slew Ótr and presented his skin to the
dwarves’ father, Hreidmar. Hreidmar ruled the dwarves as
King and demanded recompense for the murder. Instead
of something proper, Loki filled Ótr’s skin with gold stolen
from Andvari who cursed it. So, the God of mischief rid
himself of a cursed item by giving it to the dwarves as rec-
ompense for his misdeeds. Great guy, that Loki.
Driven to overwhelming greed by Andvari’s curse,
Fáfnir stole both gold and skin. He fled from his father
and brothers once they discovered the theft. Owning that
gold twisted him into a dragon. Then Fáfnir as a dragon
poisoned the land. Which sounds like great justification for
Sigurd to go and murder him in the name of Odin.
58 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
Fáfnir’s Heirs tell a different story. Fáfnir was a great
Dragon who claimed both the names Andvari and Fáfnir.
Andvari was a storyteller, and Fáfnir was a warrior. He rose
out of the sea at the beginning of the world and chose the
great forests as his home. Delighted by the lands in which
he and his brothers lived, they shared the land peaceably
between themselves for time untold, until the arrival of
humanity, and the Gods they brought along with them like
the midden-heaps which form outside human settlements.
At first, Fáfnir attempted to share the forests with these
strange new creatures. When they began to clear-cut all his
trees and dig mines like deep wounds into the mountains
where he and his brothers slept, he spit poison across the
earth, burning the crops on which the humans relied. When
they overhunted the deer and drove away the rest of the
large game, the Dragons starved. In their hunger, they be-
came desperate, and some of them gained a taste for human.
This battle drew Odin’s attention, who could not abide
the Dragon burning crops and eating his worshippers. So,
he sent his Scion, Sigurd to deal with it. Sigurd dug a pit
and hid in it, waiting for Fáfnir to come to the river to drink.
When Fáfnir leaned over, he plunged his sword into the
Dragon’s heart. Afterward, he killed all Fáfnir’s brothers,
ending the Dragon threat.
Both these stories are true, though the details are
muddied both because Fáfnir is only present as imperfect
memory and because of the Æsir’s meddling. Loki did hand
a bag of cursed gold to Hreidmar and Fáfnir certainly had
possession of that gold. And Sigurd killed Fáfnir for breath-
ing poison across the land. Most of his Heirs believe the
Æsir’s story is the false one, though some posit that Fáfnir
was an Heir to some unknown Dragon, which explains his
transformation to Dragon and the disjointed memories of
the situation.
Fáfnir has tried desperately over the years to reincar-
nate through an Heir. Despite his efforts, none have given
him control, probably because he picks strong-willed peo-
ple who aren’t keen on giving their life over to him in rein-
carnation. Fáfnir’s Heirs are singularly driven individuals
with good heads on their shoulders and a bit of obsession
keeping them on task. They are detectives, reporters, law-
yers, architects, and a slew of other professions that require
dedication and drive to stay on task.
Callings: Destroyer, Guardian, Judge
Memory: Guarding what is precious; bringing justice
to the wronged; cold, calculating revenge; a call to fight
against injustice and do good in The World; collecting
treasures.
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Decay, Elemental
Manipulation (Earth, Fire), Flight
J RMUNGANDR,
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
Aliases: Ouroboros
Once Jörmungandr encircled The World and no one
bothered him. Once he swam the oceans, singing the songs
of draconic glory to any who would hear. Once, he was the
greatest of the wurms, oldest and wisest, sitting at Vishap’s
tail while she told stories of his grandeur. When the Gods
came, they heard these stories and revered his greatness,
and so he told them all he could of dragon kind. They then
made up stories about him, and he laughed and played a
part in their story to entertain them. He was Loki’s child,
born of a giant, and it was such a farce and a delight.
When Vishap died and shattered her memories,
Jörmungandr knew immediately something wasn’t right.
But even then, he couldn’t tell exactly what it was. He was
no longer the Dragon playing a part in the Æsir’s play, but
instead the overgrown serpent who falls for their pranks.
He called out to his friends for help, but they were also
stuck in roles they thought they were only playing at.
The Lindwurms view Jörmungandr as the one who
brought them together, and therefore their leader. But
Jörmungandr has become passive with time. His descent
into passivity happened probably the third or fourth time
that Thor electrified the water in order to make him rise to
the surface, and he barely escaped with his life, or maybe
the second time that Loki tried to get him to take a cow for
bait, while Thor’s fishhook stuck out the side of the cow. As
if he were so stupid that he wouldn’t notice.
Despite all the stories the Æsir crafted about him,
Jörmungandr isn’t stupid. He’s lost his patience with the
whole charade: Gods, Titans, Flights, all of it. He’s been
stuck as the leader for millennia, and he absolutely hates
being looked up to by the other Dragons. In another Flight,
a challenger would have arisen to knock him off his peb-
ble-made throne, but in this Flight — so far — there’s no
one both powerful and motivated enough to challenge him.
He’s never forgiven the Æsir for tricking him into the
mantle of monstrous child of a trickster God, a thing he
must bear when in conflict with them. His anger burns low
and deep, but he’s also aware that he can’t exactly do much
about it at this point: the mantle is so incredibly Fatebound
into these tales, and the Æsir so active, that he’s grown apa-
thetic, and almost content to wait for the end of The World.
If he could be stirred from his stupor, though…
Jörmungandr chooses the cleverest and brightest of
humanity for his Heirs to gather memory and return him-
self to his former glory. He hungers for knowledge above
all things. As his children bring more knowledge to him, he
creates and chooses more Heirs with growing rapidity, and
often sets them against one another in challenges to prove
their brilliance. His Heirs are often scientists, researchers,
archaeologists, and technological geniuses.
Callings: Collector, Destroyer, Nomad
Memory: Icy cold waters and crushing depths; sun
warmed beaches with sea birds circling overhead; the sight
of the world from above, as one circles it; a low burning
hatred fueled by embarrassment and apathy.
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Frost,
Water), Flight, Understanding, Weather Control
The Lindwurms
THE LOCH NESS MONSTER,
SHE WHO RISES
Aliases: Nessie, Derbforgaill
Before she became Nessie, some several hundred years
ago, Derbforgaill of Inverness came into her own as an Heir
to Fáfnir. As she delved deeper into the Memory of her
lost Dragon, Derbforgaill became bitter and angry over the
wrongs the Æsir perpetuated. The more she learned, the
deeper her need for vengeance grew and she cut a bloody
and fire-edged swath across an entire generation of Scions.
The thought of Fáfnir’s head mounted on some Scion’s
wall led her to utter and unbelievable, inhuman levels of
depravity. Derbforgaill embraced the Dragon within her to
a degree not seen for millennia among Lindwurm Heirs.
Her bloody rampage ended the day she slew Áleifr,
a Scion of Loki, and in devouring him whole, reclaimed
Fáfnir’s swords Ridill and Hrotti, as well as his Helm of
Terror. She belched up the swords and the helm, rubbed
the spit and acid off with the cuff of her sleeve, and placed
the Helm of Terror upon her head. One after the other, she
flung the swords Ridill and Hrotti into Loch Ness. Instantly
regretting that emotional gesture, she dove into the crush-
ing waters.
The Helm of Terror prevented the loch from flattening
her skull as she dove deeper into the depths, desperately
searching for the swords. With each dive she left more of
what remained of her humanity in the loch’s deep waters.
To her, each time she submerged seemed to take only a few
minutes, but in The World, years upon years passed. The
loch had always held a Strange Place, and she dove right
into it, not even realizing how much she expanded its bor-
ders as she did. The last time she rose to the surface, she
left her humanity in the loch’s untrammeled depths. The
Helm of Terror fused with her skull and she fully embraced
her draconic nature, becoming a Dragon, but not the rein-
carnation of Fáfnir as his memories had hoped.
Since the day Derbforgaill died and Nessie rose, she
has reveled in her status as a creature outside of space, if
not time. When humanity encroaches upon the loch too
closely, or attempts to capture some proof of her existence,
she retreats into the Deep Loch, her Strange Place in the
depths where no human can find her. She emerges when it
pleases her, walking the shores in human form, and disap-
pears into the waters once more. Nessie creates only a few
Heirs and watches them closely, keeping full control over
her legacy. After what happened to her father, and what the
experience did to her, she’s not in any hurry to share her
power with a passel of unruly children.
The Loch Ness Monster spends a great deal of time
choosing Heirs, being rather fussy. She chooses people who
are highly intelligent, independent, and loyal. They come
from all levels of society, and often care for The World and
its well-being. They are biological scientists, humanitari-
ans, doctors, and social workers.
Callings: Guardian, Mystic, Predator
59
 Memory: A deep anger at filth and contamination;
regret over collateral damage; a fear of harming humanity;
a longing for companionship; rusted helmets, swords, and
armor.
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Water),
Illusion, Luck, Weather Control
N H GGR, WHO GNAWS THE ROOTS
Back in the dawn of time, Níðhöggr wandered free
across the face of the waters and The World, with his
brothers Góinn and Móinn. When the Gods rose, Odin
pinned Níðhöggr to the root of the World Tree, driving one
of the roots of Yggdrasil through his tail. He tried to gnaw
his way free, the whole time bitterly spitting curses at each
of the Æsir, and at the eagle at the top of the tree. His curs-
es only ever reached the ears of Ratatosk, but perhaps one
witness can bear the news of a curse to The World beyond
the Terra Incognita. Níðhöggr’s Heirs claim that his curses
taught Ratatosk the art of laying a curse upon someone,
and that squirrels chatter because they mimic his endless
complaining about how much it hurts to have a tree root
through your hindquarters.
Níðhöggr might have stayed gnawing that root into
eternity, if one of his long-lost Heirs hadn’t brought him a
memory of his life as a Dragon. With that knowledge, he
gained sudden freedom, and discovered that the Æsir had
murdered his brothers. He set about creating new Heirs,
60 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
swearing to each that they alone were unique and his true
Heir, and any others are pretenders. When the war be-
tween the Æsir and the Lindwurms grows a little too chilly
for his tastes, Níðhöggr is there to light the flames again,
especially if his Heirs get the opportunity to do damage to
Odin or his Scions.
Despite his growing separation between Níðhöggr
the Titan and Níðhöggr the Dragon, the Lindwurm re-
tains some of the Titan’s traits. Namely, his hunger. After
chewing through Yggdrasil’s roots for so long, he con-
stantly craves meat. When the craving gets too strong, he
sometimes returns to his Titanic mantle, but when he’s
there, he nearly forgets all of his draconic plans. He tries
to satisfy his hunger by eating the Æsir’s followers, or any
who would dare venture into his domain. His Heirs spend a
great deal of time seeking those worthy of a slow, agonizing
death, being devoured by a Dragon to help sate him. First
on that list, those who take his name in vain or twist his
myth to suit some sort of perverse human agenda.
These days, Níðhöggr creates Heirs who meet his rar-
ified standards and exhibit exceptional drive. The hunger
gnaws at their bones the same way their father might if
given the chance: they want things. They want power, they
want knowledge, they want everything. He crafts and spurs
on their hunger, driving them to great feats of avarice.
Callings: Collector, Destroyer, Predator
 Memory: Vengeance wrought through violence; sink-
ing your teeth into fresh, warm meat; eating the Gods and
their children; an unshakable hunger for more
Dragon Magic: Decay, Elemental Manipulation
(Frost, Water), Luck
VISHAP, THE GREAT BROOD-MOTHER
Before humankind came, Vishap spent her time in the
clouds over eastern Europe, perched on the just-formed
mountains or swimming in the cold, massive lakes. When
exploring her uncontested dominion bored her, Vishap
invented art, carving her likeness in steles across Armenia’s
mountains. Countless self-portraits lie half-buried where
Vishap left them. Humanity now claims even her art, eras-
ing her utterly.
Her Heirs claim Vishap made the first Heirs.
Humanity’s cruel legends claim that Vishap stole children
from their cribs and replaced them with horrible, mutated
beings, monstrous and terrible. She did not steal babies,
instead choosing the strongest and most beautiful adoles-
cents and young adults to become her children. Vishap
carried them back to her lair three at a time and placed
them in her giant nest built from rotting vegetation and
bones. In the center of this oversized cradle, she carefully
laid one of the stones she’d carved in her own image, called
vishapakar. Spreading her wings over her children, Vishap
slept protectively until just before dawn.
The Lindwurms
During her sleep, vishapakar merged in equal parts
with each of the three humans, making them stronger and
hardier from the infusion of her ineffable and draconic self.
Vishap carried them home and returned them with the
rising sun. While some communities drove her Heirs out,
at least one family out of three kept them. As sea turtles lay
hundreds of eggs, so Vishap created her children in threes
in hopes that at least one would survive. When multiple
children from a group survived, they could feel the other
portions of the vishapakar drawing them together. Soon her
descendants began to refer to themselves as Vishapakar, no
longer differentiating between their human selves and the
steles which created their ancestors.
Of all the Lindwurms, Vishap suffered the most
brutal fate: hunted and murdered her for sport, then her
dying curse destroyed her own brethren’s sense of self.
Xorenac‘i, a Vishapakar alive when his mother died, wrote
that Heracles journeyed north to destroy Vishap, returning
home with her skin and bones as trophies. Those who have
uncovered more of the Lindwurms secrets believe that
Xorenac‘i only used Heracles as a meterstick to measure
the strength and power of Vahagn the Dragon-slayer, who
was truly responsible for killing her. As she died, shards of
her memory landed all over the earth for anyone to find.
Vishapakar still appear, generation after generation.
Vishap chooses her Heirs carefully, preferring those who
society views as minority or lesser, giving them her gifts
61
 FLIGHT PATH OF THE LINDWURMS
Path Skills: Close Combat, Survival
Favored Draconic Knacks: Fade Away, Massive Beast Shape
Remembrances: Duty (Cypher) and Consciousness (Defection).
Lindwurms play back their lives like a broken record, trying hard to find the missing pieces and tell a
full story. They know deep down that they once had a purpose, but they’ve forgotten. Their Heirs have a
duty to put those puzzle pieces back together. An Heir feels a pressing need to not just remember, but to
seek, find, and become. As she learns more about her Handler, she replays the life lived, and takes on the
purpose of the Dragons. She dutifully gathers information, bringing it back to her Handler, and goes out
again to do the same. Duty forces her to give up everything in the name of the Lindwurms, risking life and
limb for a dream.
When an Heir wants to forsake her draconic side, she acts with consciousness refusing to mindlessly
act out these timeworn narratives or follow the set of tracks set in front of her. Not true rebellion, but a life
lived for oneself rather than for the duty put forward by her Handler. An Heir who pushes back against
her heritage does so with a clear mind. She may seek out stories, but she collates them into her own
narrative, piecing them together as she sees fit, and following the path she sets for herself in a conscious
and deliberate manner.
• Signature
• Signature Lindwurm Dragon Magic: Avarice Lindwurms seek knowledge, but their quest has made
them obsessive, and they do everything in extremes. They hoard more than any other Dragon, trying to keep
every minute scrap of themselves they can favoring possessions over actions. This has formed into a kind of
magic in which just reinforces their excessive ways. No amount of whatever a Lindwurm is fixated on will
be enough, and they ensure that anyone who works with or for them has the same driving goals as they do.

of memory so that they can rise above boxes humanity HOARD

has placed around them. They are scholars, teachers, ex-
plorers, and archeologists. Vishapakar scholars await her
reincarnation with a mixture of hope and trepidation: what
will the Great Brood-Mother think of The World which has
risen in her absence?
Callings: Collector, Mystic, Ruler
Memory: Creating new things; art made for the sake of
beauty; a deep and overwhelming sadness; disjointed and
fragmented feelings; calcified bone and crystalized blood.
Dragon Magic: Luck, Elemental Manipulation (Earth,
Water), Understanding
COMMON LINDWURM
BIRTHRIGHTS
Lindwurm Birthrights focus on safety, community,
and information. The Lindwurms concern themselves with
their own safety, and so offer the same to their Heirs. Their
primary focus is regaining their lost memories, and they
devote most of their resources to this endeavor, providing
their Heirs with all means available to them to promote
that goal.
GUIDE
• Arke: Arke was once a Theoi, but she has no love
lost for the pantheon after she put her lot in with the
Titans and was summarily punished. Now she’s sid-
ed with the Dragons, or at least she claims she has,
helping Heirs who offer her their assistance in kind.
• Ridill and Hrotti: First belonging to Fáfnir, The
Loch Ness Monster has secreted these weapons
away in her lair. She stingily refuses to give them
over to her Heirs. A good Heir might be able to
convince her to hand them over. Some believe she’s
stingy because she still hasn’t found them in all her
time searching the loch, and if they can return them
to her it would be worth a great reward.
• The First Vishapakar: A fragment from Vishap’s
first stela currently rests in the ownership of Davit
Petrosyan, a Vishapakar Heir. In his early thirties,
Davit found the fragment after sleepwalking out of
his apartment. He woke up over sixty miles away,
feet bleeding, covered with scratches which looked
like claw marks but were most likely briars, holding
the stone in his hands. The fragment glows faintly
gold whenever placed on the skin of one of Vishap’s
blood, and the remaining Heirs of this dead Dragon
use it in their attempts to locate any and all possible
Vishapakar.
LAIR
• Given their parents’ obsession with safety, every
Lindwurm Heir focuses on developing their own
Lair. In the rare case where two Lindwurm Heirs
trust one another enough to share a Lair, that loca-
tion becomes the envy of Fort Knox. Each Heir high-
ly personalizes their Lair, reflecting all she’s learned
about her Handler.

62 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

PAWNS
• The Living Library: The Lindwurms have collated
the entirety of what they have rediscovered and
learned into a system they call the living library. Less
alive and more ever changing, the library utilizes a
cloud computing system and a neural network that
actively seeks stories, information, and the location
of Lindwurm relics. Librarians are found through-
out The World, and are filled with knowledge, or
where to find it.
The Lindwurms
• The Vishapakar Society: A group of academics and
treasure hunters, the Vishapakar Society focuses on
finding the hidden meanings in Vishap’s stelae. They
meet bi-weekly in several cities around the world;
their parent chapter meets in Yerevan on a weekly
basis, moving their meeting place between secret
locations. Most members believe they’re just partic-
ipating in a fun exercise, like attempting to decode
the Voynich Manuscript over tea.
63
 “She crept about it, she crawled about it, and her green robe flowed over it.
Her green robe glittered with a thousand golden scales; long flames burst
from her lips and from her eyes; a huge and fearsome Dragon, she wound
and coiled herself about the bell of D j ji. With her Dragon’s tail, she lashed
the bell and lashed it till its bronze was red hot.”
— The Bell of D j ji

T he lóng (or lung) of China. The ryu of Japan. The mireu

and imugi of Korea. Thanks to the linguistics and draconic
diversity of Asia, the Lóng Flight goes by dozens of names and
contains around two hundred still-living dragons, from the
r ng of Vietnam to the taniwha of Polynesia. Exact dates are
hard to come by, but sometime after the rise of the Huángdì
in 2697 BCE, the Dragons of Asia began separating from
their nearby pantheons.
Despite the vital role that Yīnglóng played in
the creation of the Chinese Han state, the
Dragon was relegated to a minor role
within the Shén. Adding insult to
injury, Huángdì made Yīnglóng
teach him how to shape change
into the Yellow Dragon, es-
sentially treating the Dragon
form as a costume to wear,
understanding nothing of
the culture of the Lóng.
Huángdì’s transformation
into the Yellow Dragon
could have been the bridge
that connected the Gods and
Dragons into a strong commu-
nity, but the Yellow Emperor
treated the gift of a Dragon form
as a mere plaything, souring rela-
tions. Prince Nezha’s crimes against
Áo Gu ng drove the wedge further.
Across Asia, similar struggles between Gods
and Dragons broke out: the feuds between Maui and Kuna,
Gōnggōng and Zhuānxū, and even Wùkōng and Ryūjin.
In other areas of The World, Scions and Gods were
killing Dragons, and locally increasingly anthrocentrist
policies placed humans and humanoids before all other
species. Seeing the writing on the wall, the Dragons be-
gan a quick exodus from the Shén, Kami, Atua, and other
pantheons in the area. By the Kami invasion of The World
in 600 BCE, hundreds of Asian Dragons left the Atua, Kami,
and Shén behind. The strategic move saved countless lives,
though some, such as Yamata-no-Orochi, died at the hands
of the Kami before they could all escape properly.
Although they rarely agreed on matters, the Lóng
created a network of communities as part of the strategic
retreat, ensuring none would ever face the Gods or Titans
alone again. Debates over who should rule and
what to call the nascent Flight were fierce
and extended. They eventually settled
on Lóng as a name, due to the Flight
having more lóng than any other
type of Dragon, thus more votes
for Lóng than any other name.
Leadership was a more
complicated topic, with ev-
erything from direct democ-
racy to anarchism to krato-
cracy seriously considered.
In the end, they did a bit of
everything. Major policy de-
cisions are handled through a
Flight-wide vote, with irregular
Flight gatherings taking place in
Ryūgū, Ryūjin’s castle. Voluntary
groups formed for mutual aid, creat-
ing a grass-roots structure for handling
small, regional Lóng issues. And Ryūjin
was thrown under the whale, voted the King of
the Flight against the wishes of the Dragon who already
had his claws full with his kingdom.
The Lóng are the largest Flight, and probably the most
organized. They benefit from coming together early which
saved a great many of their numbers, which in turn gives
them the advantage of a multitude of minds all put toward
strategizing their goals. The Lóng remember their time

64 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

both before Gods and as Gods, and they have never felt easy
with their decision to leave that power behind. They have
the security to play a long game, which ends as them the
supreme rulers of The World, and all humankind.
Thanks to the more recent violent upheavals of the
Titanomachy, the Dragons in Asia have learned that there
is safety in numbers, not to mention Earth’s deepest seas,
where even Poseidon knows better than to meddle. They
started accepting stragglers from all over The World, but
only if that Dragon was happy with hiding among a dem-
ocratic oligarchy. They once tried to recruit the Dragons
who would later become the Serpents, but at the time those
Dragons weren’t ready to leave their pantheons behind.
Despite the general desire for a sense of belonging and
unity, it still took over a thousand years to fully establish
the Lóng, mainly because there were so many River Lóng
who were too embroiled in their own struggles against
Titans and Gods to understand that they didn’t have to
stand alone. Many of the River Lóng perished in the panic
that preceded the unification. But now, they have a home
and a family, and they’re not going to give that up.
FACTIONS
Though mortals have tried cataloging all the Lóng,
their Flight can largely be broken into four cliques, based
on their preferred habitats: Sea, Shallows, Rivers, and
Heavens. While the Lóng of the Sea and the Lóng the River
both think of themselves as Dragon royalty, the Sea Lóng
lean into it, with all the good and bad that go along with
it. The more levelheaded, like Ryūjin, cultivate entire cit-
ies of magical beings, eager to be kind and just rulers. The
more passionate, like Kiyohime, demand their tribute and
destroy those who refuse to part with it.
In contrast, the River Lóng see themselves as the
people’s leaders, desperate to aid their subjects in times of
crisis or rescue them from danger. Thanks to the nature of
rivers and human civilizations, the River Lóng have plenty
of chances to perform their self-appointed duties. They try
to keep a low profile like the rest of the Lóng, but if any
group is likely to slip up and get spotted, it’s them. Although
originally a Heavenly Shén, Yīnglóng’s passion for the peo-
ple is one of the clearest examples of a River Lóng. He put
away his entire life in order to save the people.
Shallows Lóng come in a variety of flavors, perhaps
because they were born that way or possibly because many
of them are shapeshifters. No matter what the reason,
they’re some of the toughest Dragons around, having had
to grow up fending off the predators both in the sea and on
islands. As a result, they tend to be more aggressive, often
finding fights that could have been avoided, simply because
they couldn’t risk being the second to attack.
Rarely seen in The World, Heaven Lóng define in-
scrutability, their behavior shrouded in an air of nobility,
often pondering problems that only they can see. Their
contemplative behavior should not be seen as weakness or
an unwillingness to act, though; the dead Gōnggōng and
The Lóng
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
As a widespread group, the names of the
Lóng come from multiple languages, which
can create some confusion. Here are some
important names and terms along with their
pronunciations. The “r” sound of all the
languages is a flap, similar to the sound “tt”
makes in “Seattle” or “butter.” A difficult
syllable, “ryu” has no space between the “r”
and the “y” sound, similar to how “do you” in
English can sound like “dyou.” And, while most
of the vowels presented are somewhat close to
English vowels, the “eu” of “mireu” is similar the
English “oo,” but made without rounding your
lips.
Ati-a-muri “Ah-tee-ah-moo-ree”
Bakunawa “Bah-koo-nah-wah”
Gōnggōng “Gohng-gohng”
Horomatangi “Hoh-roh-mah-tang-ee”
Imugi “Ee-moo-gee”
Kuna “Koo-nah”
Lóng “Lohng”
Mireu “Mee-roo”
Mo’o “Moh’-oh”
Roko “Roh-koh”
Ryu “Ryoo”
Ryūjin “Ryoo-jeen”
Tamatebako “Tah-mah-teh-bah-koh”
Taniwha “Tah-nee-whah”
Yīnglóng “Yeeng-lohng”
Zhúlóng “Joo-lohng”
the scars The World bears because of him are proof enough
of that. Why the Heaven Lóng still live among the Gods is
anyone’s guess, but subterfuge is a distinct possibility.
CHARACTERISTICS
Generally speaking, the Lóng have lengthy, serpentine
bodies, giant heads, antlers, and a set of claws or two, with
relatively minor variation from region to region. As an
example, Chinese lóng and Japanese ryu have a different
number of toes, five and three, respectively. Korean imugi
typically lack antlers and claws, at least until they mature
into fully grown mireu. River Lóng tend to appear more
snakelike, although they can grow claws if the need arises.
Completely changing things up, Shallows Lóng are
shapeshifters who don’t care about maintaining the status
quo Dragon look. Instead, they adapt their bodies to suit
their environments. Among these are the bakunawa of the
Philippines, the taniwha of western Polynesia, and the mo’o
of eastern Polynesia. Between each of these major species,
the Shallows Lóng can look like pretty much anything
65
aquatic or reptilian, with the bakunawa preferring to look
like sharks, turtles, and crocodiles. Taniwha and mo’o are
closely related, generally appearing in a reptilian form, liz-
ards, eels, and such. Taniwha are nearly always in the form
of a large predator, while mo’o have more flexibility in their
size, becoming as large or small as a they want to be, even
things as small as geckos.
With a lifespan far older than most everything in The
World, Gods included, the Lóng have developed two traits
that are nearly universal throughout the Flight: patience
and a stubborn attitude. They generally shrug off human
stupidity and spontaneity, assuming time and a draconic
nudge or two will set things right. This is generally a good
thing for Heirs going through a rough time of transition,
although some might wish their Dragon had more of a
hands-on approach when they come face first against a
violent Scion or God.
While they know that time causes all things to shake
out for the best, many Lóng can’t help but put a claw on
the scales to make things work out a little better and a little
faster. The River Lóng are especially guilty of this, arrang-
ing circumstances so that a human can’t help but make bet-
ter choices. To be fair, their lairs are surrounded by people
at all times, so it’s not like they don’t have a personal stake
in humanity getting things right.
LAIRS
Starting in East Asia and encompassing the Pacific
Ocean, the Lóng span to all corners of The World. As such,
their lairs are as varied as they are.
LOCATIONS
Although many Lóng choose to make their lairs away
from humans, virtually all the River Lóng live among hu-
mans. Part of this is because of geographic necessity. When
your domain is a major waterway, there’s no getting away
from people. But many River Lóng don’t see their proximity
to people as a problem; instead, they see it as a partnership
of the land. In a way, the people are like citizens of their tiny
kingdoms. And they are tiny kingdoms, with many of the
River Lóng’s lairs barely more than a city block. Thankfully,
River Lóng are experts at shape changing, requiring little
space, especially if they’re in the form of a small snake.
Sea Lóng, on the other hand, often make their lairs in
a place challenging for humans to visit: beneath the waves.
Most of these lairs are sea caves, but a few, like Ryūjin’s,
are full scale castles. Shallows Lóng hate staying still. Many
of them simply don’t lair, preferring instead to stake out a
specific territory to patrol. Whether their patrols are acts
of protection or terrorism is a matter of opinion that varies
wildly depending on who’s commenting. Heaven Lóng rare-
ly make lairs in The World, instead finding spaces within
the various Heavens. Though theoretically welcome in any
of the Heavens, Heaven Lóng almost always stick to their
original pantheon; there aren’t any mireu in Takamagahara,
nor ryu in Cheon, at least not longer than a brief visit. But
there are plenty of Heaven Lóng who are less literal with
66 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
their homes, choosing to make their homes in The World,
atop mountains and clouds.
FEATURES
Because River Lóng love being at the center of atten-
tion, their lairs are nearly always community centers of
sorts. Amphitheaters and temples are especially popular,
with many acting troupes, monastic orders, and even a few
internet café-based e-sports teams being directly spon-
sored by River Lóng, who enjoy plays, concerts, religious
ceremonies, and competitions even more than humans.
Such events are well-shrouded, not naming the patron,
though the Dragon almost always shows up in disguise to
watch his masterpiece play out.
Although you might expect the castles of the Sea Lóng
to be massive and immobile, that’s only half true; their
castles routinely go missing from The World, cropping up
in various Terra Incognitae like Takamagahara. When they
return to The World, they don’t always return to the same
spot. It’s even possible for them to appear in other oceans,
although that’s risky for a variety of reasons. Anyone seek-
ing out a Sea Lóng would be better off getting a guide, since
the odds of finding the lair on their own are practically zero.
The “lairs” of the Shallows Lóng are less of a place and
more of a state of mind; the simple act of going on watch,
looking after the people and places of the territory, serves
to center the Shallows Lóng, like a primal, militant form
of meditation. As such, these patrols are essential elements
of the Shallows Lóng, meaning that every Shallows Lóng
has something or someone(s) they want to protect, usually
a single island or tribe of people.
Naturally, the Heaven Lóng have the most opulent
residences of the Flight. The nature of Heaven means that
physics and space are of even less concern than they are in
The World. When a Dragon wants a new castle wing, they
just need to add a cloud to their Lair. Of course, the location
means that they have Shén for neighbors, which might not
always be a plus.
LAIR STAFF
Regardless of what kind of lair a Lóng has, it contains
a full staff, though not necessarily human or even knowing
of their roles. Castle Ryūgū rarely even has human visitors,
let alone permanent residents, Urashimatarō notwith-
standing. Instead, the castle has a veritable army of fish
and cephalopods inside, tending to the needs of their king
and any petitioners of his court. Even though the castle has
some air-filled spaces, the fish servants swim through them
unhindered, because of course they do. Even the Shallows
Lóng have a sea full of allies willing to keep an eye out or to
fetch something.
High maintenance Dragons, Lóng generally have a lot
of work to do. River Lóng ensure the people are healthy
and in good spirits, with successful harvests. As an exam-
ple, Yīnglóng has a network of messengers who keep their
eyes and ears open for any signs that a village might need
the water Dragon’s help. Any drought in southern China
is unlikely to last long. Sea Lóng keep the billions of ani-
mals in the oceans from hunting one another to extinction,
presiding over endless court cases between aggrieved
creatures. Naturally, the Heaven Lóng have considerable
baggage, as everything they do and see is filtered through
the lens of what The World could be, “if only X were differ-
ent.” Only the Shallows Lóng eschew retainers, preferring
to get things done on their own and being willing to live
with anything they can’t take care of.
The theatre troupes of the River Lóng aren’t exactly
spies working for their master, but they do have acting
skills. If their Lóng needs information, they’ll find a way to
convince people to tell them what they need to know. Even
the small, open air lairs of the smaller River Lóng tend to
be bustling centers of information, with people exchanging
goods, services, and information along the periphery. Few
people these days suspect that the snake in the golden bowl
is a Dragon. Fewer still realize that every secret that comes
out of their mouths makes its way to the ear of the Lóng.
Beyond the attendants, Lóng lairs are packed with any-
thing the Dragon considers beautiful. What’s the point of
living forever if you don’t have cool art? Taste in art might
be in the eye of the beholder, but the staggering amount of
resources and time that most Lóng have at their disposal
means that whatever they have is likely the best of its kind.
MYSTERIES
With thousands of Lóng, the possible memories an
Heir might encounter are nearly limitless. The folklore of
East Asia and the Pacific are only the beginning. The tales
out there are merely the encounters humans documented.
Millions of other stories have gone untold and unknown to
humans over the past several thousand years. The stories
that people tell of the Lóng are mostly true, to a point. The
Flight doesn’t need to hide their truths in lies; the glut of
stories does the job well enough, overwhelming anyone
who tries to dig too deep. Heirs have just as hard a time
sifting through memories and sorting the useful from the
excessive. An Heir is likely to gain a general sense from
dozens of memories, rather than experiencing a specific
memory about any one event.
Heirs gain memories of humans underestimating dra-
conic strength, or the Dragon’s fiery passions. The River
Lóng Jīnlóngwáng rules over the entirety of the Yellow
River, but frequently manifests as a small golden snake
with four red dots over his eyes. Even while posing regally
in his golden lacquerware bowl, many unlearned mortals
fail to recognize that his modest form belies one of the most
powerful River Lóng. There are even times when educated
scholars challenged the Golden Dragon King, only to end
up with their jaws on the floor when they blinked, and he
suddenly towered above them or surrounded them in a
corral of flames.
Not all memories of Lóng involve telling mortals to
get in their place or burning them alive. Most of Lóng get
along well with humans. When the Titan Ji fèng captured
a princess, it was ultimately a Sea Lóng who set things right
The Lóng
with The World. Ji fèng, the Nine-headed Phoenix, held
the princess in its nest, a rather labyrinthine cave network.
Though a prince freed her and a Lóng who was held cap-
tive, the prince was betrayed by another royal who wanted
the princess for himself. In the end, the Lóng gave the first
prince the tools he needed to prove that he was the hero.
Plenty of Sea Lóng have found themselves balancing
karmic scales for humans, either eating unruly ones or
finding suitable rewards for just ones. Huáng Lóng saved a
devoted daughter from certain death, eventually reuniting
her with her blind father. Ryūjin repaid a kind fisherman
who saved a turtle from a gang with the tamatebako, a box
promising eternal life for those who can keep it closed and
a terrible fate for those unable to restrain their curiosity.
Even Lóng in relationships with humans tend to deal out
karmic justice, punishing those who go back on their
words. Ryūjin’s daughter Toyotamahime was once married
to a prince. Unbeknownst to him, she had taken a human
form. She gave him the condition that he does not watch
her during childbirth. Of course, the asshole did, discover-
ing her in her draconic glory. Unwilling to remain married
to an oath breaker, she left him, making him fully responsi-
ble for raising their son.
THE END GAME
The Lóng have crafted a careful plan to not just get rid
of the pantheons, but usurp them, taking their place of ulti-
mate worship among humans. To this end, they have spent
their time gaining allies and ingratiating themselves with
humanity. They can’t overtly gain their worship, for if the
pantheons caught wind of their plans, they would surely
rain fiery wrath upon all the Dragons of The World.
While Gods and Titans struggle against one another,
flinging their children into battle, the Lóng have been play-
ing a different game. Instead of fighting in the streets and
clouds, they use their old talents of Blessings, empowering
one another and turning ordinary humans into potent allies
and pawns. It’s no coincidence that one of the most famous
faces in Japan is green and scaly and those most devoted to
him are at the top of the game for entertainment. Just as in
the old days, Lóng reward virtue in humans. These days,
those virtues serve the Dragons.
It would be a mistake to say that these mortals consti-
tute an army or are heroes, but there are millions of them
in the Lóng’s pocket. They come from all levels of society,
from government to entertainment to law enforcement to
criminal enterprise. Anyone you meet could be a pawn of
the Lóng, part of a vast conspiracy as part of a dangerous
end game.
RELATIONSHIPS
The Shén know the Lóng well, as many of them have
lived and worked together. Huángdì, in particular, owes
Yīnglóng his life, his throne, and even his very Godhood.
The Responding Dragon sacrificed his godhood and place
in Heaven in order to destroy Huángdì’s foes and unite
China. It is a debt that the Yellow Emperor can never repay.
67
Accordingly, even his Scions feel beholden to Yīnglóng’s
Heirs. Similarly, the Shén have nothing but good things to
say about Ryūjin, as he’s kept the Pacific far calmer than
they could have hoped.
Unfortunately, not all interactions between the Lóng
and the Shén have ended so well. Gōnggōng’s death at
the hands of Zhúlóng makes that plain to see. Though
Gōnggōng is no more, his Heirs are unlikely to feel safe
amongst the Shén. Similarly, Nüwa slew the Black Dragon.
Though her actions were to help her people, that’s cold
comfort to the rest of the Lóng, who see her as a foe, or at
least a danger.
The Kami, on the other hand, consider the Lóng
members of the pantheon, even if that belief only goes one
way. Though few of the Heavenly Kami would consider the
Lóng equals or deserving of a place in Takamagahara, they
nonetheless see the Lóng as members of the same team.
Adding to this confusion, Ryūjin has had a place among
the Heavenly Kami since as long as anyone can remember,
although his palace has always been beneath the waves.
In fact, none of the Lóng have ever laired among the
Heavenly or Earthly Kami. Tsukuyomi lives on the Moon,
so it’s not like there isn’t strong precedent for Kami living
in weird places. With that in mind, it’s not that hard to un-
derstand why none of the Kami have ever noticed that the
Lóng never visit Takamagahara.
68 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
More interesting is the Lóng ’s relationship with the
Titans of Asia. Raijin’s domain is the sky, while Ryūjin’s
is the sea, making the surface of the ocean The World’s
largest border between the supernatural, making Sea Lóng
and Sky Titans the closest thing to cordial neighbors as The
World sees. Raijin’s brother Raitarō even takes dragon form
from time to time. Which is not to say all Lóng speak well
of their neighbors. Jīnlóngwáng has plenty of nasty things
to say about the Titans along his domain, the Yellow River,
especially after many of his servants died in the early days
of the Titanomachy, caught in the turf wars.
Even more complicated, the Lóng and the Atua can’t
decide what they think of each other. The Atua sure as hell
don’t trust Kuna, especially since Hina’s account of their
engagement wildly diverges from his, painting him in a
much less flattering light. The Lóng don’t trust the Atua
after Maui’s beat down of the eel taniwha. The mo’o Roko
also beat the shit out of Kuna and he’s a Lóng, too. Hell,
Roko killed an Aspect of Kuna, so any claims that there’s a
united front are glossing over details.
NOTABLE DRAGONS
The Lóng Flight numbers in the hundreds, with
Dragons hailing from all over The World. The following are
just a small sampling of some of the most famous of their
ranks.
G NGG NG, THE SKY-BREAKER
Aliases: Kungkung, Kanghui
Gōnggōng was a Dragon with a fiery temper, when the
Shén came and offered him a place in Heaven, he grudg-
ingly accepted, hoping it would give him something inter-
esting to do. But the Dragon soon found he was only one
of many, and unappreciated in his greatness. As impetuous
as he was long, Gōnggōng did nothing by half measures.
Not content to be second to anyone, he went to war with
the fire god Zhuānxū, clashing through Heaven until he
finally lost, plummeting to Earth. In a fit of rage from his
loss, he slammed his head against Mt. Bùzhōu, one of the
Sky Pillars. His strike gouged Heaven and snapped one of
the Cords of Earth, knocking the Earth askew, permanently
changing the course of all of China’s rivers, as well as the
Middle Kingdom’s relationship with Heaven. Though
Nüwa tried to repair the damage, there was only so much
she could do.
His fury at the Gods for tricking him into joining them
turned into various violent acts of rebellion and rage. This
often manifested as flooding rivers, making the nearby
lands fertile. But though that helped the people, he would
just as soon destroy towns or some other violent outburst.
His only solace was in his children, who he doted on relent-
lessly so that they would view him as the greatest.
The Lóng
In the end, he found himself an outcast, unsupport-
ed by the Shén, and disliked by the Lóng. As more of The
World turned its back on him, he neglected himself and
his duties, causing the lands around him to flood as he fell
into deep depression. Zhuānxū took it upon himself to talk
sense into his former foe, but every word he said made
things worse, the paranoid Lóng seeing treachery in each
sentence. Inevitably, the last desire Gōnggōng felt was not a
sense of duty, but for one final fight against the fire god, this
time suffering a fatal wound that killed him.
Gōnggōng’s Heirs are reckless and single-minded.
They see dangers all around and will not let that stop
them from their goals. They’re cops who shoot first and
ask questions later. The beat is rough and they close cases.
Why should they care about getting written up? They get
to go home in a bed, not a casket. They are managers and
CEOs who are driven by metrics and quarterly earnings. If
an employee stands between them and the company’s suc-
cess, screw that guy. It’s better to have a prosperous com-
pany than it is to look after the little guy. They are bounty
hunters and repossession agents chasing down leads to get
their guy. Being a skip tracer or a repo agent isn’t as cool as
it looks on TV, but nothing stands in the way of them and
their target. By hook, crook, or gun, they’re going to get it.
Callings: Destroyer, Nomad, Predator
69
 Memory: The feel of potential attackers everywhere,
and those who would do them harm; fear of losing power;
pouring out rage as a torrential assault.
Dragon Magic: Decay, Elemental Manipulation (Air),
Flight, Weather Control
HOROMATANGI, THE SHIPWRECKER
Aliases: Ihu-maataotao
Horomatangi is one of the few Dragons who has lived
his life relatively untouched by the changes the Gods
wrought when they formed pantheons. He has always been
the terror of the sea, and the Gods weren’t too off when they
labeled him Titan, a role he gladly accepted. He is the dread
that all sailors feel the first time their ship fails them while
they’re underway. That moment when they know that the
horizon holds no hope and the water can erase them forev-
er, without a trace. Horomatangi does this deliberately. If
someone wants to pass through his domain, they must be
worthy, or they die.
One of the most prominent Lóng, Horomatangi leads
a life as close to public as any Dragon dares, dwelling un-
derneath Lake Taupo at the center of New Zealand’s North
Island. Long ago, he was merely a local legend, now The
World is a lot smaller. When hundreds of vessels vanish in a
relatively small area, the old legends about taniwha become
more than just curiosities. Like Nessie of the Lindwurm
Flight, people believe in Horomatangi, with some traveling
great distances to learn the truth for themselves and to feel
the dread. Most of them stick to the shoreline instead of
traveling directly through the center of the lake, though.
Excitement doesn’t always override survival instincts.
For hundreds of years, Horomatangi has been the
measuring stick by which all would-be sailors, chiefs, and
leaders are measured. Most die, never even glimpsing his
long, eel-like body or any of his other forms. Instead, they
witness his mana, his strength and force of will. The lake
and the sky obey his desire to push mortals to the brink,
forming vortexes, waterspouts, and typhoons. If they can
exert their mana to push back and calm the weather, they
have won a rare victory, indeed. These rare survivors find a
new path in their lives, one that inevitably leads to success
and at the whim of the Dragon.
Although people tell stories of Lake Taupo, few realize
that his tests aren’t constrained to one location. Anyone on
the sea may face his trial by fire. Too few people come to his
lake and sail over his lair, so he picks new pawns out on the
open waters. The trials are as much a way for him to gain
new followers as it is to cull humanity.
Horomatangi’s Heirs seek careers that place them at
the nexus of change, the hinge point where people become
better versions of themselves or be crushed. They become
drill sergeants, eschewing combat roles in order to ensure
that the next generation is the best possible. White hat
hackers paid to break security systems to show where
companies are weakest. Insurance investigators, hunting
for weaknesses in claims to pare the unfortunate from the
70 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
fraudulent. Coaches, pushing their team on to one more
rep, one more lap, one more victory.
Callings: Destroyer, Guardian, Judge
Memory: Waiting in the shadows, the shallows, and
the deeps; the mixed pride and pain of seeing a new star
rise, surpassing them; testing those who seek worthiness;
putting people to trial.
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Water),
Fear, Weather Control
KUNA, THE DEMON OF THE SEA
Aliases: Tuna-roa
Kuna was a sea Dragon long before the Gods told sto-
ries of Rangi and Papa forming The World through sheer
force of will. He would often swim the waters chasing fish
or his own tail. He loved the competition of the chase and
cared more about it than the catching. When the Gods
came, Kuna turned his chase to fame and conquest, which
ultimately led to his death.
The eel-like Kuna saw the most beautiful woman in the
islands, the moon goddess Hina. Seeing her as the ultimate
prize, he sought after her. Using every charm and secret he
possessed, he slithered his way into her heart. They wed.
But it wasn’t her that he wanted; it was the chase. The con-
quest. He didn’t care when she was by his side. He didn’t
care when she left his side. But, when she was by Maui’s
side, he cared. It was a new contest. A challenge between
him and the demigod.
He came after her, chasing with his powerful fins that
propelled him through the sea. He grasped at her with his
slippery coils, but only brought harm upon her. Enraged,
Maui chased him, pouring lava into every hiding place
Kuna sought refuge in. Kuna lost that contest. He would
find another. Naturally, Maui and Kuna don’t get along now.
Or at least they didn’t. Kuna went missing a few hundred
years ago and is assumed dead. Maui swears he had nothing
to do with it, though few are convinced.
Memories of fame seeking haunt Kuna’s Heirs. They
recall the hunt for glory, the crushing disappointment of
failure, and the thrill of a new challenge. The thirst for
others to recognize their glory spurs the children of Kuna
to acts of grandiosity. They are competitors of all types.
Athletes, pushing their bodies to the breaking point for a
chance at victory. Video gamers, climbing up the leader-
boards one click at a time. Social media influencers, cre-
ating viral trends and new tastes, all in the name of more
followers. Soldiers, training for and dreaming of the only
challenge that means anything: survival.
Calling: Collector, Predator, Watcher
Memory: The loss of love and needing to chase after
it; the sulfuric smell of lava and the hiss as it plunges into
the ocean; the feel of boiling water ripping apart fins; the
feel of defeat; the joy of victory; the desire for a chase.
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Air, Water),
Luck, Transformation
RY JIN, THE DRAGON KING
Aliases: Ryojin, Qing Lóng, Áo Gu ng, Ōwatatsumi,
Kai Riu O
The oldest and arguably the most powerful of the Lóng,
Ryūjin has many names, most famously: the Dragon King
of the East. Although he’d never claim supremacy over the
other three Dragon Kings of the Sea, none of them rule over
the Pacific, making his domain the largest by far. Despite
his great age, his mind and memory remain sharp, able to
remember everyone to cross paths with him. Surprisingly,
this has done nothing to harden his disposition. Ryūjin
remains as affable as ever, as he also remembers everyone
who’s done him or his subjects a kindness.
As the Pacific contains more living creatures than
anywhere else in The World, governance is no small task.
Fortunately, Ryūjin produced solutions to that problem
thousands of years ago. In addition to having a court full
of advisors (mostly fish, whales, and cephalopods), Ryūjin
has an impressive Lair, Castle Ryūgū. Through some com-
bination of his power and the properties of the castle itself,
time flows differently for inhabitants, with each of the four
seasons occurring simultaneously within its walls.
Still, even with his advantages and careful planning,
he’s not without faults; he’s not omniscient, nor is he above
wrath when provoked. Once, a monkey tricked a fish into
making Ryūjin the butt of a practical joke. Ryūjin gave the
fish a brutal beating, pulverizing every bone in its body, cre-
ating the first jellyfish. Though he later learned what had
happened and expressed profound regret, no apologies in
The World could repair the damage that he had bestowed
upon the jellyfish. Wùkōng denies all knowledge of the
event, which does little to make Ryūjin comfortable around
the monkey God.
That and other awkward moments notwithstanding,
Ryūjin has been striving for thousands of years to keep
his ocean a peaceful and fair place. The way he sees it,
the Pacific should be a place he’d like to live in, even if he
weren’t King. Thus, climate change is as great a threat to
Ryūjin and his Heirs as the Titanomachy is. As far as sides
in the Titanomachy, Ryūjin doesn’t have a favorite. He used
to be a Kami, has a mantle as a Shén Titan, and Raijin has
been a good neighbor for thousands of years. He is, howev-
er, fully aware of the danger that the conflict brings.
Ryūjin’s Heirs strive for a greatness that helps The
World. They are the scientists and engineers working
on renewable energy. Their name is on every paper pub-
lished on cleaning up the ocean, not because they crave
the attention, but because they never stop working, turn-
ing out a volume of work that seems to defy time. They
are the ones to step forward and kick off community
gardens and composting, knowing that feeding human-
ity doesn’t need to take freighters that burn hundreds of
tons of fuel per day.
Callings: Judge, Mystic, Ruler
The Lóng
Memory: The responsibility of the seas; feeling the
lives of billions of marine creatures, when they are born,
die, or are wronged; responsibility to make right injustices
against the sea; being a leader.
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental
Manipulation (Water), Fear, Illusion
Y NGL NG, THE RESPONDING DRAGON
Originally one of the Shén, Yīnglóng was one of the
many rain gods. From Heaven he looked after all the people
of China, although he had a special fondness for the south.
He watched with fondness as the then-mortal Huángdì
grew up, knowing that the human was destined for great-
ness. When the Emperor sought to unify the Han people, he
stood against the war god Chīyóu and the drought demon
Kuāfù; more than the Yellow Emperor could stand alone
against.
Huángdì beseeched Heaven for aid in defeating his
rivals. Yīnglóng responded. To arrive in time to help, he
transformed himself into a great, winged Dragon. He grew
yellow scales, his skin becoming like the battlements of a
fortress. This transformation was a permanent change,
leaving Yīnglóng with great power but no home, as he was
no longer a Shén. Where once he could regulate all the rain
of The World, now his powers only extended to water that
he could see. His proficiency over the element was less fo-
cused than it had ever been, but no less potent.
Though Kuāfù drained the area of water, Yīnglóng
gathered up all the water from the surrounding lands,
condensing trillions of gallons above Chīyóu, Kuāfù, and
the rest of Huángdì’s foes. Driving it to the earth as a fist of
water, he slammed them to the ground, where the weight of
the flood held them as they all drowned. Huángdì ascended
through victory, becoming the Yellow Emperor, one of the
Shén, while Yīnglóng was locked out of Heaven. Knowing
what Yīnglóng sacrificed to save him and his people,
Huángdì is honor bound to look after the Dragon and his
Heirs.
Two thousand years later, Yīnglóng barely misses
Heaven. He has so much to do, tending to the people of
China, making sure that everyone always has enough fresh
water. Although most River Lóng confine themselves to just
one river, Yīnglóng takes care of them all, spreading himself
thin. He’s too proud to ask for help, though he rarely has to,
as Huángdì and his Scions remember their debt.
Yīnglóng’s Heirs are the type to drop everything to
help someone in need. They are the mom friend of any
group, ready to drive out to a club, bleary-eyed and half
dressed, just so that their friend doesn’t have to drive
drunk. They are EMTs, firefighters, search & rescue.
They’re first on scene. Every time. Their patients might not
even be conscious, but they know they’re in good hands.
His Heirs are the people who stop on the highway when
they see someone in distress, giving up their spare tire just
to get someone home. They’re the bystander with a camera
phone, live streaming an arrest, just in case. They might be
71
late to work but preventing the rights of the accused from
being trampled on is worth it.
Callings: Guardian, Healer, Judge
Memory: The desperate cries of their ancestor’s
followers, the anguish cracking their voices as their pleas
reached Heaven; the drive to help those in need no matter
the cost; the agony of being torn from Heaven; sacrificing
oneself for the benefit of others.
Dragon Magic: Elemental manipulation (Earth,
Water), Flight, Luck, Transformation
COMMON L NG BIRTHRIGHTS
Lóng collect all manner of useful items, sometimes
just for beauty, but mostly for an eye on utility. They have
spent centuries curating hoards to both stroke their egos
and prepare themselves for an eventual take-over. Beyond
that, virtually all Lóng have dozens or hundreds of human
and animal pawns to use to explore The World undetected.
GUIDES
• Ati-a-muri: Loyal servant of Horomatangi, Ati-
a-muri is a fellow taniwha, albeit one of trivial
mana compared to his lord. Ati-a-muri has helped
Horomatangi test the mana and resolve of countless
travelers. Often taking the form of a fellow traveler,
he lures examinees into a false sense of security.
Simply put, he is the calm before the storm.
• Mist Hounds: Formed entirely of fog, Mist Hounds
can seep through cracks, evade detection, and fly
away, making them the ultimate scouts and spies.
Though accustomed to Polynesia, they follow their
master’s Heirs anywhere.
• Sacred Engineers of the Dragon King: An ancient
organization of Legendary Creatures devoted to
Ryūjin. They devote themselves to maintenance
and care of the World and spend most of their time
teaching Heirs all manner of disaster preparedness.

FLIGHT PATH OF THE L NG

Path Skills: Empathy, Leadership
Favored Draconic Knacks: Bottomless Lung, Draconic Majesty
Even before the Lóng formed into a Flight, they were part of communities. The decision to retreat only
reinforced that truth, pulling in even the most solitary Dragons for safety. To be Lóng is to be safe. Just as
brittle minerals and malleable metals can be joined to create impenetrable steel, the Dragons of East Asia
are stronger as the Lóng.
Remembrances: Pride (Cypher) vs. Humility (Defection). Even when the Shén and Lóng were on the
best of terms, being a Dragon came with danger. Hundreds of years ago, river Lóng died left and right
due to the predations of Titans and Gods. Despite everything, the Lóng retain their pride. They did not run
and hide as the other Dragons did, instead they made a strategic decision which ensured the safety of their
numbers. They are not the hunted; they do the hunting. A life hidden is a life not worth living, but being a
Dragon isn’t free. The cost is courage, blood, and sweat. And you will pay it. Lóng Heirs connect to their
Handlers through embracing their pride. They do not allow setbacks to define them, only their responses.
They accept failure as the price for greatness, always taking full measures and never turning their back on
a challenge.
Living that kind of life is dangerous. Heirs who push against their draconic nature swallow their pride for
the sake of others, exhibiting humility. Pride has its place, but an overabundance can push people away.
An Heir knows she isn’t as powerful as a God or even their draconic Handler. Best to remember that lesson
and have humility, keeping herself grounded in the truth that her life is no more important than any other.
With humility, she is willing to self-sacrifice, give of herself for her fellow human, and accept that she might
not always be right.
A Lóng Heir balances her pride against her humility, tempering danger with forethought. She finds ways
to retain her pride while acquiescing to others, and tries not to let her draconic and headstrong nature
make it impossible for her to work with others.
Signature Lóng Dragon Magic: Blessings Lóng take pride in all they do, and they are most famous
for the blessings they bestow upon The World. As a Flight, they hope to one day rule The World, and so
they’ve spent a great deal of time perfecting it. This has manifested in a magic which gives them the ability
to manipulate how the chaos of The World flows around others.
Ever seen a dog standing atop a building collapsed by an earthquake or a hermit’s shack remain
unscathed after a typhoon? A thriving farming village in the middle of a province-wide drought? They
weren’t lucky. They were Blessed. Their magic extends from powerful protections to material wealth and
all manner of things in between. The famous tamatebako, treasure box, that Ryūjin gave to Urashimatarō
wasn’t just an expensive bauble; it sealed away the human’s mortality where even the wear of centuries
couldn’t harm him.

72 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

 Their home base is a flotilla on the surface of the
water roughly above Ryūjin’s water palace.
HOARDS
• Dragon Pearl: Many of the Lóng grow pearls under-
neath their chins. Though valuable simply for being
large pearls, the pearls contain magical powers,
able to extinguish infernos when flung into fire, to
split seas in two, quiet volcanos, and other feats of
elemental magic. Able to replicate any Lóng ability
before disintegrating, the pearls are potent individu-
ally, though most Lóng have at least a handful, ready
to twist reality to serve them.
• Jīnqīw n: Outwardly, an expensive-looking golden
lacquerware bowl filled with sand, a jīnqīw n is even
more valuable than it seems. Located within each of
a River Lóng ’s lair, the sand of the bowl serves as
both a resting place and a conduit to any location
the Lóng has been invited to. River Lóng with mul-
tiple lairs and jīnqīw n can travel between them
instantaneously.
• Tamatebako: Bestowed by the Sea Lóng, tamate-
bako forever change the lives of their recipients.
Outwardly, they appear as masterfully crafted lac-
querware boxes roughly the size of a dictionary. The
boxes absorb harm that would befall their charges.
The Lóng
Even a mortal can live centuries with the help of a
tamatebako, so long as their box remains closed.
• Zhúlóng’s Torch: Constructed from a piece of the
Torch Dragon’s eye, the light from this flashlight
reveals everything its light touches, even if it were
otherwise hidden.
PAWNS
• Jiāolóng: The “Sea Dragon” special forces task
force of the Chinese military might officially work
for their government, but every operator in the team
knows the true pecking order of The World and
would rather burn their ties to their country than
upset one of the Lóng. Especially well-suited to sea-
based raids, the Jiāolóng can deal with most earthly
threats. Their success rate against Titanspawn is
less sure, but they’ll put bullets into pretty much
anything a Lóng requests.
• Loyalists: The Lóng have been collecting and curat-
ing allies to do their bidding across The World. Most
people have no idea they work for a Dragon, but a se-
lect few are in on the secret. Those form a tight-knit
group that refers to themselves as Loyalists, ready to
do literally anything for their Dragons, and happily
spreading that fanaticism to their Heirs.
73
 “Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”
— Rumi

W hen the mountains pulled themselves from the oceans

and lakes pooled in vast chasms, when the world took
in its first breaths of creation and winds learned to shudder
Realm, time slowed, and a Dragon could truly understand
a concept, becoming more fully one with it. Some Dragons
were so wrapped up in their concepts, they never left the
through trees, these concepts entranced Dragons. They Divine Realm, others rarely revisited, viewing their stew-
marveled at them, but such ephemeral things did not last ardship over the concept in The World as more important
long enough for proper scrutiny. Some Dragons created a than understanding it. Other Dragons came and went from
place outside The World in which to explore and understand the Divine Realm as a pastime, viewing the concepts as a
these concepts: A Terra Incognita called the Divine Realm. polite curiosity.
Dragons from all over The World entered the Divine Realm When the Gods started to repattern The World, they
to experience these concepts, and as they did, they felt a caught the many-in-one off guard. Those Dragons won-
connection to the concept. Those who spent a great deal dered at these strange
of time there began to fleshy creatures and
embody the concept wanted to contem-
which allowed them plate them in the
to carry new concepts Divine Realm. The
from the Divine Realm Dragons underesti-
into The World creating mated humans, who
brand new features were far more complex
such as rivers, stones, than they originally
and lakes. Dragons thought. Bringing
who grew to the concept of
embody concepts a human to the
split themselves Divine Realm to
into multiples to contemplate it
fully contain and alerted humanity
protect all the wisdom, to the realm’s presence,
knowledge, beauty, and fury and humans started to enter
of the concept. They deemed of their own accord. For the
their new lives in multiple as humans who proved worthy,
“many-in-one.” the Dragons gifted them with
The concept the Dragons a taste of the Divine Realm. For
embodied were linked to a real phe- humans who proved unworthy,
nomenon in The World — a lake, a thunderstorm, there was only death. While the Dragons viewed this
a bridge. Dragons came to love all concepts, and each had as neither good nor evil, only the truth of life and death,
a Dragon or two to embody and protect it. As the concept the Gods could not tolerate Dragons eating their followers.
grew — the lake gained fish, became temperate, joined an- Soon, the heroes, Scions, and Gods alike were at their
other lake by a river — the Dragon connected to the concept doorsteps hunting those who would kill a human. Those
gained a new head. Each head, unique and mighty, protect- who hunted were not systematic in their purpose, but the
ed the concept and kept it safe with their siblings. many-in-one could not see the danger of what was happen-
Dragons in the Divine Realm shared their concepts ing, and they continued as though nothing was wrong. Then
with one another and brought knowledge of them to The hunters showed up in the Divine Realm. The many-in-one
World to share with Dragons all over. Within the Divine did not realize their intent until it was too late, and none are

74 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

sure how they made it so far into the Divine Realm. Some
speculate they followed an oblivious Dragon, but none
admit to having entered around the same time, and who
would admit to such a tragic mistake? The Dragons killed
the hunters once they realized their intent, but they knew
the realm was no longer safe. How many more would try to
enter? Fearing the destruction of their beautiful conceptual
space, the many-in-one on earth severed themselves from
the Divine Realm sealing all gates and passageways. And
with the sealing, the Dragons stopped growing new heads
as new concepts arose, as they had put all the conceptual
magic into the Divine Realm.
SCATTERED FLIGHT
After they closed off the Divine Realm, the many-in-
one who remained in The World banded together for safety.
Between the loss of those trapped in the Divine Realm and
those murdered at the hands of Gods, the Dragons feared
they would be wiped out, and with them all concepts. They
called themselves the Naga, and called to any who embod-
ied concepts, or even those who had only visited the Divine
Realm to join them for safety.
They vowed to protect the Divine Realm from intrud-
ers, promising to never open its gates again until the con-
cepts were safe from the hubris of God and humanity. Many
Naga believed the best way to secure the Divine Realm’s
safety was the enlightenment of humanity. When humanity
understood the wisdom of the Naga it would be safe for the
Naga to return home. They embraced humanity in all its
flawed and tragic glory.
The most notable of Naga to embrace this new life was
Vasuki. When he realized that Dragons were in danger,
Vasuki sought shelter with the god Shiva and by the time
the Divine Realm closed, the many-in-one and Shiva bound
themselves to one another. Many Naga who saw Vasuki
working with Shiva failed to understand the bond they
shared but understood the wisdom behind it — there was
strength in embracing this new life. Vasuki exemplified this
to the point where they deferred to him. Shiva saw this and
named him King of the Naga. But he failed to understand
that the Nagas do not distinguish ranks as such, but the title
stuck nonetheless, and Vasuki thrived.
Many others were not so lucky. Some turned from bal-
ance and embraced fury, attacking a World that wronged
twhem and hording what power they could. Others tried to
change to meet the new challenges of The World but were
limited by their concepts and old ways. Those who could
not change died. The rest scattered, finding places to hide
and plot, hoping to one day return to the Divine Realm.
Though many Naga are still very much alive and well
in the Divine Realm, the Flight has lost the most of all.
Distance and time separate them and many who remained
in The World are dead. They are disjointed and in disagree-
ment about how to proceed. Any Dragon who remembers
and wishes to restore the Divine Realm is called Naga, even
those with only one head, or those who never embodied or
protected a concept of The World. Overwhelmingly these
The Naga
Naga seek to reopen the pathways even though humanity is
still around, while the original Naga refuse to even consider
such a thing until all humans, and their Gods, are dead.
CHARACTERISTICS
Many Naga are hobbled creatures, shadows of their
former glory, bearing more than a few grisly scars from
where one or more of their heads died. Those Naga who
have survived attacks with a few heads remaining are vi-
cious, wrathful creatures to approach — refusing to make
the mistakes of their youth by trusting visitors who say they
come in peace.
The Naga’s acceptance of their multiple-headed expe-
rience is known as many-in-one. A Naga’s heads may agree
with one another, argue, or be indifferent, but each is an
individual and also part of one entity. Naga rarely ascribe
gender to themselves though certain heads may prefer
being masculine or feminine. Heads refer to themselves in
third person and to their ‘siblings’ by the name of the facet
they represent — love, cool breeze, fury, and so on.
Naga come in all shapes and sizes, and most sport
multiple heads. Each Naga (even those who have joined the
Flight recently) has a physical embodiment of a concept
embedded in their head. This gemstone-like growth pro-
vides wisdom, insight, and power. For loss of a better word,
in a mortal term, the growth is called an atman — taken
from the Sanskrit word for soul.
People value atman, hunting Naga for them, dating
back to the first loss of the first head and plundering of its
treasure. Mortals who possess an atman take on the char-
acteristics of its wisdom granting them god-like powers
and Gods transform into something more terrifying. Thus,
when a Naga loses a head, they lose part of their power and
wisdom, leaving them diminished, bitter echoes of who
they once were. While that Dragon’s memories still live on
in the collective memory all Dragons share, the Naga can
never reunite with the head, even if it reincarnates. It isn’t
like they can just grow a new head. Not anymore since the
Divine Realm is closed.
A FAMILY MATTER
Many Naga abhor just about anyone else save other
Dragons. Some are violently angry, but most plot revenge.
Many still remember the Divine Realm and wish to open
the passageways by whatever means necessary. Many Naga
now believe this means the end of humanity, so all creation
is finally safe. Global warming, endangered species, extinc-
tion — these are manufactured problems — and when hu-
manity is gone, the Naga will throw open the gates of their
Realm and birth new protectors into the mortal realms.
Perhaps they can let a few humans survive and learn from
their predecessors’ mistakes, carefully guarded by the
Naga, of course.
Other Naga choose to hide with only their fellow heads
to keep them company and maybe an occasional visit from
another Naga. They horde knowledge and power in hopes
that one day they’ll find the solution to their problem.
75
These Naga do not love humans, but understand they are
part of reality and cannot disappear entirely.
Finally, are those who follow Vasuki’s path seeking to
enlighten humans and work with Gods. The Naga and hu-
mans can work together, and it is the Naga’s responsibility
to help humans achieve their true potential. Only by raising
humans up will the gates of the Divine Realm finally open.
Naga who fully embrace humans are mistrusted by other
Naga, for after all the world has stolen from them, how can
the Naga still believe there is hope?
LAIRS
Naga have always lived all over the World. Most of the
ones surviving the original fights with the Gods come from
India or Southeast Asia, but the Flight still boasts members
from all over.
THAT WHICH IS SACRED
Naga make their lairs where one finds their concept
— at the bottom of a lake, base of a mountain, or under a
bridge. Rather than living with a hoard of treasures massed
in a dank cave, Naga live within their natural surroundings
doing little to change the space they inhabit for it is won-
drous enough. A Naga’s treasures come from the secrets
infused into stone, air, and flora.
Ancient magics weave through a Naga’s lair, forged in
concepts long forgotten by humanity. A hidden valley filled
with flowers singing destinies under the moonlight, a tree
of golden fruit, a lake that restores a person’s vitality — such
are the bounties the Naga jealously protect. Those Naga
who’ve survived to this age have done so, not only through
sheer force of will, but because they have something des-
perately precious in their homes.
Lairs exist within the physical realm but are often
Strange Places folded in upon themselves or appearing un-
like what they should be. Naga spend centuries disguising
their homes to prevent greedy humans from finding them
and much of a Naga’s pride stems from their lairs being
invisible to all but the keenest minds. Eons ago, Naga shud-
dered at the idea of hiding their homes from anyone — to
experience a concept is to celebrate it — but now they do
what they must to survive.
When a Naga lairs in a place that exemplifies their
concept, they gain a modicum of power from it. It connects
them to the Divine Realm. Not in any kind of physical
sense, but through memory and sensation, they can recall
what they have lost, and it fuels their magic.
LAIRS OF PERMANENCE
Lairs in mountains, bound in metal, or within bridg-
es — any Naga lair which remains unchanged for eons is
considered a lair of permanence. These lairs have winding
corridors, passageways leading left and right then nowhere,
and great halls burrowed or wrought in the time before
tools. The number of halls within a lair of permanence
equals the number of heads a Naga has.
76 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
Each head is master over their own hall and fills it with
writings, runes, and secrets scrawled from ceiling to floor.
At the epicenter of these lairs is one great hall where the
original head presides over all its siblings. All important
decisions are made here directly next to physical mani-
festation of the concept the Naga protects. Unlike other
Naga who find it easier to move lairs, Naga who make their
homes in lairs of permanence will die before they see their
concept destroyed.
LAIRS OF ACCEPTANCE
Lairs in early morning fog, a flowing river, the aurora
borealis are all lairs of acceptance. Naga who make their
homes in these impermanent concepts understand their
fickle nature and rather than controlling them, embrace
the change associated with them. When the lair disappears,
the Naga inhabiting it travels on to the next, enjoying the
chance for a change of scenery and to visit unfamiliar plac-
es in The World.
A Naga could reside anywhere, and a more permanent
situation would be safer. Naga feel a powerful resonance
with a place that exemplifies their concepts and are willing
to have a life of impermanence and nomadic wandering to
have access to that power. The Naga feels they are at their
most powerful within the lair of acceptance. The Naga rev-
els in their concept, absorbing it and embodying it in all its
glory.
LAIRS OF LIFE
Lairs of life encompasses the cycle of life and death — a
tree birthing miracles, an elephant graveyard, or the bowels
of a hospital. Naga living in lairs of life tend to whatever
living concept they represent. For some Naga this means
protecting one thing — a tree, bush, or mystical animal, but
for other Naga this means protecting the mere ideal of life.
For Naga protecting an actual object, their lairs vary
depending on what they protect. If they protect a migra-
tory animal, the Naga has little in terms of a lair, but weaves
powerful magics around the beast to keep it from harm.
For Naga protecting an idea, they make their lair where
the concept is strongest. A Naga who protects the concept
of birth could make its home within an expansive tunnel
system connecting different hospitals to one another so it
may oversee the protection of soon-to-be mothers.
THE DIVINE REALM OF THE NAGA
The Divine Realm of the Naga resides deep under-
ground between the layers of reality as a Terra Incognita,
but not quite an Underworld. The Naga blocked passage-
ways from the earth to the Divine Realm eons ago, but
many still seek entry into this mystical place. The Divine
Realm is split into different domains, with the domains of
the eldest, and most important Naga at the lowest point
within the realm.
At one time, before humanity found a way into the
Realm, it was a place of pure thought and concept. Naga
rested within the concepts drinking in the ambient power
and exploring a deeper understanding within their own
dreams. When humanity came into the Realm, the con-
cepts within solidified to fend off mortal intrusion. Warped
by small minds unable to truly grasp greater concepts, the
Realm lured mortals deep within its bowels so Dragons
alerted to their presence could consume them before the
taint left on the Realm was too great.
Naga who still live within the Divine Realm rest in-be-
tween the pieces of solidified reality, only entering these
tainted places when absolutely necessary. A sad few are
trapped within these realities driven mad by what they
experience there. With eons to mull over the interlaces of
a warped reality shaped by mortal depravities — if these
Naga ever escaped it would certainly spell out a horror too
terrifying to imagine.
MYSTERIES
Hunted to the ends of the earth, disfigured, and lost —
Naga have many reasons to jealously hide their secrets. The
worst kept secret of the Naga is the fact that each of their
heads contain a magical stone known as an atman. This
stone grants whoever has it the wisdom and knowledge of
a Naga’s head along with its powers. Many Naga surmise
this was one of the main reasons their kind were hunted
down by humans, not for the rare few Naga’s penchant
for gobbling up insolent humans, but because the greedy
creatures realized how powerful an atman was and wanted
them for themselves.
This is what most who care to search know of the
Naga, the truth contained in the rest of this section is for
Heirs and Heirs alone.
A TRUE DEATH
Violence. Blood. A great many voices silenced and then
only loneliness. Each Naga’s Heir’s dreams start the same
way. Deep within the realm of dreams, tucked between the
parts of sleep no one dare remembers, is a startling wisdom
every Heir tastes when they awake.
After that first dream awakening an Heir to his destiny,
is one of loneliness and the forgotten. The Heir wakes to
find himself utterly alone. Whether lying next to a loved
one, in a cramped camping hall, or shaken awake on a bus
home from work — the Heir has never felt so shockingly
alone than in this moment. An inextricable feeling of being
cut-off from everyone and everything grabs hold of him.
Floating loose in the aether of uncertainty and utter still-
ness the Heir realizes for perhaps the first time in his life
what it means to be only one.
The following dreams, visions, and memories that
come to the Heir spell out grisly scenes of violence where
he is severed from those he loves the most. A Naga’s Heir
spends his entire life searching for a feeling of fulfillment,
safety, and acceptance until he finds the many-in-one to
which he belongs and finally understands his destiny.
ONE OF MANY
Naga choose their Heirs not to represent themselves,
but instead as someone they believe exemplifies the
The Naga
concept of one of their dead heads. Most Naga Heirs are
actual reincarnations of those heads, but plenty of living
Naga attempt to hasten the process by choosing for their
lost brethren. No matter the form they take they are one
of many, called to find their siblings, regain their glory, and
reunite with this true form once and for all. Because Heirs
are only one head of a Naga, they embody whatever facet
the head controlled before it was lobbed off.
Naga spend a great amount of time and resources mak-
ing sure every other being — human to God — believe the
Divine Realm of the Naga is severed from the mortal World
and for the most part, this is true. However, the Realm was
never truly lost, because each Naga contains a divine spark
within the atman of its original head. This spark allows a
Naga’s heads to reincarnate into the mortal world without
first passing through the Divine Realm and these heads are
reborn in the form of Heirs.
If a Naga’s original head is removed, then the beast
is truly dead, their connection to the Divine Realm lost
forever. Their heads may never be reborn into Heirs and
their soul never passes into the Divine Realm. The only way
to solve this problem is to open the portals to the Diving
Realm once more, something each Naga desperately wants,
but is unwilling to risk unless they sure beyond a doubt it
is safe.
A CALLING TO THE
MANY-HEADED BEAST
Naga expect little from their Heirs except to embody
the concept of their head. While Heirs are welcome to
participate in a Naga’s schemes, they are expected first to
achieve the level of knowledge once possessed when they
were whole. Ignorance is failure, and each Naga expects
their Heirs to be exceptional in their understanding of
whatever they are meant to embody — lust, the kindness of
strangers, even the fear of the dark.
Once an Heir unlocks a base understanding — which
would be sizeable to just about anyone else who wasn’t a
Naga — the Heir develops an atman. The gem starts as a faint
coloration at the top of their head akin to a blemish or a bit of
faded marker and the more the Heir learns the darker the col-
oration becomes. Once the atman is fully visible upon the skin,
it grows and forms into a hard gemstone-like stone. Finally,
the atman brightly shines denoting the Heir as a beacon of
knowledge in their given subject. Heirs may choose when
their atman is visible to the naked eye and when it is not. If
the Heir chooses to hide their atman for a time, it returns to
the size of a small mark on their head recognizable to anyone
without the correct supernatural senses.
Once an Heir fully realizes their atman, their Naga ex-
pects more of them — to work toward eventually rejoining
the Naga as many-in-one. What this looks like in practical
terms is a strange family arrangement as even a reincarnat-
ed head cannot magically fuse with its old body, and so the
new Naga lives with her old self as part of the many-in-one
but not physically joined.
77
 Unlike many Heirs or Scions who must follow what their
Dragon or God tells them to do, Naga Heirs are active partici-
pants in a Naga’s schemes. If they disagree, they should voice
their complaints, lobby with the other heads (or Heirs), and
share any advice they may have. This doesn’t mean the rest of
the Naga will listen to the Heir, or even that a few heads won’t
threaten to eat them, but part of being one of many is bringing
your unique point of view to the table.
RELATIONSHIPS
When treasure seekers started hunting Naga for their
atmans, many allied themselves with Gods in order to survive.
Some Gods bitterly betrayed the Naga, but others proved
worthy allies, lovers, and friends. To this day many Naga work
with Gods, to help enact their plans on in The World… when it
doesn’t come at too great a cost to their concept.
One of the greatest friends to the Naga was the lord
Shiva, friend to Vasuki, he who named the many-in-one
King of the Naga. To this day Vasuki still rests upon Shiva’s
shoulders whispering advice and wisdom to the god. Shiva
returns Vaskui’s council with protection, not only for the
King of the Naga, but for the rest of the Naga as well. Many
Naga murmur that this protection has done them little
good in modern times, but the faithful argue the need for
Shiva’s aid simply hasn’t been great enough and if it was,
he would step up.
78 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
The Goddess Hera is also an ally to the Naga, proving
herself many years ago when Zeus’s greedy children killed
them for their power. She embraced the many-in-one, pro-
tected them, and hid who she could from losing their atman.
In return, surviving Naga in the modern age cherish Hera
for what she did and the fidelity she represents. Unlike most
Gods who are one, Hera has the honorary title of many-in-one
for her wisdom, representing the Naga’s support of her. The
terrifying Naga creatures who live in Europe, no matter how
evil they’ve become, still call Hera a friend and loyally assist
her Scions if they were ever in need.
Naga who say they have no allies but their own kind,
believe there are far more nefarious motivations behind
other Naga allying with the Gods. Modern myth sees Naga
as servitors of Gods, heralds, and pets — but the many-in-
one know their kind is too keen for that. Instead, some be-
lieve many Naga bide their time, resting, and when the time
is right they’ll rise up to consume the power from their
once allies and use it to rip open the gates to the Divine
Realm — freeing the Naga driven mad in solidified palaces
of concept and taking revenge on the world.
HUMANITY
Humans were never truly friends of the Naga. Entire
orders devote themselves to hunting Naga for their atman,
the most effective being the Many Headed Hunters, a group
of mercenaries who take contracts with otherworldly powers
for specific Naga heads. The Many Headed Hunters are so
effective because they know the Naga’s deepest secret — that
heads are reborn into Heirs. Often, rather than hunting Naga
they stalk their Heirs, watch them grow, develop, and when
the Heir is at the height of their power the hunters sever their
head and harvest their atman. The Many Headed Hunters en-
joy a lucrative business and aren’t planning to share the Naga’s
secret any time soon to keep a niche in the market.
Fighting hunters and the like are a few disparate hu-
man cults who worship the Naga. As Naga prize diversity
and eschew mortal contact, most cults act autonomously
without any sign from their Naga as to whether what the
cult is doing pleases the Naga or not. A few cults within
Southeast Asia have more direct contact with their Naga
and most are charged with protecting the Naga’s concept
as it does. One notable hill tribe in the north of Thailand,
not so much a cult and rather a village, has not seen a flood
for centuries. Neighbors believe this is because the town
protects a Naga’s territory near the base of a mountain and
keeps outsiders from entering.
NOTABLE DRAGONS
The Naga’s numbers have dropped pitifully low due
to treasure hunters seeking out their atman. The following
are some of the most powerful and prominent Naga.
KULSHEDRA, EATER OF MAN
Aliases: Rider of Storms
The Naga
Kulshedra and their siblings started their lives as Bolla
when Bolla was many beings. One of the small wyrms was
not like the others, and she dreamed of much more than
a languishing existence basking in the sun. She wanted
to be the sun, the water she bathed in, and the nature she
WHAT TO EMBODY
When picking what they are meant to
embody, Heir players should first think of what
their Naga’s original concept was — whether
that be a tree, mountain, or a drizzle of rain.
Then consider what made this concept special
enough for the Naga to survive protecting it all
these years — a raindrop that grants immortality,
a web stronger than diamonds, roots that spell
out how a person will die. Finally, list attributes
that facilitate the concept connecting with its
unique feature. Pick one of these attributes to
embody.
Conversely, players could choose a poetic
attribute — the breath between the first kiss,
the sweet taste of revenge, the smell of home
— and let their storyteller surprise them with
who their Handler is and what concept they
embody and protect.
79
enjoyed. She visited the Divine Realm and there she rev-
eled in the force nature exerted on The World. This she
decided, would be what she embodied, and as she drank in
its knowledge, she grew another head.
The second head was greater in stature than the first
with a force of personality the central head was unable to
fight against. It named them Kulshedra, and everything
the second said, the first agreed to, enslaved in its sleep by
some nefarious force. By the time Kulshedra gained their
third head it was unclear who was the first and who the
second, though one was clearly in charge of the other.
Kulshedra wished to embody the force of nature in the
most violent way possible, by killing and eating humans.
They rode upon a thunderstorm into villages terroriz-
ing the townsfolk. It never took much work for the lazy
creature — a flood here, a fire there — before the villagers
offered up one of their own as sacrifice to the great beast.
Kulshedra happily consumed these offerings and moved on
to the next town and their next meal.
To show their disdain for the mortal’s tiny minds
they pissed acid and spewed soured milk upon the earth
wherever their storm went, taunting any mortal who dared
stand up to their power with comical disdain. It came as
no surprise to Kulshedra when humans finally rebelled,
not only against them, but the other Naga who Kulshedra
assumed enjoyed the same easy life as they did.
The terrifying creature who rode a noxious storm
thought little of the humans’ fear until Zjerma challenged
them to a duel. Having never ate a Scion before, Kulshedra
agreed, hurling their substantive form at the Hero. Few saw
the battle that day, but many say Kulshedra’s own heads
turned against them and fought alongside Zjerma. In the
end Kulshedra’s figure plummeted to the earth dead in a
rain of sour milk and rancid piss dying the way they came
into this World — in stunned amusement.
Kulshedra’s Heirs hold the same contempt for human-
ity as the Naga did. They live within the fringes of society
scoffing at the idiocy of their fellow humans and revel in
going against the status quo. Most importantly, the dragon’s
Heirs have a hunger for something as deep and abiding as
Kulshedra’s love for human flesh.
Callings: Judge, Predator, Primeval
Memory: The sensation of riding on storms, being the
wind and thunder; instilling fear into others and the joy
their terror brings; consuming human flesh, and the satis-
faction of crunching bones; the smell of rancid milk.
Dragon Magic: Elemental Control (Fire), Fear, Flight,
Transformation, Weather Control
LADON, GUARDIAN
OF THE GOLDEN APPLES
Aliases: Lover of the Nemean Lion
Ladon was born wrapped around a bountiful tree of
golden apples. For all his time, he loved this tree and ate of
its fruit. When the Gods came, the tree became part of the
80 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
Garden of the Hesperides. The nymphs in the garden doted
on the Dragon, draping them in garlands of apple blossoms
and sun sweet songs to hum the serpent to sleep. Each head
Ladon grew embodied the lyrics of a song and the fables of
the nymphs. The songs helped to protect the tree of golden
apples from trespassers and grow a deep knowledge within
Ladon.
Ladon had many friends within the garden, including
a golden lion they loved dearly. When the lion left the gar-
den, Ladon gave it the most precious gift a Naga could, they
bade their lover eat one of their heads — the head which
contained a song of love so powerful it was invincible.
The lion agreed and consumed part of its lover, becoming
two-in-one.
The lion never returned, much to Ladon’s disappoint-
ment. Instead, Heracles wearing a pelt of impervious fur
from a golden lion came to the garden. He demanded Ladon
give him apples from the tree. Ladon instead coiled tightly
around its bark and cried out every mournful song they
knew. Ladon saw that Heracles would not leave until he
took an apple and offered a trade. Desperate to have even
a piece of their lover back, they offered apples in exchange
for the pelt.
Heracles refused, thinking the Dragon wanted him
to become vulnerable. If the Dragon would not give him
the apples freely, he would just take them. Ladon watched
Heracles haughtily pluck apples from the tree, in stunned
silence and sorrow. When Heracles left, he did not thank
Ladon, or offer apologies or kind words — he turned and
walked away as if the apples were his due.
This final insult enraged Ladon. It was a deeper and
truer feeling than anything the Naga knew before. A great
ugly head sprung from its body and grabbed onto Heracles.
The two fought, and though Heracles escaped, he only did
so with one apple and scars he would never forget.
Ladon only had three remaining heads, with the en-
raged head in charge as his main head slumbers in sorrow
for his lost love. They still reside within the Garden of
Hesperides, but the garden is not the idyllic place it once
was. After Heracles pillaged the place, the inhabitants
spend all their efforts toward protecting themselves. The
nymphs sing hateful songs luring unsuspecting folk into
the deepest caverns of flora before Ladon gobbles them
whole. The only visitor welcome in the garden is Hera, who
knows their sorrow all too well.
Ladon chooses Heirs with an eye to replace the
light-hearted heads they have lost. While rage controls
them, they no longer seek revenge, but instead a way to
awaken their sorrowful head. Ladon picks people who’ve
experienced a loss in their lives but have come out stronger
for it. The Naga wants someone who understands suffer-
ing and who will do whatever it takes to protect those she
loves. Heirs are often muse-like free spirited people with a
deep love of creation. They are artists, musicians, authors,
and philanthropists.
Callings: Guardian, Mystic, Primeval
 Memory: Resting beneath a golden tree blooming
with the first blush of spring, a lion and serpent sing songs
to one another; sleeping in a silent garden at sunset; con-
tentment in love and the sorrow of losing it; grief so deep it
aches in the soul.
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Decay, Elemental
Control (Earth), Flight, Transformation
MUCALINDA, SERPENT OF SHELTER
Aliases: Protector of Buddha
Mucalinda gained their seventh head the day their
concept was destroyed by a raging storm. The Dragon in-
tended to return to the Divine Realm, to ponder what it had
learned until its concept was reborn into the world, when
it spied a lone man meditating under the Bodhi Tree in the
eye of the storm. Unwilling to see another thing destroyed
by the storm, Mucalinda wrapped themselves around the
man and protected him from the storm.
It stormed for seven days and with each day the
Dragon lost a head against the relentless storm until only
one head remained. When the storm subsided, Mucalinda
shifted their form into one echoing the man, bowed to
him, and walked off. The man, who came to be known as
Buddha, gave the Naga much to think on and a new concept
to protect — shelter.
Sheltering Buddha from the storm, losing their heads
one by one, Mucalinda experienced an epiphany: sheltering
the man became more important than their own life. They
resolved to learn what shelter meant, the balance it struck
between life and death, when to give shelter and when to
take it away. To better learn, Mucalina took the form of a
human for many centuries — the one creature on earth who
seemed to prize shelter more than anything else.
Walking the world over, the Naga learned and grew,
wearing a new face in every new culture they visited.
Mucalinda still wanders the earth to this day in various
human disguises learning what they can of The World.
When they’ve learned all they can, they plan to return to
the original Bohdi Tree where they met Buddha and finally
accept the shelter of its leaves.
Unlike other Naga, Mucalinda takes an active role in
The World, spending most of their time in a human guise.
While understanding their concept is a key driving goal,
they also use the experience to gain intel and bring infor-
mation between other members of the Flight. While not a
spymaster by any stretch of the imagination, Mucalinda is
often embroiled in Flight business as they travel The World.
Mucalinda is a rare exception to Naga who choose
Heirs to replace missing heads. They have no driving
desire to replace who they have lost, and instead choose
Heirs from people who have impressed them greatly or
taught them a new lesson. Before choosing an Heir, the
Naga watches them closely ensuring they have what it
takes to ascend to full Dragon. Their Heirs are relentlessly,
stubborn, pondering, questioning people who are never
satisfied with the first answer they’re given. They come
The Naga
from all levels of society, as anyone with the right attitude
could impress Mucalinda.
Callings: Guardian, Healer, Nomad
Memory: Protecting someone else at the cost of your
own life; the comfort of a warm and welcoming place;
shifting faces each one welcoming and affable; taking care
of those who need it most; wandering the world in search
of answers.
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Luck, Transformation,
Understanding, Weather Control
SRI GUMUM, MOTHER OF LAKE CHINI
Aliases: Protector of the Dead City
When Lake Chini was still a small tame thing, a tree
wept at the beauty of waters and bled Sri Gumum into the
world. The Dragon inhabited the lake for centuries alone
and in peace until humanity found it and built a small set-
tlement there. The humans respected the lake, Sri Gumum’s
greatest love, and so the Naga blessed the people.
Sri Gumum set about showing the townsfolk the won-
ders of the lake’s waters. They herded fish into their nets
and cooled the summer air so families could spend days
lazing by the lake’s banks. The small settlement turned into
a great city of stone with sculptures flowing like the lake’s
waters and wide canals for Sri Gumum to swim through.
The people named Sri Gumum “mother” for the care show-
ered upon them. Sri Gumum embraced the title, and they
became she, and she was happy.
Sri Gumum barely knew about the outside world until
the Divine Realm closed. When she investigated, she found
the Naga, and joined their Flight. They charged her with
guarding the entrance which sat at the bottom of her lake.
She happily agreed, but she didn’t understand the gravity of
the task until too late.
Hunters learned that a city worshiped a great Dragon,
and they gathered their forces in a nearby capital with
their sights set on destroying it. The townsfolk rose up to
defend her, and a bitter battle raged for days. One by one,
Sri Gumum saw the people she loved die in her name. She
offered the hunters multiple gifts to leave her city and lake
alone, but they refused. Sri Gumum did the only thing she
could to protect the people and lake she loved — she left.
Swimming as fast as she could, the Mother of Lake Chini
led the hunters away from her home. She fought them
alone, and though she lost many heads, she was victorious.
Sri Gumum returned home expecting a great celebra-
tion, but instead was met with deathly silence. She found
the city sacked, burned bodies piled high and blood stained
the lonely stone streets. When she left, the neighboring
city saw their opportunity to destroy a rival, plundering its
treasures for their own. The only people left in her home
were invaders who set about carving up the territory for
themselves. A deep shame shuddered through Sri Gumum
for her failure as a protector. With a great cry she wrapped
herself around the city and pulled it beneath the lake, mer-
cilessly drowning the invading forces for their greed.
81
 A whisper of her former glory, Sri Gumum keeps a low
profile protecting the entrance to the Divine Realm. She
mostly keeps to her lake, but she sends her undead minions
— the enemies she drowned so many years ago — to enact
her will on earth. These ghostly figures who owe the Naga
a debt they can never repay punish those who would harm
Sri Gumum’s followers and aid those faithful to her.
Sri Gumum rarely chooses Heirs, though her heads
are constantly trying to reincarnate throughout The World.
Reincarnated Heirs find themselves drawn to the lake,
never truly feeling at home till they spy its deep waters.
When she does choose an Heir, she picks someone who
has been foolish enough to enter her domain without her
leave to teach them a hard lesson. All her Heirs tend to be
overly protective and guarded. They are public defenders,
bodyguards, doctors, nurses, and children’s aids.
Callings: Guardian, Healer, Primeval
Memory: Playing with children and family who love
you; the heat of a summer day and the cool of canal water;
the smell of burned bodies and fear; the fear of failing to
protect the ones you have sworn to; the sorrow of loss.
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Water),
Luck, Understanding, Weather Manipulation
VASUKI, KING OF THE NAGA
Aliases: Companion of Shiva
Vasuki is a many-headed Naga known best for resting
around the neck of Shiva after the Divine Realm closed.
Their concept is divinity, and each head Vasuki possesses
espouses the teachings of a holy entity Vasuki spent time
with. No matter how many entities Vasuki visits, they al-
ways return to Shiva’s shoulders — the God who best un-
derstands the cycle of life and death.
Before the Divine realm closed, Vasuki was a Dragon
of little import. Small, with only a handful of heads born
from minor water spirits and long dead natural forces,
Vasuki had little in the way of responsibilities. They spent
most of their time exploring The World and delighted in
the Gods and their stories. When the Divine Realm closed,
he used the connections he had been making to be the first
Naga to ally themselves with a God for protection.
Vasuki and Shiva have an easy relationship, with
Vasuki coming and going as they please. When they leave
Shiva’s shoulders it is through the premise of carrying his
messages to other Gods. During this time, the Naga takes
the opportunity to contact their vast network of serpentine
spies they use to leech knowledge from The World. Vasuki’s
spy network is vaster than any other Dragon’s comprising
of humans, serpents, Legendary Creations, and even Gods.
And plenty of those have no idea they are feeding informa-
tion to the smooth-talking Dragon.
Gods who entertain Vasuki for a time always end up
owing them in some way. Vasuki has yet to collect on any
of these debts, Vasuki is here to help. The more time Vasuki
spends with a God, the more they owe, until the Naga sees
fit to return to Shiva — the only God who owes the Dragon
82 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
nothing. Eventually, the Dragon will have enough secrets
and debts to bring the whole of the pantheons crumbling
down on themselves. Until then, he lives to serve.
Unlike many other Naga who are a whirlwind of op-
posing thoughts and ideas, Vasuki is singularly focused and
speaks only through their main head. They always aim to
please and assist, never out-right refusing a request. That
doesn’t mean they don’t twist and mold it into something
the Dragon can accomplish. They can’t collect those debts
if they can’t deliver something in return, even if it isn’t ex-
actly what the requester originally wanted.
Vasuki’s Heirs are no different — slick, composed,
smooth-talkers who rarely raise their voice. Each Heir is
exceedingly good at keeping secrets and guards any in-
formation they glean jealously, even from those closest to
them. Vasuki’s prizes loyalty more than anything else in
their Heirs, testing them constantly to ensure compliance.
They are government officials, socialites, lawyers, con-art-
ists, and criminals.
Callings: Mystic, Ruler, Judge
Memory: Traveling vast distances through wondrous
realms; speaking with Gods and Titans about the nature of
divinity; exchanging stories by a campfire; whispering se-
crets in the dark; losing a friend and companion to greedy
enemies.
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Luck, Transformation,
Understanding
COMMON NAGA
BIRTHRIGHTS
Most Naga Birthrights come in the form of a Lair,
which exemplifies the concept the Heir should embody.
An Heir might live in a lair for years before Bequeathal not
even realizing it until one day waking up to see the secrets
his Handler has woven into his home. Other common
birthrights include Pawns and Guides — both helping to
guide an Heir back to the many-in-one.
GUIDE
• Ershaj: Legendary creatures who descend from
Kulshedra. They appear as large serpents and carry
the knowledge of the Naga between the Dragons and
their Heirs. They each appear similar to Kulshedra’s
heads, and style themselves as Dragons apparent,
which mildly amuses the Naga.
• Talking Head: When a Naga loses a head, they may
preserve it as a memento of what they lost, wrap-
ping it in deep magics. This head thinks, talks, and
remembers as if it were still alive, though it is just
a macabre memento at this point. Some Naga send
these heads to their Heirs to guide them back to
the many-in-one, their Heirs only realizing much
later they’re talking to a decapitated version of
themselves.
 FLIGHT PATH OF THE NAGA
Path Skills: Culture, Survival
Favored Draconic Knacks: Snapping Hydra’s Form, Skink’s Regrowth
Remembrances:: One-of-Many (Cypher) and One-of-None (Defection) — Naga serve a purpose in
Remembrances
The World of balance. They exemplify a concept in every possible facet a person can dream of, both good
and bad. Each of a Naga’s heads understands it is many-in-one and that Heirs are one of many. When
Heirs truly accept that their nature is an individual part of a greater being, they become many-in-one.
Walking the path to many-in-one means first exemplifying the One-of-Many. The Heir serves the Flight,
giving over their individuality for a greater cause. They come closer to their draconic nature by finding
balance and placing the needs of the many above their own.
Humans are part of a whole, but they prize their individuality and creativity. Being one-of-many means
giving all that up, which chafes many Heirs. An Heir pushes against that by embracing One-of-None, the
concept of acting for yourself rather than others. The Flight expects total compliance, and a good Naga
works to open the Divine Realm at all costs. Heirs who work for their own goals, rather than their Handlers
stay connected with what makes them unique, expressing it every chance they get. One-of-None means
embracing individuality and damning the rest. It’s following your gut no matter the consequences and
doing what feels right — rather than theorizing that perhaps there is no right.
Signature Naga Dragon Magic: Teleportation Every Naga carries a spark within their atman
connecting them to the Divine Realm. When the Divine Realm closed, Naga found they could create a
small pocket realm embodying their concept by drawing their power inward and connecting it to their
memory of the Divine Realm. Since the realm is both everywhere and nowhere centered on the Naga,
they always have access to this realm and may teleport in and out when they please. Heirs interact with
this realm as a form of teleportation, able to flit in and out of their Handler’s realm in times of need. These
pocket realms are extremely dangerous for anyone but the Naga and their Heirs to enter, not because they
are overtly dangerous, but because they are places of pure thought. Weaker willed creatures who enter
the realm find themselves forever changed when they exit (if they can at all) and more powerful creatures
struggle to exist in a realm with such an overwhelmingly alien existence.
Beyond being able to create a place of pure thought and move to them at will, the Naga have learned to
use their magic to transport them to other places as well. While mostly used for moving in and out of lairs,
this magic is a useful tool.

LAIR
• Lair of Permanence: The lair of permanence is a
large, cavernous hall deep within ground echoing
that of the Heir’s Naga. One wall of the hall sports
writings of the Naga’s head before it was lost — il-
legible until translated and understood by the Heir.
• Lair of Acceptance: Whenever in an element linked
to their Naga, their Heirs become better versions of
themselves. Songs come easier, wounds heal faster,
an Heir happily spends an entire night sleeping un-
der a thunderstorm.
PAWNS
• Creature of Life: Rather than a lair itself, an avatar
of the creature the Heir’s Naga protects aids the
Heir on their journey. These creatures can speak in
a human voice and possess second sight.
• Vasuki’s Spies: Vasuki has spies all over The World,
many of them ready and willing servants. These
people have an almost fanatical dedication to assist-
ing and finding information for the King of the Naga,
and any who owe allegiance to the Flight fall under
their auspices.

The Naga 83
 “Look like the time. Bear welcome in your eye,
Your hand, your tongue. Look like th’ innocent flower,
But be the serpent under ’t. He that’s coming
Must be provided for; and you shall put
This night’s great business into my dispatch,
Which shall to all our nights and days to come
Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.”
— Lady MacBeth

T he Serpents have flowed through The World since it

was first breathed into existence, their form echoing
throughout all nature. The gnarled roots of trees. The creeping
reacted poorly. Some Dragons were punishing people for
their hubris, and the Gods felt they should be the only ones
to punish humans. Feeling that humanity had betrayed
flashes of lightning. The slithering courses of rivers. The them and the Gods were encouraging it, they chose to
World is not yours; it’s theirs. It bears their DNA. Beneath fade into the background rather than go to war with the
every warm rock is a Serpent ready to lash out when Gods. Witz’, K’uk’ulkan, and the rest of
disturbed. the K’uh Dragons left their
When the Gods pantheon first, fol-
arrived in The World, lowed quickly by a few
many Serpents found Teōtl Dragons. They
easy peace with them. didn’t have a plan but
Their stories were always knew they couldn’t just let
simple ones, woven of the fabric the humans continue the way they
of The World, and the Serpents remained were. It didn’t take long before Ndengei,
mostly unchanged as they accepted the Supreme, reached far from his
their new roles, divine or borders seeking allies who felt
otherwise. These Dragons the slimy film of the growing pol-
didn’t suffer at the hands of lution. He found the Serpents and
the Gods, being hunted for rallied them with a plan. They
sport or greed. Instead, they would take action, but this time
came to love humanity, and from the shadows. They would
the Gods entreated them clean up The World by teach-
to shower humanity with ing humanity the right ways, and
love and affection. But kill any who disobeyed.
as humanity grew, so did With that, the Serpents
their hubris. They took formed with the Teōtl and
more from the land than K’uh Dragons as the core of
they needed, and they erod- their base with the Melanesian
ed the natural beauty of The Ndengei their leader. They wel-
World. The Gods, only interested comed all Dragons who had loved
in worship, cared not what humans did to the earth humanity as hard as they had and were willing to do
as long as they performed the right rituals, and gave proper whatever it took to reclaim The World. Together, Ndengei,
homage. Witz’, and K’uk’ulkan created Xol, a Terra Incognita for
The Serpents tried to correct the humans, teach the newly formed alliance to meet and plan their defense
them the proper ways to care for The World, but the Gods of the planet. In Xol, they plan their defenses, and keep

84 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

themselves separate from humanity else they fall prey to
their love of the small creatures. But they cannot act fully
by staying only in Xol, they are creatures of the land, and
they must be in The World if they wish to enact change in
it. Xol is also a disaster shelter, the Serpents know that if
they cannot change humanity, The World will become un-
inhabitable, and Xol is there as a backup in case they fail.
In The World, the Lacandon Jungle of southern
Mexico and Guatemala became the Serpent seat of power.
Lacandon is a battleground of ideologies. Nearby factories
in Chiapas and those even farther away bellow smoke into
the air. Though the pollution’s effects on The World are
limited, the air has begun to choke the Serpents. They’ve
seen great plumes of smoke get trapped low to the ground,
creeping along as though they were a fog formed from
pollution. The Serpents have learned how to combat the
smoky fog and its source, but they know such acts are
merely stopgaps. Even worse, they feel the potential for
such pollution to drive The World’s temperature up, which
would cause catastrophic effects upon the climate.
Thus, the Serpents have been spurred into action, al-
though what action to take is a point of contention. Even the
humans of the region feel the pull, with human pro-Maya
movements figuratively — in the case of the Zapatista rebels
literally — fighting for a return to indigenous stewardship
of the land.
The Serpents agree that they must cultivate more
human hands to preserve The World but there’s no con-
sensus on how to mold people; Witz’ favors an incremental
change, slowly informing people and making them more
environmentally aware, generation by generation, while
K’uk’ulkan has grown impatient. He favors teaching hu-
mans what will not be tolerated by destroying heavy equip-
ment and occasionally tasking Xiuhcoatl to sabotage facto-
ries and pipelines. There are even rumors of assassinations
of industrialists and land developers. To K’uk’ulkan, any
human not actively and violently resisting pollution is ei-
ther a threat or someone in need of radicalization.
CHARACTERISTICS
In their natural forms, Serpents have no limbs of any
sort, resembling giant snakes with ancient eyes. Though
most have some sort of shape shifting ability, those without
even temporary hands don’t seem particularly bothered by
it, manipulating objects with surprisingly deft coils.
The Serpents love hot, humid, and unspoiled environ-
ments. Pollution from encroaching manufacturing plants
and factory farms do make things more humid, but the
stench offends their senses. Just as bad, it has impacted
the ecosystems where Serpents prefer to live, driving prey
animals farther from their lairs. After centuries of attempt-
ing to only nudge humanity in the right direction, things
have gotten even worse. The Industrial Revolution spread
its tendrils across The World. Now, the Serpents have be-
gun taking a more active role, punishing those who do not
listen, and actively helping those who enact their wishes.
The Serpents
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
t’, tz’, k’, p’, and ch’ represent different sounds
than their unmarked cousins. In Mayan, these
are ejective consonants, sounds produced more
forcefully, like you’re beatboxing. Additionally,
Mayan has a glottal stop among its consonants
(the consonant between “uh” and “oh” in “uh
oh.”) Confusingly, this is also marked with an
apostrophe. Apostrophes after consonants
mark ejectives. When they come after vowels,
they signify a glottal stop. Because of this
notation, Mayan names can have multiple
apostrophes and even ending in one, like Witz’.
This may look strange when made possessive,
as in Witz’’s, but the apostrophes are quite
important to the language.
The Nahuatl “tl” sound in Xiuhcoatl is similar
to English’s “ch,” but instead of the tongue
moving straight backward, it moves to the side.
Since the Serpents are primarily Maya in
nature, pronunciations are given for the Flight
using K’iche’ Mayan, with the exceptions of
Ndengei, a Fijian Dragon, and Xiuhcoatl, a
Mexican Dragon.
K’uk’ulkan “K’oo-k’ool-kahn”
Ndengei “Ndeh-ngei”
Waxaklajuun Ub’aah “Wah-shah-klah-hoo-
oon Oo- b’aah”
Witz’ “Weetz’”
Xiuhcoatl “Shee-oo-koh-awtl”
Xiucome “Shee-oo-koh-meh”
Xoc Tzul “Shohk Tzuul”
Xol “Shohl”
The Serpents are the least trusting of all the Flights.
With the twin threats of ecological collapse and the
Titanomachy impacting their continued existence, who
can blame them? The stress of both have taken their toll,
though, with members like K’uk’ulkan becoming increas-
ingly less receptive to outside ideas. Although they have a
plan to leave it all behind if things get bad enough, they’d
rather keep their home the way it is and they’ll fight any-
one who threatens that, Gods, Titans, and even the humans
they love. Their hypervigilance has kept them safe from
many threats, at the expense of their ability to build and
maintain friendships and alliances. This often has an in-
fectious effect on their agents, with some Heirs displaying
symptoms of PTSD, becoming increasingly jumpy as they
take on more serpentine features.
Nevertheless, it’s impossible to understate the
Serpents’ love for The World and the humans in it. They
spend much of their lives crawling through the under-
brush, feeling the grass tickling their belly scales. Where
85
many groups of immortals spend their time in search of
something they don’t have, the Serpents want to hold onto
what they already have. Though increasingly paranoid,
they still only want what’s best for humanity and a healthy
planet that can sustain them all for eons to come.
LAIRS
Like their mundane counterparts, Serpents enjoy their
lairs in hot climates, where the dense foliage keeps the en-
trances obscured to the unwelcome. Although rainforests
serve as the Serpents’ front doors, the heart of their lairs
are typically the rocky caves. Few Serpents have retainers
or any sort of servants, meaning that their lairs must be for-
tresses. As such, the unconscious influence of the Serpents
warps their lairs into Strange Places. Cave openings are im-
possibly tiny, winding tunnels, incapable of admitting any-
one who can’t slither and contort their bodies. In addition,
caves are supernaturally dark, devouring flashlight beams
and nightvision, limiting most mammals’ senses, giving the
Serpents a great advantage over warm-blooded intruders.
Within the caves, Serpents stockpile random crap.
Loath to waste anything of use, Serpents rarely throw
things away, only destroying that which they feel is a threat.
Sometimes they don’t even destroy threats. K’uk’ulkan has
a pit full of mining equipment that he’s not sure he can
dispose of safely. An Heir in their Dragon’s lair can find
weapons, bones of extinct animals, and farming imple-
ments of all descriptions. Many of the tools are thousands
of years old, made of obsidian or quartz, although modern
American military hardware can also be found.
Some of the oldest Serpents lair in the Lacandon
Jungle of Southern Mexico. The mountainous jungle is a
center of Maya culture, containing many of the pyramids
and other sites of worship of early Serpents, as well as their
former allies in the K’uh. With a dense canopy and substan-
tial changes in elevation, the jungle is largely inhospitable
to humans, making it relatively untouched by modern tech-
nology. Heirs in search of their Dragons have a difficult trek
requiring stamina and a good machete. Those seeking out
Ndengei in Fiji are marginally better off, as the jungles sur-
rounding the Kauvandra mountain range are less extensive.
The Serpents also have access to Xol, a lair in a
Midrealm constructed as a joint effort between K’uk’ulkan,
Witz’, and Ndengei. Xol is a home away from home, a
safe house for the Serpents to gather and discuss plans.
Designed as a meeting hall and emergency bunker, Xol
is large enough to fit every Serpent, with room left over.
Considering that Ndengei is over a hundred kilometers long,
this means that the Serpents’ Terra Incognita is larger than
some countries. Xol is an idealized replica of the mountain
jungles that the Serpents call home. Despite being a mix
of Central and South American, Fijian, central African, and
eastern Australian flora and fauna, the Midrealm’s biome
is doing quite well, with the species flourishing in ways
that would probably make a biologist upset. Though the
passageways leading to Xol are largely Fijian caves and the
same underground rivers that lead to Michtlan, Xiuhcoatl
86 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
seems to know another way. At least, he seems to be able to
come and go without anyone noticing him using any of the
other entrances.
In addition to his secret passageway, Xiuhcoatl has
dozens of lairs scattered across the globe, a legacy of hun-
dreds of years operating as a spy and assassin. Due to the
nature of his life as of late, these lairs better resemble safe-
houses than places of power. Though much smaller in size
than the temples and caves of his peers, the safehouses still
have a Serpent feel, with Brutalist and modernist concrete
designs evoking the feel of dark caves. Although Xiuhcoatl’s
lairs also contain a hodgepodge of animal bones, they have
much more in the way of gear for his craft: forgery equip-
ment, passports, poisons, microphones, cameras, currency
from around the world, and the odd explosive. And if he
finds he’s sharing a lair with a Serpent Heir or two, he
doesn’t mind that much assuming they keep it tidy and
well-stocked.
MYSTERIES
The Serpents carry few secrets. Other than Xol’s loca-
tion, or individual lairs, most of their activity is performed
for the sake of humanity. So why wouldn’t they want people
to know their true tales? Though many Serpents predate
humanity, they love it desperately. They gladly accepted
whatever roles Gods gave them, making many of their
strongest memories those roles. Ndengei created humans
from bird eggs, incubating them with his coils. Likewise,
K’uk’ulkan has sunk his fangs into everything that his jaws
could fit around, including the sun. Heirs remembering
those times can feel the enormity in their mouths, the heat
washing over them. They can see the light shining outward,
creating the day.
Waxaklajuun Ub’aah’s Heirs remember flying through
the void before The World existed. They remember plum-
meting to the ground as a ball of stellar fire. The crater
that smoldered for weeks afterward. The devastation that
their meteor caused. But the Heirs also remember what
came next. The snakes that came to bask atop the obsidian
slab, the sun’s heat flowing into their scales. The trees that
surrounded the crater, depositing their leaves and branches
over the bare stone until the plants’ leavings became dirt,
safe ground for the vines that followed. Then the grasses.
The Meteor Serpent’s Heirs remember the devastation they
caused and how The World healed the wound as though it
never happened.
When Serpent Heirs dream of their Dragon, they
dream of a World before machines, a World that could
be again. Thick jungles that cover the mountains. Rivers
flowing freely, cutting ridges through the earth, washing
valleys with fertile soil. They dream of people tending to
the land, giving as much as they take, sweat mimicking the
rivers that mimic the Serpents. These humans work with
the land, their blood mingling with the soil, making both
The World and the humans stronger — better. Their will-
ingness to shed their own blood in the fields proof of their
worthiness.
 As a former member of the Teōtl, Xiuhcoatl’s memories
are especially fragmented. Though he lived for centuries
before Huitzilopochtli and centuries afterward, the times
he was in the God’s hand are still some of his strongest
memories. How could they not? A newborn leaped out of
a Goddess’ belly and pulled him out of nowhere. Then, the
suddenly fully-grown baby and Xiuhcoatl started mowing
down all his siblings. Things like that tend to stick with you.
Xiuhcoatl also remembers when Huitzilopochtli
finished with him, driving the Serpent into the last foe
and leaving him behind. He waited. For hours. For days.
Expecting his friend and companion to come back. But he
never did. As much as Xiuhcoatl wants to, he can’t hate
Huitzilopochtli for abandoning him, but he’ll never forget
that memory, either.
Nor will he forget what happened next. K’uk’ulkan
found him and pulled him from the corpse of a Titan, then
gave him a job, finding whoever was responsible for the
smell of ash and sulfur, the one who made the rain sour.
Xiuhcoatl remembers the sense of purpose. How it felt to
know that his hunt would take him to someone who had
injured The World. The sound of screams when they found
the factory owner’s body echo forever. Did he do the right
thing? Were the cries of alarm and the wailing sobs good?
He wasn’t sure. But the rain tasted sweeter afterward.
Primarily, Heirs learn that their Handlers still love
humanity more so than even the Gods. Maybe their biggest
secret is this truth, one they hide even from themselves.
RECENT MYSTERIES
Serpents can feel and see the disconnection between
The World they remember and The World as it is now.
They can see the problems humans are creating, and yet
they still refuse to remove humanity from the equation.
They would rather just leave and let The World die than kill
off what they’ve come to love so much. Their love clouds
their minds when it comes to how to handle the situation.
Other Flights see the end of the pantheons and humanity
as the only true way to reconcile these differences, but the
Serpents can’t abide such drastic measures. While they
would never say so to the other Flights directly, they will do
anything to protect humanity even if it means killing other
Dragons. They continue to frantically work behind the
scenes, hoping to educate and nudge humanity into fixing
their own problems before that becomes an issue. Fighting
for The World has never been harder, but there’s too much
at risk to relax.
RELATIONSHIPS
As most of the Serpents are former members of the
K’uh, they still have good relations with the Gods. Both
groups of immortals agreed on the importance of return-
ing The World to its former glory; their split was a simple
disagreement on how to do it. Though the K’uh themselves
have been quiet for hundreds of years, most of them are
still around, with the exception of Chaac, the Rain God. A
close partner of both K’uk’ulkan and Witz’, his absence is
The Serpents
keenly felt by the Serpents, especially after Tlaloc entered
The World and took Chaac’s place. Though it seems like a
simple coincidence, it’s hard for them to not hold it against
Tlaloc.
The Serpents get along well enough with the rest of
the Teōtl, though. Most of the Serpents entered The World
over a thousand years before the rise and fall of the Five
Worlds of the Teōtl. Thus, it’s hard for them to not think of
the Teōtl as newcomers, even though the Gods of Mexica
have been well established for the better part of a millen-
nium. Thanks to their proximity, many of the Serpents are
closer than mere neighbors to the Teōtl, having laid much
of the groundwork for the Gods. Quetzalcoatl patterned
his dragon form off K’uk’ulkan. Not that the God uses it
much. Similarly, Xiuhcoatl got his start at fire breathing
from Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan. Though Xiuhcoatl never
got the hang of conjuring stellar flames like the Meteor
Serpent, his fire is still quite deadly.
Speaking of Xiuhcoatl, he’s almost entirely responsible
for the Serpent’s terrible relationship with the Titans of
the region. With Huitzilopochtli, he killed all Coatlicue’s
other murderous children. They’ve come back in small
groups since then to get vengeance and died again. At this
point, Xiuhcoatl’s not sure how many times he’s killed
Coyolxauhqui and her brothers. Though she hasn’t tried
in hundreds of years, the Centzonhuitznaua keep trying,
seeking payback, not that they’re likely to get it. At least not
against any of the Serpents. If any of the Titans realize that
Heirs exist, things will get worse in a hurry.
The Serpents are on lousy terms with the Æsir, most-
ly due to a mix-up centuries ago where Thor came after
Ndengei, having mistaken the mountainous Dragon for
Jörmungandr. After a ferocious battle that left Ndengei
with a broken fang that took years to heal and Thor miss-
ing an Aspect, the Æsir marked Melanesia as off-limits.
Ndengei once tried discussing the incident with the Æsir,
but found his way barred by Heimdall, who immediately
blew the Gjallarhorn. Within moments, the Serpent found
a wild-eyed Thor shouting at him, followed by a heavily
armed contingent. Ndengei ended up leaving, annoyed and
without an apology.
NOTABLE DRAGONS
Like the Lóng Flight, the Serpents have maintained
good relations with the Gods and therefore few of their
numbers have been murdered. The Flight isn’t as numer-
ous, mainly because the primary requirement for joining is
the desire to change The World without killing humanity,
which is a relatively exclusive club.
K’UK’ULKAN, THE FEATHERED SERPENT
Aliases: Gucumatz
K’uk’ulkan was always a force of nature, even before
the Gods came to The World. He was big enough to en-
circle the sun, and he created the winds and caused great
rainstorms He was never one to shirk a responsibility, and
when the Gods came, he gladly did what they asked of him.
87
They made him responsible for days and nights by grabbing
the sun in his jaw and dragging it across the sky. Later, he
agreed to bridge the gap between the living and the dead,
acting as ferry by swallowing travelers, crossing planes,
and spitting people out at their destination. Where many
deities gain their renown by being the ones to open portals
and traverse the planes, K’uk’ulkan goes one step further;
he is the portal. Thousands of years later, there’s nowhere
he can’t go and no one he can’t bring, although some might
balk at the idea of traveling in the belly of a Dragon.
He spent a great deal of time as a K’uh, and in that time
traveled all over meeting many Gods. Though not actually
a death God himself, K’uk’ulkan he spent enough time in
the realms of the dead that he’s at least on friendly terms
with each of them, especially Sobek. During their first
encounter, the crocodilian guardian of the Nile was trying
to capture a particularly troublesome Titanspawn before
it made it to the underworld when K’uk’ulkan swallowed
it. He later deposited it in Hel, much to the amusement of
everyone, except for Hel.
Though he has fully separated himself from his divine
mantle, he returns on occasion to maintain the relation-
ships he created thus. They have no idea of his plotting and
planning as a Serpent, and he’d just as soon not let them
grow suspicious. He gets along with most other pantheons
in that role, especially the K’uh and Teōtl, with the lone ex-
ception of Tlaloc, whom he holds responsible for Chaac’s
disappearance.
88 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
K’uk’ulkan has a big heart; The ongoing effort to in-
dustrialize The World physically hurts K’uk’ulkan and he
would do anything to make it stop. While he loves human-
ity, he has grown tired of those who behave so callously
toward the planet. He is of a mind that they should kill
the worst offenders, as he’d rather spit them into Michtlan
than let them continue polluting. The other Serpents try to
temper him, but his patience wears thin and he might do
something drastic. No amount of goodwill toward his di-
vine mantle will save him if he just starts murdering people
though.
K’uk’ulkan chooses Heirs who have the same affable
nature he does. He picks people who love to travel and to
bring people from one place to another. They provide secu-
rity details for people in witness protection, moving their
charges thousands of miles with one hand on their gun at
all times. They are smugglers, plotting courses through
prying eyes to make sure their cargo arrives safely and un-
noticed by anyone that would cause it harm. They are also
construction workers, laborers, people who use force of
will and their own hands to transform rock into something
new, especially those who create new passages, tunnels, or
canals.
Callings: Mystic, Nomad, Ruler
Memory: Grieving humans shedding their own blood,
sacrificing their own flesh for one last moment with their
departed loved ones; the smell of blood and its unique
flavor: iron, copper, salt, agave; swimming through the riv-
ers, darting downward, crossing into the land of the dead;
carrying the dead back from Michtlan so the bereaved
could say goodbye.
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Air), Flight,
Transformation, Weather Manipulation
NDENGEI, THE SUPREME
Aliases: Dengei, Degei
When the seas sprouted islands, Ndengei was there to
welcome them in. He readily accepted his role as a Kalou-
vu, the Fijian gods, and was the most powerful of them. He
spent years searching for and finding things suited to life on
land. When a bird came and laid a pair of eggs, he wrapped
his coils around them, guarding the eggs from predators. In
time, humans hatched. Since then, the children of Ndengei
have lived on the islands of Melanesia, especially Fiji, un-
der their father’s watchful eyes.
Over the centuries that followed, humanity has been
no less needy of their serpentine dad. Under his mantle
as a God, he has islands full of worshipers who parade
offerings into caverns he used to inhabit leaving hundreds
of pigs and turtles which eventually vanish into his belly.
He’s granted everything from rain to harvests to success in
battle. Now, the people of The World ask even more of him,
offering whatever they can to survive the changing weather
patterns, especially against the more frequent typhoons.
The Serpents
Ndengei doesn’t forget his Dragon self, though he
wears his Godly mantle often. His reasoning is that if he can
get the people who worship him as a God to act on behalf
of the Serpents, then he can affect real change. He spends
a great deal of time in Xol pushing the other Serpents to
come up with a plan and give him something to act upon.
His actions often force a direction to the squabbling Flight,
and they look to him as their leader, though all votes are
equal in Xol’s forests.
Between balancing his duties as the most powerful
of the Kalou-vu and the organizing force of the Serpents,
Ndengei has his coils full. Not only must he deal with
requests from humans who travel to his cave asking for
aid, he has to handle squabbles between the Gods of the
Kalou-vu, keep the Serpents on task with saving The World
from further ecological ruin, and defend both against the
violence of the Titanomachy. As one might expect, this
means that Ndengei is tired as hell. The more success he
has at organizing and leadership, the more people, Gods,
and Dragons want to work with him, and the more work
he has to do. He sometimes jokes that he’ll rest when he’s
dead, but each time he says it, it’s a little bit less of a joke.
Though he’s as close to a leader as the Serpents have,
he feels his relationship with K’uk’ulkan slipping each day.
He’s not sure how much longer he’ll be able to keep the
Feathered Serpent from starting an actual war. Thankfully,
things are better closer to home. He’s well-known to the
Atua of Polynesia, especially Tangaroa, having worked with
89
the Sea God’s Aspect Tagroa Siria for millennia. Though it’s
impossible to get a read on the Lóng as a group, since there
are thousands of them, Ndengei is at least on good terms
with Ryūjin.
His Heirs are leaders of all sorts, those who have their
finger on the pulse of what people need and desire. They
are the ones who move heaven and earth to set things right,
or at the least, to make them suck a little less. His Heirs are
neighborhood organizers, activists, city councilmembers,
and social workers. People who recognize that they can
make things better if they try hard. If they knock on doors.
If they listen to people. If they find out what people need.
If they learn how to take resources from the powerful and
give them to the needy.
Callings: Guardian, Predator, Ruler
Memory: The feeling when people fail to arrive with
their tribute on time; a burning hunger; the quaking voices
of petitioners who fear the wrath but need an audience; the
harvests; victories in battle; strong winds and calm waves.
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental
Manipulation (Air, Earth), Fear
WAXAKLAJUUN UB’AAH CHAN,
THE EIGHTEEN-FACED SERPENT
Aliases: Chan-na K’awil, the Meteor Serpent, the War
Serpent
Waxaklajuun arrived on The World literally screaming
through the sky as the first meteor. Like a fiery spear, he
plunged deep into the earth, depositing rich veins of obsid-
ian before crawling out of the smoking crater. Much later,
that obsidian would find its way into the stone tools of the
people, highly prized among the Maya. Though his descent
to earth destroyed a hill, it enriched the land beyond belief.
He had a unique disposition among the Serpents,
remarkably laid back in most matters, but deadly serious
when it came time to get to work. In times of peace, he saw
little reason to get excited or hotheaded. Likewise, while
his allies K’uk’ulkan and Witz’ were desperate to combat
climate change, combating a non-physical presence wasn’t
his strong suit, and convincing others to do it was right out.
When there were things to hit, Waxaklajuun focused his
stellar fire on them, reducing them to ash. Otherwise, he
relaxed, a firm believer in not worrying about things he had
no control over.
This sometimes made his fellow Serpents frustrated,
but they knew that he’d throw himself headlong into help
once there was an opportunity for him to apply his talents.
Those talents? War. While Xiuhcoatl might be a warrior,
Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan was the War Serpent, battle in-
carnate, the one whose roar is heard when the din of battle
deafens out all other sounds. Anything that didn’t succumb
to his fangs faced the meteor storm, eighteen heads spew-
ing flames hotter than anything else in The World. Fire that
had one equal: the stars.
Always a primordial being, he never considered the
Gods his equal. He viewed them as newcomers, younger
90 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS
brothers, and children to be protected. Though they were
as immortally old as anything else in The World, they
weren’t Dragons. The Gods mostly ignored this point of
view, though it annoyed Huitzilopochtli. The two clashed,
though not in public and not often. Huitzilopochtli sought
to put Waxaklajuun in his place, and one can only assume
he succeeded. All anyone truly knows is that the War
Serpent is dead now, having fallen in the mid-15th century.
Waxaklajuun Ub’aah Chan’s Heirs are like him, pas-
sionate, fiery, and ready to throw down for a cause. They
are union agitators, fighting for fair wages regardless if it
costs their job. They would rather live on the street than
let a crooked boss get away with screwing workers. They
are teachers who would die for their students, spending
their own money on school supplies, volunteering for af-
terschool clubs and activities, so that their kids have a safe
environment even after the bell. They are honest cops who
would rather take a bullet rather than shoot an innocent.
Callings: Destroyer, Guardian, Primeval
Memory: Battles long since ended and those yet to
come; muscles ache with the labor of lashing out and de-
vouring enemies; the taste of blood coppery and foul in
their mouth.
Dragon Magic: Decay, Elemental Manipulation
(Earth, Fire), Understanding, Weather Control
WITZ’, THE WATER LILY SERPENT
Aliases: Hu’n Witz’ Naah-Chan, Yax-chit-ti, Ta Huun
Wherever water is, so is Witz’. In a mountain stream.
In a flood. At the bottom of a caldera. K’uk’ulkan may be the
architect of rivers and their flow, but Witz’ is the river; his
movements shaped the behavior of water everywhere. When
water ripples, its remembering and mimicking his undulating
form slithering through The World. His waters carry minerals
downstream, enriching the soil. Without him, there are no
farms. This is his gift to humanity, the cornerstone of civili-
zation. His partnership with Ixim, the Maize God, allowed
humans to move past hunting and gathering.
All Serpents love humanity, but Witz’ loves them more
than most. He would help the people and the animals of
The World with his dying breath, even if it were them
killing him. He advocates against the acts of ecoterrorism
many other Serpents actively engage in. He understands
why his Flightmates take extreme action, but that’s not his
path; his path is the river, ever flowing.
His easygoing demeanor makes him one of the more
popular members of the Flight, at least among other
Dragons. The Serpents don’t dislike him, but they think
his soft heart is going to lead to The World’s ultimate de-
struction, and they fear his lack of paranoia will get them
all killed. He doesn’t begrudge them their methods, though,
and has taken on a completely different role for the Flight.
Witz’ knows that the Serpents can never achieve their goal
of getting humanity to save itself if the other Dragons just
kill them all in a fiery revolution. Not that one is impending
any time soon, but Witz’ realizes that living in the moment
won’t work against other Dragons who plan on a scale
spanning millennia. Since none of the other Serpents are
good at making friends, he has decided it is his duty to be-
friend the other Flights.
He spends a great deal of his time visiting members of
the other Flights, trying to learn their plans, and convinc-
ing them to come around to the Serpent’s way of thinking.
So far, his only real successes have been with the Lóng,
who haven’t told him their plan for replacing the Gods, but
are rather receptive to his overtures. The Naga are a close
second, though their members are as fractious as any one’s
heads, so he can’t count on the whole Flight to stand with
the Serpents.
Witz’ chooses Heirs who are as passionate and caring
as he is. He chooses caregivers and those who give to those
in need. They are hospital personnel, especially hospice
workers and nurses, EMTs, lawyers who work tirelessly
to protect the innocent, and crisis center operators. He
expects his Heirs to work toward his goals, but also encour-
ages them to work with Heirs from other Flights, gently
steering them toward his goals as well.
Callings: Guardian, Healer, Watcher
Memory: The feel of a river sliding lazily through the
earth; the constant slosh-slosh as current breaks against
the backs of bodies, driving them farther downstream; the
pressure, the squeeze, the tension against the barrier be-
tween worlds, and the pop as the fallen cross the river; the
cries of newborns and the clatter of families gathering to
meet a new member.
Dragon Magic: Animal Control, Elemental
Manipulation (Water), Illusion, Weather Control
XIUHCOATL, THE TURQUOIS SERPENT
Aliases: Xiuhtecuhtli
The namesake of the Xiuhcome, the fire serpents
of Mexica, Xiuhcoatl has embraced both his nature as a
being of fire and a Serpent, taking his roles further than
anyone could have ever imagined. When he took the role
of preeminent fire Serpent from Waxaklajuun Ub’aah a
thousand years ago, he was more of a tool than a power in
his own right. In those days, he served as Huitzilopochtli’s
right-hand Dragon for hundreds of years, often literally in
Huitzilopochtli’s right hand, spitting precise bolts of fire
at the Teōtl God’s enemies. But those times wore away at
him. For Huitzilopochtli, every battle was a defense of his
mother, of his people. For Xiuhcoatl, it was just slaughter,
killing for the sake of death. What made one God more
worthy of survival than another? Who got to choose which
God lived and which God died? There were no answers for
the Turquois Serpent.
Over time, his connection to the Teōtl faded. When
they ceased needing a literal living weapon, they stopped
calling and Huitzilopochtli abandoned the Serpent, leaving
Xiuhcoatl buried in Coyolxauhqui’s chest. But Xiuhcoatl
knew little else. Outwardly, he looked just as blue and jo-
vial as he always did, though he’d lost the ability to separate
The Serpents
friend and foe long ago. When the older Dragons of the K’uh
found him, they gave him a new purpose: an endless string
of missions in the hope of creating a better World. Whether
or not Xiuhcoatl actually cares about the greater good is
anyone’s guess, but no one can argue with his success.
At under 10 feet long, he wins no awards for fear-
someness among the Serpents, placing him exactly where
he wants to be: underestimated. Between his size and his
mantle as the humanoid God Xiuhtecuhtli, few obstacles
bar his path. Though nominally responsible for regulating
fires and volcanos, the blue and green banded snake spends
far more time hiding in plain sight. It’d be easy to think of
him as a scaly James Bond, but Xiuhcoatl’s far more jaded,
competent, and deadly. With centuries of spy craft under
his grass tail, he is easily the most paranoid Serpent, which
places him in contention for the wariest Dragon of them all.
If he’s spotted, it’s likely part of his plan. And if it’s not, he
has backup plans.
All this nervousness makes him an excellent asset,
especially with his massive network of safehouses, though
it wins him few friends. Witz’ does his best to try to stay
on Xiuhcoatl’s good side, although the younger Serpent is
so emotionally repressed, Witz’ never knows if he’s suc-
cessful. The Teōtl believe themselves on good terms with
the fire Serpent, not fully understanding why he rarely
comes around anymore. Only Coatlicue understands how
the years have changed Xiuhcoatl. Having killed the Titan
Coyolxauhqui and her brothers, he is on the worst of terms
with them. While he can see them coming a mile away, new
Heirs are not so experienced, putting them in peril from
the moment of Bequeathal.
Xiuhcoatl’s Heirs are the shadows of the flickering
flame. They are saboteurs. Devoted to the mission, they
blend in and locate the enemy’s advantage and nullify it.
They are investigative reporters, digging for information,
pressing sources against walls. Squeezing corrupt busi-
nesspeople and shaking down entire neighborhoods for a
scrap of information, or anything that’ll lead them to the
truth. They are assassins. Nothing stands between them
and their quarry. They are unseen, even when hiding in
broad daylight. Perhaps owing to a sense of needing to
prove themselves or a deep-seated need to document their
victories, Heirs of Xiuhcoatl tend to collect trophies of their
triumphs, every token of success adding to their hoard.
Callings: Nomad, Primeval, Watcher
Memory: Fighting against Gods and Titans; being
manipulated and used as a weapon; being hunted; blood on
their hands and lips; how sweet the air tastes when they
slay a target unseen.
Dragon Magic: Elemental Manipulation (Air, Fire),
Flight, Illusion
COMMON SERPENT
BIRTHRIGHTS
Thanks to the Serpents’ paranoia, they do not allow
pawns, guides, or other allies within their lairs. That’s not
91
 FLIGHT PATH OF THE SERPENTS
Path Skills: Subterfuge, Integrity
Favored Draconic Knacks: Dragon Sight, Eel’s Trickery
There’s no getting around it, the Serpents are ecoterrorists. They do not agree on how to teach and
uplift humanity, but they know they cannot let them keep destroying The World. Only a few, like Witz’
and Ndengei, balk at the steps that lie before them. Stamping down hard on humanity’s pollution means
taking action. Where this means the simple destruction of property and machinery, the Serpents are united.
It is when there’s a human cost that their divisions arise. Regardless of the minute details of the plan, the
Serpents all agree that it’s past time for planning. They must act.
Remembrances: Direct Action (Cypher) and Negotiation (Defection). The way of the Serpent is to
strike decisively, piercing the flesh of the enemy and flooding their bodies with venom. After hundreds of
years of hiding, the time to act is now, before there is nothing left to save. Direct Action is taking matters into
your own hands to ensure victory. It is leading from the front and doing whatever it takes to enact change.
The Serpents drive their Heirs to act fast and decisively, as if their very lives depend on it. As she grows
closer to her draconic nature, she learns that it is not impulse that drives her, but instinct. In every action,
every circumstance, she listens to her senses, not rationale.
At the other end of the spectrum is Negotiation. An Heir who wants to retain her humanity must listen
to reason and must hear out the other party before she decides. Direct action is fine, but action without
thought leads to strife and suffering. She can still accomplish her goals through negotiations, but it requires
compromise. The Dragon cannot abide compromise, feeling The World is already at the brink and its way
is the best. But the human knows that she cannot keep humanity alive without first entreating humanity, and
that requires negotiation. An Heir uses her best judgement, hoping measured actions preserves some of her
humanity and keeps The World safe at the same time.
Signature Serpent Dragon Magic: Purification: The Serpents are part and parcel with nature and The
World. They are born of its dirt and plants and have always tried to foster that connection as much as
possible. No matter how much they might love humanity, their true nature lies within the wilderness. They
have tried hard to preserve the natural places of The World as best they can, and their magic is centered
around healing and purifying the land. With Purification, the Serpents can free humans from the hustle of
the modern World, allowing them to concentrate on the natural cycle of life and death. Plants, animals,
and even entire regions also benefit from Purification, flourishing and regaining lost strength.

to say that they don’t have two-legged assets. Many Central
American communities and guerillas keep to the old Maya
ways; to them, there’s no difference between the Serpents
and the K’uh. These followers are all too willing to snoop
around industrial sites or drive a truck through a billion-
aire’s empty summer home. While Fijians are less aggres-
sive, they’re no less passionate about serving.
GUIDES
• Lost Souls: The dead have always sought out
Ndengei and other Serpents for help reaching the
afterlife. While their time left in The World is short,
they possess lifetimes of knowledge they’re eager to
share, especially if it brings their killer to justice or
prosperity to their families.
HOARDS
• Fang of an Ancient: When Serpents die, they leave
behind their wicked fangs. Intensely venomous,
only those with draconic blood, or Heirs can safely
harvest a fang and work it into a blade. Once fash-
ioned into a weapon, it deals wicked wounds that
never heal properly, scarring even Gods.
• Serpent Masks: These masks depict Serpents at
the height of their powers, bestowing their wearer
with powers. Frequently worn on the back of the
head, they contain the essence of the Serpent they
depict. In many cases, Heirs obtain the mask of
their Handler, enhancing the abilities they already
possess. But, almost as often, Heirs find themselves
with the mask of a different Serpent, becoming bice-
phalic Serpents, capable of lashing out with either
Dragon’s abilities.
• Quetzal Fists: Brass knuckles covered in striking
blue and green feathers, carvings of Serpents, and
obsidian razors, the Quetzal Fists leave their mark
on their foes. A modern twist on blood sacrifice al-
tars, the Fists are technically nonlethal.
LAIRS
• Janitor Closet: Ostensibly, the heavy steel door is
to keep the dangerous chemicals safely contained
but it doubles as insurance that no human can get
inside. If they did, they’d discover that the closet is
far larger than the blueprints indicate, with walls
full of uniforms, weapons, and supplies. It even has

92 CHAPTER TWO: THE FLIGHTS

 a door that leads to a different closet in a building
hundreds of miles away.
PAWNS
• Muwan Mat: Muwan was a Zapatista rebel in
Mexico. She’d been fighting the Mexican government
for years to preserve the Maya people’s culture and
prevent the government from interfering with indig-
enous stewardship of the land. When she chanced
upon Xiuhcoatl throwing down with an incarnation
of Coyolxauhqui, she found an even higher calling,
volunteering to help the Serpents the moment she
put a burst of gunfire into Coyolxauhqui. What she
The Serpents
lacks in subtlety, she makes up for in bravery and
commitment to the Serpents.
• Xoc Tzul: An unflappable Belizean reporter with a
dozen years of various investigative beats under her
belt, Xoc has recently uncovered the truth about the
pantheons. Ethnically Maya, she grew up with sto-
ries of the Serpents and now seeks to aid Heirs how-
ever she can, using her skills as an investigator to get
to the bottom of any mysteries an Heir encounters.
Once unleashed on a target, Xoc uses every tool
in her arsenal to get the Serpents an upper hand.
Public records? Accessed. Spending habits? Hacked.
Family members? Bribed.
93
J akob sat at a table in the all-night diner, waiting
for Ambrosia to arrive. It was damned late, but
the place was packed. He nursed a cup of coffee and
watched the crowd. Lots of kids here, in their late teens
and early twenties. He’d been coming here since he
was that age himself, almost 30 years ago. Clothing
and hair styles had changed, but the food and the
decor hadn’t. That was all right by Jakob, who spent
a lot of his time on the road. Sometimes it was nice
to come back to someplace familiar, when you didn’t
really call anywhere home.
Ambrosia came in, shaking rain from a bright
red umbrella. The storm had hovered for hours with
no sign of letting up. She gave the restaurant crowd
a practiced once-over before joining Jakob.
“How’d the job go?” he asked. He’d been two
states away when Mitch put out the call.
“Eh, fine. Mitch only went a little off book.
Nothing we couldn’t handle.”
“And what’s this one going to entail?”
She frowned. “Not sure yet. I had this dream
about a woman made of fire, and knew I should
help her. Next day, I get a phone call from some
daughter of Brigid, asking me to meet her and a
friend of hers to talk over a job offer.” The bell over
the door jingled, and a stocky woman with a bright
red undercut stepped inside. “Speaking of.”
She spotted Ambrosia waving and navigated
her way to their table. Ink peeked out from her col-
lar and sleeves, and she nodded approvingly at the
runic tattoos winding around Jakob’s arms.
94 SCION: DRAGON
“Rhiannon Jernigan,” she said. “Our straggler’s
on the way. He texted to tell me he got a little lost.”
She shook their hands and reached for a menu.
“Ambrosia Cook. And this is my friend Jakob
Lukasson. The omelets here are amazing.”
The waitress came along with the coffee pot and
took their orders: omelets of the day for Rhiannon
and Ambrosia, an egg-and-cheese sandwich for
Jakob. Rhiannon waited until she was out of earshot
before she asked, “Shall we get down to business?
Eric can catch up when he gets here.”
“Let’s,” said Ambrosia. She stuck a coffee stirrer
in her mouth and nibbled on its end while Rhiannon
spoke.
“A long time ago, an item that belonged to my
mother went missing. I’ve been trying to track it
down, but it changed hands several times. It ended
up out here.” She chewed her bottom lip, choosing
her next words carefully. “I think it’s in an old lair.
Not a Dragon’s, as far as I can tell, but something
that won’t be too happy with me just walking in and
taking it.”
“So, you need backup.”
“Backup, muscle. Whatever you want to call it.
Getting this back will help people. Or, more specifi-
cally, will help me help people. That’s all I want out
of this. Anything else we find there, it’s yours.”
Jakob had some opinions on a Scion granting
them — both heirs to draconic lineages — permis-
sion to take things from another creature’s hoard,
but this was Ambrosia’s operation. He kept quiet.
 Ambrosia didn’t say anything for a moment, as
she turned the proposal over in her mind. Rhiannon,
to her credit, didn’t push. At last, Ambrosia nodded.
“I’m in. Call it a gut instinct, but this is something I
need to do. Jakob?”
Jakob didn’t always get the same uncanny feel-
ings other Heirs did. The Flight’s agents had long
since stopped contacting him, and if Ní∂höggr ever
bestirred himself to speak in dreams, Jakob wasn’t
listening. But he trusted Ambrosia and her instincts.
She was his brood-mate, after all. That meant having
each other’s backs. “Yeah,” he said. “Count me...”
The door opened again, and a tall red-haired
young man stepped through.
Eric can catch up when he gets here, Rhiannon had
said.
Jakob hadn’t realized she meant Eric fucking
Donner.
AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE
They’d never met, but it was hard not to recog-
nize the son of Thor on sight. Several videos of him
had gone viral over the last couple years: Donner
fighting a serpent, Donner drawing lightning from
a clear sky. The pictures of the Band his buddy
Donnie Rhodes posted on social media got millions
of likes. If you were online at all, he was hard to
miss.
In fact, Jakob wasn’t the only one who’d spotted
the minor celebrity in their midst. Other customers
nudged one another and not-so-surreptitiously
pulled out their phones, either in the hopes some
epic godly showdown was about to start, or to snap
selfies and caption them with Look who’s in the back-
ground! Donner seemed a bit embarrassed by all the
attention, even while he stood and waited for its ini-
tial flurry to die down. Necks craned as he noticed
Rhiannon and headed for their table.
“Eric,” she said, as he slid into the seat beside
her, “this is Ambrosia Cook and Jakob Lukasson.
95
Ambrosia and Jakob, meet my friend Eric ... Eric,
what is it?”
He stared at Jakob as though trying to remem-
ber where they’d met. His furrowed brow gave way
to an unsubtle gasp and a deepening frown as some
gears in his brain clicked into place.
Ambrosia touched Jakob’s arm. He hadn’t
moved since Donner walked in — not out of fear,
but in cold calculation. Donner had half a foot on
him, but Jakob was solid and quick; he could get
in at least a couple of good haymakers if it came
to blows. Anything more than that would put cus-
tomers in danger, and a lot of the kids in here were
part of the communities he’d dedicated the last few
decades to defending. If Donner decided he wanted
a fight, they’d have to take it outside.
“Is there a problem?” Jakob asked. He kept his
voice quiet, in case anyone close by was recording.
Eric matched Jakob’s tone and made an effort
to return his expression to neutral. “I’ve heard your
name before. And some other things,” he said.
There was no judgment in the way he said it. A little
caution, maybe.
“I figured as much. Some of your relatives
might take issue with us sitting at a table together,
let alone working the same job.”
Rhiannon shot Ambrosia a what the fuck? look.
“We’re a package deal,” Ambrosia said. She
knew about the Æsir’s beef with Jakob. “If you can’t
work with him, we both walk.”
“I don’t understand what’s going on,” said
Rhiannon. “Someone clue me in.”
“Later.” Eric cut his eyes toward the table of
twenty-somethings to their left, whose occupants
were pretending to have an intense conversa-
tion to demonstrate how they absolutely weren’t
eavesdropping.
That made Jakob relax a little — Donner wasn’t
going to make him admit in a crowded restaurant
that he’d murdered one of the All-Father’s children.
“For now, let’s say I did something that ruffled a
whole lot of Ásgarðian feathers.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
Jakob shrugged. “I’d do it again.”
Rhiannon studied them both. “Is this ... whatev-
er it is ... going to be an issue?”
96 SCION: DRAGON
“Not unless Mr. Donner’s a Nazi,” said Jakob.
He said it a little louder, so any mics recording near-
by might pick it up.
Eric full-body recoiled at the statement. “What?
God, no. Fuck those guys.”
Let that get out on social media, Jakob thought.
He smiled at last — more at the thought of how
Donner’s disavowal would get up some bigots’ nos-
es than at Donner himself — but the kid was from
the Midwest. If someone smiled at you, you smiled
back.
“I think we’ll be all right,” said Jakob.
“Yeah, we’re cool.” Eric stuck his hand out for a
shake, and Jakob accepted.
“Excellent,” said Rhiannon. “Let’s talk details.”
• • •
T hree days later, they headed into the Hoh
Rainforest. Heavy logging throughout most of
the 1900s had devastated areas of the rainforest, but
in the last thirty years or so, trees had begun growing
again. Ambrosia was sure there was a metaphor in
there somewhere, something about the old growth
gone forever, but the new taking root. She tucked it
away to muse over later, maybe run by her partner,
Caroline, when she got back to the office.
A couple hundred years ago, perhaps, the crea-
ture they were tracking had trusted the thick forest
to make finding its lair’s entrance near-impossible.
In the aftermath of clear-cutting, however, it was
almost too easy to find. The new growth hadn’t had
time to cover it over completely. Roots tripped them
all on occasion, but never entirely impeded their
progress. A few hours in, and they found it: a stone
arch carved with runes too faded to read.
Passing beneath it, the air grew immediately
sweeter. Beyond was the rainforest as it once had
been, with ancient trees towering overhead and
long-extinct animals rustling about in the under-
brush. Rhiannon led the way, consulting a map
sketched in an old journal. Jakob and Eric trailed a
little behind, keeping an eye out for threats.
At last, they came to an outcropping. At its base
was a small clearing, with a simple stone altar in its
center. An opening was carved into the rock wall
behind it, just about human-sized.
“You might have to turn sideways and crouch
a bit,” Ambrosia said to Eric. The rest of them could
fit through just fine.
 “Wait,” said Jakob. “Why don’t you two go in?
Eric and I will wait out here.”
“Something wrong?” She’d seen that look on
his face before, like he’d heard a sound no one else
picked up on, or spotted something out of place.
“Not sure. We’ll keep an eye out. Shout if you
need us.”
Eric didn’t argue. They each moved off into the
trees, Donner with his hand hovering over his re-
volver, Giantsbane; Jakob with fists clenched, ready
for a fight.
Rhiannon watched them go, then headed into
the cavern. Ambrosia followed. Inside it was cool
and musty, and when Ambrosia flicked her light-
er, the walls gleamed wetly with the flame. It was
larger in here than it had seemed outside, easily big
enough for a dozen people to move around. The
space was completely empty, the ground covered
in bootprints.
“Others have been here,” Ambrosia said.
“Recently, I think.”
At the back of the cavern, a passageway led
deeper into the earth. Ambrosia took point and led
them down it, her gun drawn. The passage twisted
and sloped downward, coiling like a serpent. No
noises echoed from below, aside from dripping wa-
ter and their own footfalls bouncing back to them.
Ambrosia lost track of how long they’d been trav-
eling before the walls at last opened up into a tiny
round chamber. A miniature version of the altar
above sat in its center, but otherwise...
“Empty,” breathed Rhiannon. “It’s all gone.”
“No, not all of it. There’s something hidden.”
Ambrosia shifted her gently aside, drawn by a
sense of heat close by. She smelled molten rock and
burning incense, and followed it to the back of the
tiny room. Rock flowed away from her outstretched
hand to reveal a tiny alcove. At its center, a white
flame burned around a marble figure. “Is this what
you’re looking for?” she asked.
Rhiannon reached inside. The flames didn’t
burn her as her fingers closed around the statue. “It
is. How did you find it?”
But Ambrosia couldn’t hear her anymore.
The sight of the flames dredged up a memory.
She soared over burning lands, forests and
farmlands consumed by fires she herself hadn’t
AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE
set. Below, the people she protected were suffering.
Many had already died in the swift-spreading blaz-
es; others had fled, and watched from afar as their
entire lives and livelihoods turned to nothing more
than ash climbing into the sky. Rage and pity filled
her heart.
Spiraling down closer, she skimmed along the
rooftops and breathed deep, drawing the flames
away from crops and houses, pulling them into
her own searing lungs. She caught an updraft and
climbed up higher, searching for those who dared
bring her people harm.
There.
From her vantage point in the sky, she saw the
wicked men who were setting the blazes, how they
used fire to terrorize the weak. They sat astride
barded horses, holding torches in steel-gauntleted
hands. The sun glinted off helms and breastplates
and greaves — armor that might protect them from
blades and arrowheads, but did nothing against her
molten breath and powerful jaws.
She dove again. The earth shook as she landed
in their midst. With a huff, she extinguished their
pitiful torches. The horses bucked and fled, and she
let them go. The meal in front of her was far more
delectable. The men’s screams rang in her ears, and
her mouth filled with the taste of their fear. Oh, how
their bones had crunched between her teeth.
When Ambrosia opened her eyes again, the
idol’s flames had guttered out. Rhiannon watched
her with concern. “Are you all right? You went
away for a moment there.”
“This all made me remember...” She frowned.
“It’s hard to explain.”
“Try me. I’ve probably heard weirder.”
“Maybe over dinner. I could really go for a
burger right about now, and we’ve got a long walk
out of here.”
As she turned for the doorway, something
crunched beneath her boot. Ambrosia bent to pick
it up. She brushed off the dirt and immediately rec-
ognized what it was: an ID badge from Lonergan
Industries. “I think I know why this place was
empty,” she said. “But how did they know to come
here?”
Far above, Giantsbane thundered.
97
 “There’s a world of difference between truth and facts.
Facts can obscure the truth.”
— Maya Angelou

D ragons activate Heirs through something they call Bequeathal. Until then, they could be considered sleeper agents,
untapped and blissfully unaware of the machinations their patrons are plotting. At the time of their first draconic
memories, they gain an Inheritance and are initiated into the world of Dragon.

READY MADE CHARACTERS

Y ou can make your own characters using the character generation mechanics starting on p. XX, or you can use one of
the following pre-generated characters.

ORIGIN LEVEL CHARACTERS

While this book requires Scion: Origin to play, there is no pre-Visitation version of Heirs. Until they start
receiving draconic memories, Heirs are no different from normal people. They have no inkling of belonging
to something greater, or beyond them. The rules in this section then are necessary for creating an Heir from
the ground up, though to fully understand character creation, you’ll want to reference Scion: Origin (p.
94-98).

Ready Made Characters 99

 Background: The person who would become Kiran
Aamir was born in Karachi, into a branch family of a promi-
nent Pakistani water tanker mafia. However, their memories
of home are vague at best — the year they would begin primary
school, weapons flooded Karachi from across the ocean.
It was no longer safe to profit from stolen water. Their
parents fled the country with them after a rival family
began to make dangerous overtures. The next ten years
were a whirlwind of hurried flight from ally to ally, lead-
ing the fugitives farther West — first to England, then
Newfoundland, then across the Great White North to
British Columbia. The child was forced to uproot,
repeatedly. They lived under stifling authority,
harsh curfews, and a no-secrets-allowed
policy. The child’s tales of strange dreams of
flight through the dark and of the crushing
weight of water were met with alarm and
hatred. Until the child that would become
Kiran Aamir learned to keep silent. They
were forced to live in paranoia not just of
the enemies they had never met, not just
the dread of being uprooted, again, but of
the two adults made so wary of betrayal they
kept their only child under harsh magnification.
This was all done in the name of fleeing the shad-
ows of well-connected rivals willing to reach across
national borders to seek vengeance.  teurs — sometimes pro-bono, if Mušḫuššu
So Kiran was told, anyway. But still they re-
sented it. By the time they were 19, they began to
suspect a better life was waiting elsewhere, and
the waking dreams they experienced with
growing regularity supported this suspicion.
During an attempt to illicitly cross the bor-
der into Washington via a little-used strait
in the San Juans, these visions took on a
new sense of urgency. A freak storm
howled down the straight, capsizing
the ship ferrying the fugitives and
their fixer to an American safe
house. In the frigid deep, Kiran
bore witness to something
vast, something waiting to
guide them to their place
among true family. They
emerged with their
Bequeathal on American
shores. Though their par-
ents were lost, they nev-
er counted themselves
alone: the dreams sent to
100 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION
them by the collective memory of the Draq were so potent it
was as though Flight ancestors guided them every step of the
way.
Their dream-guides together with their talent for tech
helped to build their new identity as Kiran Aamir — first
a natural-born American citizen, then an emancipat-
ed orphan in need of scholarship funds, then a top
graduate of University of Washington’s computer
science program with major information technology
companies lined up to headhunt them. Now in their
mid-thirties, Kiran has been Kiran longer than they
were anyone else, and they have been a Draq longer
than they were ever a child of washed-up water
thieves on the outs.
But the heritage of both their families still
speaks to them. Kiran currently finds them-
self as a top-level software engineer for smart
home devices, maintaining the programs that
constantly listen to their wealthy clients’ every
wish — among other things. What began as a
small reservoir of questionable data, collected
“just in case,” has become a Draq-supported
market of blackmail and secrets. Kiran funnels
information to investigative journalists, whis-
tleblowers, and ambitious corporate sabo-
demands it, and sometimes with a hefty
price tag. Though they can appear to out-
ward observers to have mercenary motives,
Kiran offers their services at significant
discount to any who wish to destabilize or
unmake unjust organizations and tyrannical
corporations ... especially those who horde or
poison water sources.
Description: Kiran is a nonbinary
person of Arab descent in their mid-30s,
with deep brown skin and short black
hair cut in a modern, feminine style. They are shorter
than average with an efficient build (some would call
it a swimmer’s body). Often seen in either traditional
Western business attire or modern-style shalwar ka-
meez, they tend toward deep blues and blacks, and keep
jewelry limited to large earrings and one or two rings on
their long fingers. Their nails are always short, pristine,
and manicured. An expert in tech privacy — or at least,
how to violate it — they eschew use of most smart devices
and social media without significant precautions. Kiran
somehow always manages to position them-
selves so their glasses cast a blinding glare.
 Background: Every one of Ambrosia’s report cards
in elementary school came back with the same notes:
“Bossy.” “Disruptive.” “Does not cooperate with classmates.”
“Disrespects authority.” But her teachers couldn’t be farther
from the truth. It was never that Ambrosia disrespected their
authority — it was that she found it lacking. And if they
couldn’t help a kid get vengeance for being hurt or
bullied, then she would do it for them. “If you were a
white boy,” her mother sighed, “they’d be all over you,
saying you could join the police.” But that was exactly
what Ambrosia wanted to do.
An otherwise cheerful, confident, and respon-
sible young adult, Ambrosia Cook struggled with a
secret she continued to hold closer and closer to
her chest: For as long as she could remember,
she’d been seeing things that weren’t there.
Feeling things that didn’t make sense. It
felt like someone else was writing a story
in her mind, filled with uncontrolled
fires, violent evil, and vengeance unreal-
ized. And she hated it. She wouldn’t
allow her real life to be like this
story. As she got older, however,
these vague feelings flared into
straight-up hallucinations and a
bizarre, pyromaniacal hunger —
though she confessed to loathing
the idea of arson. Even though she
couldn’t find proof of mental illness
in her family, she began to fear for
the worst, and to plan around it.
While she studied criminal justice at
Washington State University, she also
saw a slew of therapists, carefully pass-
ing her visions off as “dreams” in an effort
to determine their source, and hopefully
smother them.
“The SPD is corrupt,” her friends
warned her. Yes, but Ambrosia wasn’t —
she was obsessed with seeking justice and
thwarting her visions. After her gradua-
tion and subsequent recruitment to the
Seattle Police Department, Ambrosia
told herself she would
hunt down all the
rotten apples and
gleefully cast them
out. However, the year
she finally moved into
102 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION
her dream promotion as Origin and Cause Investigator was
among the worst of her life. Her first case was arson — a corner
convenience store. They caught the guy less than a block away
with an empty gas can. It was open and shut. But none of it
added up. She never found evidence of liquid accelerant, only
deliberate electrical malfunction. No one read or
commented on her reports. The suspect swore in-
nocence right up through his trial and sentencing.
And after he was hauled away, Ambrosia learned
he was the brother of a notoriously anti-cop citizen
activist. She resigned in disgust the next day, and her
partner soon followed.
Ambrosia couldn’t stand knowing how
close she’d come to living a life like her hor-
rible waking nightmares. Her partner dis-
cussed earning certification as a private
investigator, but Ambrosia, desperate
and emotionally starving, considered
turning to vigilantism. Until the day
she received a strange, greasy pack-
age from an unknown sender. Inside
was the gas can, Exhibit A, from her
fateful first case. No sooner had her fingers
brushed the red plastic than a rush of Bequeathal
overwhelmed her. The collective thoughts and
memories of ancient, ravening beings screamed
from within her — she doesn’t crave fire, she
craves extinguishing. She doesn’t want to spread
wickedness and injustice, she wants to consume it.
Now awakened to her still barely comprehensible
existence as kin to these crime-eating dragons, Ambrosia
Cook commits herself to working full-time at the investiga-
tion and consultation office with her old partner. Ambrosia
hasn’t told her yet exactly what caused her sweeping personal
changes — and Ambrosia herself still doesn’t have a guide for
her new abilities — but the two make excellent use of their old
contacts in the force and their growing reputation as dogged,
determined, and impartial criminal investigators. Ambrosia’s
hungers are sated, for the time being, but her dreams and
visions ... they haven’t stopped.
Description: Ambrosia is a young black woman in
her late 20s. Her light brown skin is dusted with freckles,
and her hair is always tied back in a loose, casual bun. She
is short but powerfully built, and happy to dress however
she pleases now that she doesn’t have to wear a uniform.
That said, her outfits are still a professional mix of business
casual and thrifty streetwear. Ambrosia has a wide mouth
and easy smile, though often she’s chewing on something —
gum, ice, pen caps, leftover bones from lunch…
 Jakob Lukasson likes to say he was born twice — the
first time, 1965, in the small town of Poulsbo,
Washington; and the second time, more than
twenty years later, after going to war with
himself and his discordant self-image, his
uncomprehending family, and psychiatrists.
After decades of fighting to become
himself, Jakob was determined to help oth-
ers like him —marginalized kids with no pro-
tection. He spent his time between rigorous
training and volunteering at shelters,
safe houses, and any after-school
organization that would have him.
When members of the fledgling
LGBT center whispered anxiously
of some gang terrorizing them
outside of school, Jakob tuned
in.
It didn’t take long to
find their posters and fol-
low the trail. As he did,
he started having vi-
sions of gnarled twisted
roots, a stabbing pain,
and a desire for power.
These waking night-
mares came with as-
sociations — a terrible
injustice, a perversion
of history, and duties un-
fulfilled. Jakob had changed again, his
Bequeathal fully taking root. And with it
came the knowledge of where to go and
a vision of a man with encouragement to
destroy him.
Jakob was looking for The True
Brotherhood of Odin, a group of neo-nazis.
He heard rumors around town and learned
they were fast becoming a city fixture and a
threat dangling over his kids. He knew he had
to do something to protect them from these
thugs. He attended the Brotherhood’s next
meeting. A big Swede with a biker vest made
of wurm hide greeted him at the door. He took
one brief look at Jakob’s shaved head and rune
tattoos and fatefully decided, “Yeah, you belong
here.”
Jakob learned this was a son of
Odin, with all the attendant powers and
104 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION
privileges. But his semi-divine status didn’t exempt him
from the Brotherhood’s antagonism. From what Jakob
could tell, Mr. Odinsson had just joined with big hopes for
the club — to improve it, downplay the violence but allow it
to mature into a proper cult. The Brotherhood wasn’t con-
vinced. They wanted blood and fear from everyone who
wasn’t theirs. Finally, Mr. Odinsson relented. One little
raid to keep everyone’s morale up. But nothing
more dangerous than the LGBT center.
EMS arrived an hour later to find
the hall a shattered ruin, the flash-fro-
zen ground raked by an enormous
beast. The bodies were covered
in a rime that could only occur
in hyperborean climates, and
some were shattered like grue-
some glass sculptures. The
True Brotherhood of Odin
disbanded.
Jakob is persona non
grata to most of the Æsir for
killing one of their Scions.
Even as they respect that
he’s doing The World a ser-
vice by ridding it of nazis. He
never lingers in one place for
long and is reluctant to reveal his identity to
anyone outside his closest kin. When not on
the hunt, he makes every attempt to de-cos-
tume, usually with a baseball cap to cover
his skull and long sleeves to hide his tattoos.
Many Dragons and their Heirs assume Jakob
is a dangerous renegade and demand the
Lindwurms bring him to heel, but the truth
is Lindwurm authority is absent from his
life deliberately: He’s already doing a great
fucking job without them.
Description: Jakob is a white man
in his early 50s with a broad, solidly mus-
cled body. His steely eyes, shaved head,
and dour expression can make him look
alternately like a thug, or a modern pala-
din. He prefers faded jeans, heavy boots,
and clean short-sleeved shirts; he wears a
Relic in the form of a patched biker’s vest
made of wurm hide. Blue-black runic
tattoos cover his arms. His facial hair is
meticulously groomed and now grows
in four natural colors..
 The majestic lineage of Gōnggōng continues to clutch
at The World like claws on a pearl. His descendants and
Heirs pride themselves on their business acumen, their
connections to high society, and their
ancient, august history. Sons of the
Chu family, especially, are groomed
for a life of well-born, exceptional
service to their hidden patron.
When Chu Kai-Wing showed prom-
ising signs of eventually earning an
Inheritance, his family practi-
cally burst with pride. As
he grew older, however,
it became apparent that
he was going to be…
challenging.
Among his
friends in Hong
Kong, Kai-Wing used
the name Michigan,
half-ironically and half
out of young reverence
for treasure-hunting
action flicks. Somewhere
along the way, his idol-
ization wires got crossed — the ex-
ploration and history promised by
archaeological studies still fascinated
him, but he craved the illicit adventure
of outwitting traps and outrunning
guards. His infamy as a high society ren-
egade soon outshined his reputation for
being a bookish Chu flunky, and Mitch
leaned into it as much as he could. When
he wasn’t flirting, driving too fast, or
simply being idle, he was breaking and
entering for the sheer fun of it. He was
only caught a few times. His parents
had the wealth and connections to
bail him out, but little patience to con-
tinue doing it. When his love of world
history drew him to study abroad, the
Chus were more than willing to aban-
don him to Stanford’s care.
Mitch continued his antics
abroad, ignoring most of his responsi-
bilities (save his history courses, which
106 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION
he was loathe to admit to anyone), and generally content to
just be everyone’s foreign fling. And it was this careless atti-
tude that led him to accept a fateful invitation to a Student
Historians meeting.  It bored the hell out of him at first.
When one of the white kids started bragging about her
father bringing something back from his visit to a Shang
dynasty tomb, Mitch forced himself back into the conver-
sation. Of course, she had it with her — she dragged the
crate into the hall and pried it open before the spectators,
showing a bronze zun vessel thousands of years old. Mitch
found himself seething at the sight of it passed around like
an amusing curio. Everyone agreed she should keep it in
their meeting hall. Mitch had no intention of letting
that happen. In the pre-dawn hours, he broke into
the hall to see to the zun vessel himself. 
He intended to reclaim the artifact and ship it
home — certainly someone in his family would know
how to return it. No sooner did his gloved hands
brush the ancient bronze, however, than inhuman,
prehistoric whispers filled his head. The moment
he’d unconsciously dreaded his whole life had
come: He was being offered a Bequeathal.
Mitch has since graduated Stanford’s his-
tory program despite his best efforts. He now
receives regular missives from his patron and
their allies, instructing him on what to steal
and from where. These missives also demand
Mitch safeguard these stolen artifacts within
his horde, but so far, he has repatriated each
of them to their places of origin, much to
his family’s disappointment.
Description: Mitch is model-hand-
some: slender, angular, living his best
mid-20s life as a young Heir, in both the
modern and Draconic sense. His deep
brown eyes, flawless complexion, and
effortless style have won him allies
and lovers from all over. He has an
exceptional sense of fashion without
looking pretentious or elaborate —
the kind of practiced style of the
idle rich, usually accented with a
single earring and
cutting-edge smart
watch.
 Background: Leticia was born in Venezuela and lived
there for only a few years before her mother expatriated
to the United States with a job in the health industry. Her
mother was an exceedingly intelligent and caring wom-
an. She helped Leticia through her studies and advocat-
ed for her when her teachers couldn’t understand why
she wouldn’t speak up in class. Leticia’s life was not
easy, but her mother did all she could to foster a
healthy household and give room to Leticia to
learn and grow at her own pace.
Leticia spent a lot of her youth alone, strug-
gling through systems that routinely failed her,
and watching her family back in Venezuela
struggle to survive. She would regularly
ask her mother to help her prepare care
package for her cousins, and it was the one
thing she felt connected to through every-
thing. She struggled in school, but success-
fully graduated and started classes studying
psychology at the University of Washington
with an eye on applying to their Master’s
program on speech pathology.
Already deeply concerned about the
economic concerns in Venezuela, and
the ecological concerns around The
World, Leticia’s Bequeathal came
more as a relief than a surprise. She
dreamed of flying through a clean
World, a place that could be with
the right amount of dedication
and work. At first, these memo-
ries were overwhelming, and she
thought she was hallucinating, but
when she followed a trail to a P.O. Box
in her name, she knew it was all too
real. Inside was a key to a safety de-
posit box filled with papers includ-
ing a deed to a house in her name
and a sizable inheritance from a
distant relative even her mother
couldn’t remember.
She still doesn’t know who
her draconic ancestor is, but
she knows that they are
looking out for her, so
she follows their in-
structions as best she
108 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION
can. For the first time in her life, she feels like
she’s part of an institution that isn’t setting her
up for failure.
Since then, Leticia has become an ac-
tive environmental activist, using her free
time to push governments to start working
for the people and against industrial
interests. She knows she doesn’t
know a lot about it, but her
passion for the subject
(and the direction of
her Handler) has led
her to consult subject
matter experts. Leticia is
unbelievable at social mim-
icry, oration, and diplomacy,
but these things are draining if not
done on her own terms. She often sets
up others to speak, raising up their
voices and ensuring the most
knowledgeable about a subject is
the one who has all the atten-
tion in a room.
On the side, she acts
as an autism advocate for
young Latinx communi-
ties hoping to provide tools
she developed for herself
to thrive. She believes pas-
sionately in alternate forms
of communication and voices
for the voiceless. Leticia doesn’t
speak unless she absolutely must and
prefers nonverbal communication. When
she does focus on speech and oration, she is
forthright and incisive.
Description: Leticia is taller than
average with a soft, round build. Her
sharp, green-eyed gaze misses little. She
wears her long auburn hair in a French
braid every day and doesn’t wear makeup.
She often dresses in a feminine style — soft
fabrics and simple dresses with leggings,
usually in shades of blue or yellow. Her fa-
vorite animal is the blue-throated macaw
and always finds ways to have one macaw
accessory on her person.
CHARACTER
CREATION
H eir character creation happens in eight steps: concept,
Paths, Skills, Attributes, Callings and Knacks, Dragon
Magic, Birthrights, and finishing touches.
STEP ONE: CONCEPT
You want to start character creation with a concept.
This helps define what you want your character to do and
what kind of character you are making. Concepts should
be a short phrase or sentence that defines key character-
istics about the character. Concepts for Dragon could be
“Reluctant Assassin,” “Heir in Over Her Head,” or even
“Proud Descendant of Tiamat.” If you have trouble encap-
sulating what you want to do in just a few words, try going
through the rest of the character creation process to see if
it helps spark anything.
You do not need to decide on your specific Dragon an-
cestor at this time, though you do need to pick their Flight.
If you have a Dragon in mind, write it down, even if your
character doesn’t know who her ancestor is, having a clear
direction will help your Storyguide.
The concept doesn’t have any direct mechanical ef-
fects, but should help you during play to decide the kinds
of actions your character might take, or how she might
react to sudden revelations or strange requests from her
ancestor.
Next, each player chooses three Deeds: one
Draconic, and two Worldly (a short-term and brood-
term Deed). Deeds are somewhere between a character’s
goals for herself, her draconic ancestor’s goals for her, and
the player’s goals for his character. Information on how
Deeds work can be found in Scion: Origin on p. 94-95.
Characters start game with a Draconic Deed, some-
thing that she is currently tasked to do that will emphasize
her draconic side. Examples of Draconic Deeds are: black-
mail the Mayor of New York; discover a new magical item
to add to my hoard; destroy the titanspawn who is attacking
my home.
She also starts with two Worldly Deeds. One is a
short-term project she wants to accomplish in a single
game session. These generally have something to do with
the Heir’s human life, and her basic wants. Example short-
term Deeds are: help my friend fix her relationship; make it
to family dinner; make a date with my boyfriend.
The other is her Brood Deed (p. XX) which is a Deed
shared by everyone at the table. This Deed is also Worldly
in nature, though it may serve to reinforce the Heirs’ dra-
conic side. Players should discuss their first Brood Deed
with the Storyguide to ensure everyone is on the same page
about what they want to accomplish. Much like band-term
Deeds, Brood Deeds should be an expression of the great
110 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION
acts the group wants to accomplish over the course of a
season.
However, Brood Deeds serve a second purpose: by
banding together and deciding together on a goal they’re
chasing as a Brood, Heirs subvert their perpetual role as
pawns in the games of their parents. Their parents may
have goals for them, but these Deeds, by dint of their group
nature, form an important part of allowing the Heirs to
form their own self-image, a bit of sunlight outside the
shadow of their parent’s wings and scales. Each achieved
Deed, likewise, leaves the Brood’s claw prints on the im-
mortal Memory of dragonkind, a permanent addition to an
endless library.
Example Brood Deeds are: secure a new lair
for our brood; secure our brood’s reputation as
fixers among other Heirs; discover a weakness
in a particular pantheon’s defenses.
Characters gain Memory Deeds through Memory
Conditions (p. XX), and do not start with any.
Example: Meghan sits down to create her
Heir, Lydia Tan, a Chinese Brazilian living in the
United States and attending college at Loyola
University in New Orleans. She decides that
she wants Lydia to be an Heir to a Dragon from
the Serpent Flight, but isn’t sure which Dragon
she wants, other than she wants Lydia to be a
Reincarnated Heir.
Meghan decides that Lydia is in pre-law, and
college is the most important part of her life, but
she is excited to explore her draconic side. She
describes this concept as “Pre-law student with
too much curiosity.”
For her Draconic Deed, Meghan decides she
wants Lydia to “Use a Draconic Knack to solve
a problem.” She selects a short-term Deed of
“Meet with my poly-sci professor about an
extra credit project.” She’ll need to wait to talk
with the other players to decide on a Brood
Deed.
STEP TWO: PATHS
Define three Paths (Scion: Origin, p. 95) for your char-
acter. The first path defines your character’s origin, which
is who they were before this story started. The next Path
defines her role, likely encapsulated by her Calling. The
final Path corresponds to her Flight and should define her
relationship to that Flight and the Dragons found within.
If your character is a Legendary Creature, her role Path is
replaced by her supernatural nature.
Each Path consists of the following elements:
• A short descriptive phrase for the Path. (e.g., “Failing
College Student” or “Lacky for the Naga”)
 • Three Skills associate with the Path. Which three
Skills are up to you, but you should be prepared
to justify non-obvious choices, like Athletics for
“Midnight Barista.” Two of the Skills you choose
for your character’s Flight Path must be the Flight’s
associated Skills. If the character is a Legendary
Creature, then two of the Skills she chooses for her
Role Path must belong to her Legendary Creature
Path’s Asset Skills. Any given Skill can be associated
with at most two of your Paths.
• A Path Condition that triggers when you invoke the
Path too often. This is normally Path Suspension or
Path Revoked (Scion: Origin, p. 101). But feel free to
use that as a template to make your own.
Example: Meghan defines Lydia’s Paths.
Lydia grew up in Rio de Janeiro and came to
the United States during her high school years.
She decides her origin Path is International
Student and chooses the Skills: Academics,
Culture, and Technology. Because Lydia is
pre-law and cares a great deal about justice
and doing what’s right, Meghan selects
Metairie’s Chief Justice as her role Path and
chooses the Skills: Empathy, Leadership, and
Persuasion. Finally, as an Heir to the Serpent
Flight, Meghan decides Lydia’s Flight Path is
Intercessor for the Serpents and selects the
Skills Integrity, Occult, and Subterfuge. She
takes Integrity and Subterfuge from the Flight’s
Skills.
STEP THREE: SKILLS
Prioritize your character’s Paths as primary, second-
ary, and tertiary. Your character receives three dots in each
Skill associated with their primary Path, two dots for sec-
ondary Path, and one dot for tertiary Path. These dots are
cumulative for Skills associated with two Paths.
For every Skill that ends up with three or more dots,
choose a Specialty (Scion: Origin, p. 59).
Example: Meghan decides that Lydia’s pri-
mary Path is her role, her secondary her Flight
and her origin is her tertiary Path. She assigns
three dots each to Empathy, Leadership, and
Persuasion, then two dots each to Integrity,
Occult, and Subterfuge and finally one dot
each to Academics, Culture, and Technology.
She gains Specialties in Empathy, Leadership,
and Persuasion which are all ranked at 3 or
higher. Meghan keeps in mind Lydia’s focus
on justice as she decides, and while she is
devoted to cleaning out corruption, she isn’t
above using what she can to get her way. She
records “Saying the Right Thing” for Empathy,
“Inspiring to Action” for Leadership, and
“Bribes” for Persuasion.
Character Creation
STEP FOUR: ATTRIBUTES
Your character begins with a single dot in all Attributes
for free. Next, prioritize the three arenas (Scion: Origin, p.
97) as primary, secondary, and tertiary. Assign six dots to
Attributes in the primary category, four to the secondary,
and two to the tertiary. Divide these dots however you like,
but no Attribute can be higher than five.
Finally, choose one of the three Approaches (Scion:
Origin, p. 97). Add two dots to each Attribute in that
Approach; if this would bring any Attribute above five, then
reassign the dots to Attributes within the same arena.
Example: Meghan decides that Lydia’s
Mental arena is her strongest suit, followed by
Social and then finally Physical. In her Mental
arena, she assigns two dots to Intellect, two
dots to Cunning and two dots to Resolve.
In Social, she assigns two dots to Presence,
one to Manipulation and one to Composure.
Finally, in Physical she assigns two dots to
Stamina. Meghan then decides that Lydia uses
her Finesse more than anything else to get
things done, and chooses that as her Favored
Approach. She assigns two dots to Cunning,
two to Dexterity and two to Manipulation.
Her Attributes are currently: Intellect 3, Cunning
5, Resolve 3, Might 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3,
Presence 3, Manipulation 4, and Composure
2.
STEP FIVE: CALLINGS
AND KNACKS
Select three Callings. These Callings can be anything,
but are generally loosely associated with the character’s
Paths. For example, if the character is a ballet dancer, then
she may have the Nomad Calling, but could also just as eas-
ily have the Mystic Calling.
At least one of the character’s Callings should be
shared with your character’s draconic ancestor. If you don’t
know who your character’s draconic ancestor is, that’s fine,
but one of the Callings will have to be shared when it comes
time to define the Dragon.
Your character receives five dots to split between her
three Callings, but each Calling must have at least a single
dot. For each dot she has in a Calling, she gains a Calling
Knack. While she can learn more, she can only have a num-
ber of Calling Knacks active equal to her Calling dots in
total. This includes Calling Knacks gained from Birthrights
(p. XX).
Finally, select two Draconic Knacks from either the
Feats of Scale Knacks or the Transformation Knacks. The
character starts with two Draconic Knack slots and gains
an additional one each time her Inheritance Increases. She
may purchase additional Draconic Knacks, but may only
111
slot a number of Draconic Knacks equal to her Inheritance
+1.
If your character is also a Legendary Creature, re-
place one of their Callings with one appropriate to their
nature (see p. XX or Scion: Origin p. 162-196). Legendary
Creatures as Heirs gain access to Draconic Knacks as nor-
mal, except Modest Human Disguise, as they can never
hide their true nature.
Example: Meghan knows Lydia has the
Judge Calling, and must now select two more.
She doesn’t know her exact ancestor, so
decides to pick some Callings common to the
Flight. She selects Watcher to represent her
college life and Destroyer for her Serpent ties.
She assigns three dots to Judge, knowing that is
her main Calling, and one dot each to Watcher
and Destroyer.
For her Calling Knacks, Meghan selects first her
Judge Knacks. She picks One more Question!,
Lie Detector, and Enforcer’s Eye. For her
Watcher Knack she picks Indisputable Analysis
to ensure Lydia has a way to investigate with
more than interrogation techniques. For her
Destroyer Knack, Meghan selects Terrible
Dragon Roar to ensure Lydia has a powerful
attack ability.
For her Draconic Knacks, she selects Iron Fisted
Rule so that she can perform Judge Feats of
Scale, and Poison Blood.
STEP SIX: DRAGON MAGIC
Your character begins play with three Dragon Magics
that she knows. One of the Dragon Magics is always her
Flight’s signature Dragon Magic. You then get to pick two
other Magics she knows. One of these Magics must be
shared with her draconic ancestor. If you haven’t selected
your character’s draconic ancestor yet, or don’t know it,
that’s okay. But when the time comes to define your dra-
conic ancestor, they must share a Dragon Magic with the
character.
Characters gain a single Spell for each Dragon Magic
they know, and one additional Spell from any of the three
Dragon Magics.
Example: The Serpent Flight’s signature
Dragon Magic is Purification, so Meghan
writes that down on Lydia’s sheet. She then
selects Elemental Manipulation (Water) and
Flight, since Serpents don’t normally have
wings but do have the ability to fly.
She then selects a Spell from each and picks
Soothing Aura from Purification, Flash Flood
from Water Manipulation, and Aerial Mobility
from Flight. For her last additional Spell, she
chooses Vision of the Distant Shore from Water
Manipulation.
112 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION
STEP SEVEN: BIRTHRIGHTS
Heirs gain seven dots to distribute among Birthrights
(p. XX). You may select example Birthrights from this book,
or design your own.
Many Heirs receive Birthrights tied to their ancestor’s
Flight, but can inherit benefits from anywhere across the
world as their lineage and parentage is often muddied,
and many Dragons may be vying for the Heir’s attention.
So, if you like an example Birthright, feel free to pick it up
regardless of your character’s Flight and the Birthright’s
affiliation.
Example: Meghan decides that Lydia has
inherited a moderate Hoard, and assigns three
dots to Hoard, and a small Lair in which to
store it, and assigns two dots to Lair. Finally,
she decides that her dead Dragon parent has
sent a Guide to help her, and selects Lost Souls
Guide at two dots.
STEP EIGHT: FINISHING
TOUCHES
To finish out your character fill in the following extras:
• Distribute 5 additional dots among Skills. (These
don’t have to be Path Skills).
• Assign 1 additional dot to any Attribute. (This can-
not bring an Attribute above five.)
• Gain 2 additional Calling Knacks, or 4 additional
dots in Birthrights, your choice.
• Record Inheritance as 1.
• Deed Name: Select your character’s Deed Name. At
the start, this might just be something as simple as
“Heir to the Lindwurms” though it can also include
a Calling keyword.
• Remembrances: Selected from the appropriate
Flight. Your character begins in the center of the
Remembrance track.
• Health: One each for Bruised, Injured, Maimed,
and Taken Out; gain an additional Bruised slot for
Stamina 3-4, or two additional Bruised slots for
Stamina 5.
• Defense: Defense is based on the charac-
ter’s Resilience Attributes (Resolve, Stamina,
Composure). Note the number the character will
roll to take Defensive actions; this is usually based on
Stamina, so note that, but characters may use their
other Resilience Attributes in particular situations.
• Movement Dice: Record your character’s move-
ment as her Athletics + highest Physical Attribute.
Example: Meghan assigns five dots to
Lydia’s Skills and decides to give her two dots
 in Athletics, one dot in Integrity (bringing it
to three dots), and two dots in Subterfuge.
Because her Integrity increased to three, she
adds “Keeping My Word” as a Specialty
for that Skill. She decides to add two Calling
Knacks to choose from, selecting Terror of the
Guilty and Keen-Eyed Watcher to give her
some versatility depending on the mission she’s
on at the time.
Meghan records her Inheritance as 1, and
records her Remembrances as Direct Action for
her Cipher and Negotiation for her Defection.
She marks the spot in the middle of the track.
She then records Lydia’s health as two Bruised,
and one each of Injured, Maimed, and Taken
Out. She marks Defense as 3 based on Lydia’s
Stamina of 3, and her Movement Dice are 5
for Athletics 2 + Dexterity 3.
That finishes the mechanical aspects of your charac-
ter, but now is a good time to think about the things that
make your character a character, not just a bunch of dots on
a sheet. What do they look like? How do they dress? Who
are their family and friends? Do they have any rivals? If so,
what’s their name?
Character Creation
DRAGON PATHS
Paths in Scion: Dragon work the same as described
on p. 99-104 of Scion: Origin, except instead of Pantheon
Paths, they gain Flight Paths (which serve a similar func-
tion). While Heirs do not experience fatebinding, or have
Legend ratings, their Inheritance gives them access to
utilizing Twists of Fate with their Paths in the same way
Scions do. Choose Origin, Role, and Flight Paths for your
character using the same principles presented in Scion:
Origin.
ORIGIN PATHS
While Heirs rarely gain knowledge of their draconic
nature before adulthood, Dragons spend a great deal of
time watching and waiting, and sometimes even testing
prospective Heirs before starting them on their path.
Despite any best efforts from the Dragon, the Heir experi-
ences her ancestor’s presence in her life in little ways that
eventually shape who she becomes.
A few of the example Origin Paths presented in Scion:
Origin don’t make as much sense for Heirs to take, such
as Chosen, Created, Potemkin World, and Terra Icognita.
Instead, the following are some Heir specific exam-
ple Origin Paths along with some suggested Skills and
Connections. Feel free to come up with your own, or dig
deeper into these backstories to make the Path your own.
113
ALWAYS WATCHED
Small things always seemed to go your way. Sometimes
your parents would receive anonymous gifts of money or
support when you needed additional schooling, or they
couldn’t afford your soccer practice. Ever present, never
seen, your draconic ancestor meddled in your life from the
beginning. You always had someone around guiding you,
even if you didn’t know it. Your favorite teacher in school,
your Karate instructor, your band director, and even your
bus driver seemed to be keeping extra watch on you. You
still find yourself looking over your shoulder sometimes.
Connections: Conspiracy Groups, Pawns of your
Draconic Ancestor, Mortal Family
Path Skills: Academics, Integrity, Subterfuge, or
Survival
DRACONIC LINEAGE
You grew up knowing that Dragons were more than
what you read about in stories. Your family has devoted
themselves to a Dragon they claim to be descended from.
You know everything there is to know about that Dragon,
and others. You grew up feeling separate, alone, distant.
Your friends were the rare few other children from dra-
conic lineages your family associated with. Sometimes you
compared stories, or shared family history dating back to
the time of Dragons. Maybe you believed it the whole time,
or maybe you thought it was all an elaborate way to explain
eccentricities within the family.
Connections: Lineage Members, Dragon Enthusiasts,
Childhood Best Friend
Path Skills: Athletics, Culture, Occult, or Persuasion
REINCARNATION
Ever since you were a child you had dreams of a dif-
ferent World. Sometimes you would see something, and
it would remind you of those dreams, and sometimes you
would have that feeling like you had seen it before some-
where. Other times you felt like you were living two lives,
one in your dreams, the other in real life. It left you feeling
isolated, and yet fascinated. You may have shied away from
learning what these dreams could mean, or you might have
dived headfirst into learning all you could.
Connections: Occult Specialists, Dream Interpreter,
The Only Friend You Told
Path Skills: Empathy, Leadership, Occult, or Survival
ROLE PATHS
Heirs have many of the same Roles in their groups as
Scions, though Heirs may find themselves involved in more
criminal activities than their divine counterparts. The fol-
lowing are example Role Paths that fit into the themes of
Scion: Dragon.
CRIMINAL
You make a living through crimes, large and small:
breaking and entering, all forms of theft, piracy, and
114 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER CREATION
vandalism. You have your limits, but you and the law aren’t
necessarily always on the same side when it comes to how
to accomplish your goals. You can handle yourself in a fight,
and you always seem to have the right tools for the job, even
the legal kinds.
Connections: Fence You Trust, Friendly Street Gang,
Other Professional Criminals
Path Skills: Close Combat, Firearms, Pilot, or
Subterfuge
SPY
There isn’t anyone you trust who you haven’t first
found out everything there is to know about them. Finding
out information, either through coercion or doing a little
digging, is your specialty. You’re just as comfortable pre-
tending to be someone else as you are being yourself, not
like anyone would know who that really is anyway. Maybe
you work for a government agency, or for someone more
private, or maybe you work for yourself as you uncover
deep conspiracies about The World.
Connections: People You Keep as Cover, Professional
Handler, Source Who is in the Dark
Path Skills: Athletics, Firearms, Integrity, or
Technology
CHARACTER
ADVANCEMENT
H eirs advance in multiple ways, but the main course
for advancement is through achieving Deeds. When
a character has completed a full set of one Worldly, one
Memory, and one Brood Deed, they increase in Inheritance
and gain Callings and Draconic Magic accordingly (see p.
XX). As characters complete Deeds and other actions in the
game, they earn experience points which they may spend at
any time to increase Attributes, Skills, Birthrights, or gain
new Knacks.
Through the course of play, characters may earn ex-
perience for actions in the following table. In general, we
suggest awarding 5 experiences per game session to every-
one in your play group. Many of these are shared between
Scion: Origin and Scion: Dragon, though Heirs have a few
different ways of gaining experience.
XP
EVENT EARNED RECIPIENT
The character’s player 1 Solo
attends the session
The player achieves a 1 Solo
Worldly Deed
The player achieves a 1 Solo
Draconic Deed
All players achieve at least 1 Group
1 Memory Deed in the
same session
 The below table lists the costs for each change. The ta-
XP
EVENT EARNED RECIPIENT ble does not include prerequisites, such as having access to
Knacks from a Path before purchasing. Players may spend
All players achieve a 1 Group their Experience at the end of an Arc.
Draconic Deed in the same
session XP
The character’s player 3 Solo OBJECT CHANGE COST
completes a Memory Deed Attribute Add one dot to a single 10
(All players must complete Attribute
their Draconic Deed before
a player may earn expe- Birthright Add one dot in an existing 5
rience for this a second or new Birthright
time.) Skill Add one dot in an existing 5
The players spend half the 1 Group or new Skill
Momentum pool in a single Knack Purchase a new Calling or 10
scene (the amount spent Draconic Knack
must be greater than 1)
Draconic Purchase a new form of an 5
The characters reach a 1 Group Knack existing Draconic Knack
story milestone
Transformation Transform a Draconic Knack 10
The characters complete a 5 Group Knack
group Story
Specialty Add a Specialty to a Skill 3
If your Storyguide gives you additional starting expe-
rience, you may spend experience to purchase dots in Skills
and Attributes, or to purchase new Knacks.

Character Advancement 115

 “The hunger of a dragon is slow to wake, but hard to sate.”
— Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea
T o be a Dragon’s Heir is to discover one’s own heritage,
one day at a time. An Heir might inherit a mighty battle
form, the reins of a centuries-long power play, or a magnificent
fortress under the sea. Little by little, she comes into her
own, whether she embraces the gifts she receives from her
draconic patron or turns away from her birthright to cling
to her humanity.
INHERITANCE
T he ancient draconic civilization’s roots run deep
throughout The World, forgotten but still very much
alive, waiting for its agents to unearth them and claim what’s
rightfully theirs. The seeds of Memory can be found anywhere,
from an innocuous interaction with an eerily familiar stranger
to following clues her Dragon patron left long ago to discover
a message meant just for her. As she performs Deeds that
call to her through her blood, demand her attention in the
here and now, or push her to indulge in draconic urges, she
unlocks more of her Inheritance.
Inheritance represents how deeply an Heir lets those
roots embed themselves in her life — and thus, how deeply
she embroils herself in shadowy intrigues and flexes her
mystical might. The further she commits to her Inheritance,
the more powerful she becomes and the more she learns
about who and what she is. With power and knowledge,
though, come age-old enemies and webs of complex dracon-
ic politics. As an Heir’s Inheritance deepens, she becomes
more like the Dragons of her Flight in body and mind. She
commands more respect and resources from others of her
kind, but accumulates more rivals and gains more difficult
choices to make about where her priorities and loyalties lie
as well.
INHERITANCE SYSTEMS
An Heir’s Inheritance rating generates a pool of
Inheritance points equal to her Inheritance dots. She can
imbue them into Spells or treasures, dedicating a portion
of her power to maintain Dragon magic and regaining those
points after the magic ends; or she can spend them to im-
merse herself fully in Memory and call upon greater forces
from ancient times.
Inheritance is rated from 1 to 9, and starting characters
begin with Inheritance 1. Characters with Inheritance 1
through 4 are simply called Heirs, having just begun their
metamorphosis from human to Dragon. Characters with
Inheritance 5 through 9 are still Heirs, but they’re considered
Lesser Wyrms: powerful draconic beings with strong ties
to the old ways, but still largely human in perspective. The
higher an Heir’s Inheritance, the more her draconic urges
rule her and the more of the Dragons’ collective knowledge
she can access.
Inheritance
Characters who gain Inheritance 10 become true
Dragons in an apotheosis that grounds them completely
in their collective Memory, transforming them into elder
wyrms and majestic monsters with agendas, schemes, and
maybe even Heirs of their own. This book assumes the
players’ characters are Heirs or Lesser Wyrms acting on a
Dragon’s behalf.
INHERITANCE TRAIT EFFECTS
An Heir gains one additional Spell (p. XX), a new Deed
Name (p. XX), and a new Draconic Knack (p. XX) each time
she gains a dot of Inheritance. Other benefits Inheritance
bestows come at different intervals, as follows:
Heir
• Hatchling. The Heir has just begun to explore her her-
itage, and knows little about why she’s performing tasks or
the shape of the conflict she’s entered. Her power is notable
but narrow in scope. Gain Scent the Divine. 1 Spell per starting
Dragon Magic + 1 more (any), 5 Calling dots, 2 Draconic Knacks
•• Asset. The Heir shows promise, and many of her tasks
are now tests or trial runs to see whether she’s ready for fur-
ther induction. She begins to glimpse her true potential. +1
Calling dot (any), +1 Spell (any), +1 Draconic Knack
••• Seeker. The Heir knows enough now to know how
much she’s still missing. She may actively seek out more
secrets about her ancestry, or they may hound her wherever
she goes, pushing her to satisfy her cravings and giving her
visions from the distant past. Once per arc, her player may
add a point of Momentum to the pool and gain the Craving
Condition (p. XX) if she doesn’t already have it. +1 Spell (any),
+1 Draconic Knack
•••• Agent. At this point, the Heir is a trusted and valu-
able asset to her Flight, and carries out tasks of great import.
She has fingers in many pies, and schemes of her own in
motion. She may have a reputation for getting the job done
among her draconic kin, or she may have mastered the art of
having no reputation at all. +1 Calling dot (any), +1 Spell (any),
+1 Draconic Knack
Lesser Wyrm
••••• Conspirator. A Lesser Wyrm claims greater insight
into the history and mysticism of the Dragon world, and
takes her place as a true representative of it. She commands
Memory rather than chasing it, and her impressive magics
make her a formidable foe even among other supernatural
communities; on the other hand, it’s harder to hide her
nature. Lesser Wyrms are the primary influencers on the
Dragons’ behalf in The World, acting as proxies for their
more clandestine parents and managing the many irons their
Flights have in the fire. Gain access to one new Dragon Magic.
+1 Spell from patron’s Dragon Magics or signature Flight
Magic, +1 Draconic Knack from Flight’s preferred Knacks
117
 ••••• • Cabalist. The Heir has been invited — or has
muscled her way in — to at least one inner circle, elite team,
or other highly regarded and highly secretive project. She
delegates to lesser Heirs and traverses Terra Incognita to
bring messages to and from elder Dragons’ hidden Lairs.
Her perspective is still fundamentally human, but she can
think like a Dragon when she needs to, and sometimes finds
herself doing it unintentionally. +1 Calling dot in one of pa-
tron’s Callings, +1 Spell (any), +1 Draconic Knack
••••• •• Arcanist. The Heir is an expert in both Worldly
and otherworldly intrigue, but she’s lost much of her hu-
man self. She can slip behind the scenes or act in the open
as she prefers, but even an Arcanist who can still pass as
fully human carries a hoary wisdom in her eyes that marks
her as a mystical stranger of untold power. Voluntarily
gaining the Craving Condition now adds 2 Momentum to the
pool. +1 Spell (any), +1 Draconic Knack
••••• ••• Vizier. The Heir is a trusted advisor to her
elders, although she still can’t see the full scope of their
plans or predict their next moves accurately. She can, how-
ever, predict them at all, which is more than most can say.
Her humanity is tenuous at best; some Viziers permanently
transform into their full draconic forms (p. XX), losing their
human shapes entirely. In many cases, human stories about
great dragons with world-shaking power aren’t about true
Dragons, but Heirs of supreme potency instead. +1 Spell
from patron’s Dragon Magics or signature Flight Magic, +1
Calling dot (any), +1 Draconic Knack from Flight’s preferred
Knacks
••••• •••• Mastermind. The character’s perspective
borders on the truly Draconic, peeling back the layers of
Memory to lay secrets bare and wield incredible might;
she may still be able to blend in with humanity by virtue
of subtle magics, or she may always wear her heritage on
the outside with pride, but either way she retains little of
her mortal mindset and has a hard time relating to people
she once called friends and family. +1 Spell from patron’s
Dragon Magics or signature Flight Magic, +1 Calling dot in
one of patron’s Callings, +1 Draconic Knack
SCENT THE DIVINE
At Inheritance 1, every Heir gains the ability to Scent
the Divine. Unlike Heroes, whose senses have been dulled
by their human nature, Heirs are keenly aware of the super-
natural around them. All Heirs have the following ability:
Scent the Divine: Knowing the smell of your kin, you
have an innate sense of anything supernatural or divine
near you. With a sniff or a knowing listen, you may detect
the presence of another Heir or Dragon (or Scion, God, or
Legendary Creature, etc.). If it is an Heir or Dragon, you
know automatically if they belong to another Flight, but
not which one they belong to.
RAISING AND REGAINING
INHERITANCE
For each increase in Inheritance dot rating, an Heir
must complete one set of three Deeds, including a Memory
118 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS
Deed, a Dragon Deed, and a Worldly Brood Deed. Mark
the box next to each Deed as she completes it. Even if the
brood completes their Brood Deed, they can’t choose a new
one until all broodmates have completed a set and gained
the same level of Inheritance. The Deeds they achieve to-
gether ripple back into Memory, and even broodmates of
different Flights tap into the same collective history; it’s
hard to interpret these memories alone, and only through
shared insight can Heirs make breakthroughs in power and
remembrance.
Once a character increases her Inheritance by one,
erase the marks in the Deeds’ boxes. Any appropriate new
Deeds completed after that count toward a new set. Unlike
Scions, an Heir can’t rearrange her Spells when she gains
Inheritance. However, she may rearrange a number of
Birthright dots among any Birthrights she likes; the max-
imum dots she can rearrange per new Inheritance dot is
based on how close she is to her Cipher or her Defection
(see p. XX).
Heirs regain one spent Inheritance point by indulging
in either a Memory (p. XX) or a Craving (p. XX).
REMEMBRANCES
E ach Heir has two Remembrances based on his Flight: one
Cipher and one Defection. A Cipher is a metaphorical
key lurking dormant in an Heir’s draconic blood; Dragons call
upon these Ciphers to activate their chosen Heirs. Acting in
accordance with his Cipher means embracing his mystical
heritage, indulging his draconic hungers, and accepting his
patron’s memories. A Defection is a means by which the Heir
can instead reject this heritage, cleaving to memories of his
human life and focusing on Worldly concerns to shut out the
urges his blood imposes; he is, in effect, “defecting” from his
Flight in that moment, in an act of defiance.
A character’s Cipher and Defection exist on opposite
ends of a track, like this:
REMEMBRANCES
Cipher: Duty Defection: Consciousness
At the beginning of the game, all Heirs rest in the center
of their Remembrance tracks.
Each time the character acts in a way that reinforces
his Cipher, deliberately or unwittingly, he moves one step
closer to the Cipher side of the track. Each time he actively
rejects his Cipher or embraces his Defection, he moves
one step closer to the Defection side, as long as he did it
knowingly and on purpose. When he reaches either end of
the track, he gains a Condition: Revelation (p. XX) for the
Cipher side, or Defector (p. XX) for the Defection side.
When a player spends Momentum on the roll to take
an action that reinforces his Cipher — again, deliberately
 REMEMBRANCE CONDITIONS
Revelation
You have embraced your Cipher and opened yourself to a deluge of ancestral memories that guide you.
Effect: Whenever you spend Momentum on a roll that uses your Flight’s Path Skills or a roll to invoke a
Memory, gain one additional die that doesn’t come out of the pool. However, you can’t spend Momentum
on any rolls that deal with ordinary humans or their institutions, or rolls on actions that would reinforce your
Defection.
Momentum: Whenever you alienate one or more ordinary humans through draconic behavior, or
overtly dominate them or flaunt your superiority over them, add one Momentum to the pool.
Resolve: Completely give yourself over to Memory by channeling your Handler through your body
and mind directly, as a simple action. For a number of rounds equal to your Inheritance, your draconic form
activates with all Transformation Knacks you know at no cost; but you are unable to take any actions that
don’t reinforce your Cipher. Once the duration ends, this Condition resolves and you reset to the center of
your Remembrance track.
Defector
You have rejected your draconic side, embracing your Defection to remind yourself of your humanity.
Effect: Whenever you spend Momentum on a roll that directly works toward your short-term or long-
term Worldly Deed, gain one additional die that doesn’t come out of the pool. You may invoke any Path
that has nothing to do with your Dragon heritage one additional time per episode without risking Path
(Scion: Origin, p. 101). However, you can’t spend Momentum on any rolls to invoke a
Suspension (Scion:
Memory, assume draconic form, or take actions that reinforce your Cipher.
Momentum: Whenever you fail to fulfill a significant obligation to your Flight or brood, or betray or
abandon them through action or inaction, add one Momentum to the pool.
Resolve: Reinforce your connections with the human world in a definitive, cathartic act of defiance. You
must fulfill a short-term Deed or take a significant action toward a long-term Deed that directly opposes
or contradicts either your Dragon Deed, or a Memory Deed that would resolve any active Memory
Conditions. In doing so, you immediately refresh all Bond pools you currently possess for ordinary humans
to their maximum, and immediately resolve one Path Suspension Condition for any non-Dragon Path you
possess. Once you do, this Condition resolves and you reset to the center of your Remembrance track.

or not — he gains one extra die per Momentum spent per
step toward Cipher from the center — which is to say, after
one step toward Cipher he gains +2 dice per Momentum
rather than +1, and at the far end he gains +3. He gains the
same in the other direction when he spends Momentum
to willingly and actively reject his Cipher or embrace his
Defection.
At the center of the track, an Heir can rearrange up
to (his new Inheritance rating) in Birthright dots when he
gains a new dot of Inheritance. For each step he is closer to
Cipher, he may rearrange one additional Birthright dot. For
each step he is closer to Defection, he may instead immedi-
ately add one point of Momentum to the pool.
FLIGHT REMEMBRANCES
Each Flight has a unique set of Remembrances.
DRAQ: CHAOS (CIPHER)
VS. ORDER (DEFECTION)
When Heirs of the Draq act on their draconic instincts,
they disrupt the status quo and shake things up to see what
exciting new ideas fall out. They cleave closer to humanity
when they go out of their way to stick to orderly routines and
shore up existing organizations or infrastructure.
JOKA: INDULGENCE (CIPHER)
VS. MODERATION (DEFECTION)
Gorging themselves on anything and everything that
can fill them up brings Joka Heirs closer to their draconic
ancestry, while leashing their gluttony to preserve what they
have for another day pushes them toward their human side.
LINDWURMS: DUTY (CIPHER)
VS. CONSCIOUSNESS (DEFECTION)
In a way, Lindwurm Heirs reflect the fatalistic nature of
the Æsir who ruined their ancestors, driven to honor their
true histories by risking life and limb for their Flight. By
diverging from the paths laid out for them and forging new
ones of their own, they assert their humanity.
LONG: PRIDE (CIPHER)
VS. HUMILITY (DEFECTION)
Heirs of the Lóng follow their draconic urges by stand-
ing proud and accepting the dangers that come with using
their powers openly. They continue in the old ways, creat-
ing flood waters, bringing natural disasters, and being as
true to themselves as they can be, regardless of those who
would beat them down. To reject it is to live a humble life,

Remembrances 119
recognizing her human weaknesses and sacrificing herself
not for pride, but for others.
NAGA: ONE OF MANY (CIPHER)
VS. ONE OF NONE (DEFECTION)
Naga Heirs embrace their heritage by accepting and
pursuing their facet of the greater whole to which they be-
long, trusting that subsuming their individuality into that
whole serves a higher purpose. They reject it by following
their consciences and gut feelings, passing judgment based
on their own idiosyncrasies and personal values.
SERPENTS: DIRECT ACTION (CIPHER)
VS. NEGOTIATION (DEFECTION)
Serpent Heirs indulge their Dragon side with decisive
action, lashing out at threats before those threats come home
to roost and choosing complete, instant gratification over
compromise. They rein in their draconic blood by staying
their hands long enough to negotiate or learn more, trying to
see a side other than their own.
CALLINGS
D ragons are archetypal creatures, called to certain roles
and behaviors as they immerse themselves in their
ancestral memories and fill their predecessors’ shoes. The
more Heirs accept of their Inheritance, the more those
memories pull them into reclaiming old ways and means,
thus keeping traditions alive that began at the dawn of time.
Lesser Wyrms are more grandiose but less human than
weaker Heirs, growing more like their patrons with each
gift of power they accept.
That isn’t to say each Heir doesn’t make her Inheritance
her own, though; how she earns her Deeds and the choices
she makes earn her Deed Names, titles that write her ex-
ploits into her Flight’s collective Memory and define her as
an individual.
For the most part, Dragons have different Callings than
Gods and Titans, but many Dragons are inextricably bound
into titanic myths, meaning they end up sharing a couple of
Callings despite themselves.
SYSTEMS
All Heirs and Dragons express their draconic natures
through three of the possible 11 Callings and possess Deed
Names that define the circumstances in which they can in-
voke Feats of Scale (p. XX).
• Callings are rated between one and five dots. An
Inheritance 1 character has five dots of Callings,
with at least one dot in each of her three Callings.
• At least one of a starting character’s Callings must be
the same as one of her draconic patron’s. If she does
not know her draconic patron, then she will still share
one of her Callings when the Handler is revealed.
• Each Calling is associated with a type of Memory (p.
XX).
120 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS
• At Inheritance 2, 4, 6, and 8, gain an additional
Calling dot, which can apply to any of the charac-
ter’s three chosen Callings, up to a maximum of five
dots per Calling.
• At Inheritance 3, 5, 7, and 9, a player may rearrange
her character’s Calling dots. At 3 and 5, she may re-
arrange them in any combination as long as the new
ratings leave at least one dot in each Calling, and at
least one more per keyword in any Calling that con-
tributed a keyword (see p. XX) to her Deed Name. At
7 and 9, she may not decrease the dot rating of any
of the Callings she possesses that match her Dragon
patron’s in the process of rearrangement, but other-
wise it works the same way.
• Normally, an Heir can only trigger Memories in the
Callings she possesses and choose Dragon Deeds
that resonate with her Callings’ Cravings (p. XX).
However, if she wants to replace one of her Callings
with another, she may work toward a Dragon Deed
that strongly represents one of the seven Callings
she doesn’t have and trigger Memories in the same
new Calling; at Inheritance 8-9, the new Calling
must be one of her patron’s. Once she achieves both
Deeds, she must exchange the old Calling for the
new one, which retains the same dot rating.
• Each Calling informs the character’s choice of
Calling Knacks (p. XX). She may have one Calling
Knack active per dot of each Calling, and they must
correspond to the specific Calling dots she possess-
es. Draconic Knacks are managed separately; see p.
XX.
• Each Calling has a list of Skills for the purpose of
Deed Name Path Asset Skills (see below).
DEED NAMES
A Deed Name is an expression of an Heir’s Deeds
through the keywords associated with her Callings, and a
special kind of Path. She can invoke this Path just like any
other Path, and uses the Callings listed Skills as the Path’s
Asset Skills.
Each Calling has a list of example keywords, although a
player may use one that’s not on the list if the troupe agrees
it fits within the Calling’s domain. Choose one appropriate
keyword whenever you gain another dot in a Calling to de-
fine the character’s personal focus within the Calling.
Whenever an Heir gains a new dot of Inheritance, her
player chooses a new Deed Name that reflects one or more
keywords of the Calling whose Memory Deed contributed
to the Inheritance increase, and also reflects the Dragon
and brood Deeds she performed. Her first Deed Name (at
Inheritance 1) is usually related to how her Handler activat-
ed her as an Heir in the first place.
A character retains any Deed Names belonging to
Callings she no longer possesses but can’t acquire new Deed
Names using its keywords.
CRAVINGS
Each Calling also comes with an associated Craving, a
drive that pushes the Heir to collect, hoard, dominate, pos-
sess, or otherwise make something her own. Her Cravings
inform the kinds of Dragon Deeds she can choose (see p.
XX). Cravings don’t otherwise influence an Heir’s behavior
unless something gives her the Craving Condition (be-
low). Ways to gain the Craving Condition include having a
Memory Condition compelled and — at Inheritance 3+ —
adding a point of Momentum in exchange once per session.
Characters regain a spent Inheritance point whenever they
resolve the Craving Condition.
FEATS OF SCALE
The Children of the Gods come by their power easily,
and the blessings afforded to them by their legends fuel tre-
mendous power. Dragons rely on the power of their mighty
nature, and their Heirs find themselves capable of great
deeds … but at a cost. Without a Scale Knack, an Heir cannot
perform Feats of Scale.
When a character attempts an action covered by one
of her Callings’ keywords, her player may use one of her
Knacks of Scale (p. XX) to increase Scale by (Inheritance di-
vided by 2, rounded up) for that action as a Feat of Scale. She
must have the Knack purchased to perform a Feat of Scale
associated with her Callings. If that action is additionally
associated with her Deed Name, then she may increase her
Scale by one additional rank for that action. For example, if
an Inheritance 4 Heir with the Iron-Fisted Rule Knack for
her Judge Calling takes an action to punish someone and her
Callings
Deed Name is The Writhing Punisher of Prey, she can invoke
her Knack of Scale to gain +3 Scale for the action.
Whenever an Heir performs a Feat of Scale using these
Knacks, they gain a +1 Complication of “True Draconic
Nature,” which stacks with itself until bought off or until the
end of the session, whichever comes first. For each action
in which the character does not buy off the Complication,
CONDITION: CRAVING
You’ve awoken your Dragon instincts and
they push you to act on your ancestral urges.
Effect: When you gain this Condition,
choose one of your Callings; if you gained it
through Memory compulsion, you must choose
that Memory’s Calling. It costs one Momentum
to take any action that doesn’t indulge that
Calling’s Craving.
Momentum: Whenever you take an
action that does indulge the Craving, add one
Momentum to the pool.
Resolve: Accomplish a Dragon Deed
that represents this Craving, or perform
another action that indulges the Craving
while significantly and definitively harming,
betraying, abandoning, or otherwise causing
distress to an important human individual or
institution in your life.
121
a transformation effect on one of their Knacks becomes
apparent, until the character can no longer hide who she
really is. Storytellers are encouraged to bring supernatural
trouble when a character overtly displays their inhuman
power. When a transformation effect appears as a result of
this Complication, it must be an effect from a Knack that has
not already been turned into a permanent ability and cannot
be suppressed by Modest Human Guise.
LIST OF DRAGON CALLINGS
The following are the 11 Callings available to Dragons
and their Heirs.
COLLECTOR
A Collector Dragon hoards something specific, becom-
ing known everywhere as the one who possesses the greatest
collection of whatever it is in The World. Most Collectors
hoard a particular type of object or treasure, such as gold
coins, beautiful portraits, or enchanted weapons. Some
hoard more esoteric things, like types of people (doctors,
worshipers, naga), knowledge about a particular topic, or
songs from a lost civilization. It’s not enough just to have
these things; the collection is never complete, and a Collector
always seeks more fodder for his hoard, even if it means
taking things from others by any means necessary. Hoarding
people doesn’t always mean kidnapping (although it could);
it might just mean surrounding himself with those people
whenever possible.
Each time you gain a dot in this Calling, choose an addi-
tional specific thing for your character to collect.
Skills: Culture, Occult, Persuasion
Craving: Obtain a new item for one of your chosen col-
lections, at any cost.
Example Keywords: hoard, gather, entourage, retinue,
library, vault, followers, riches, wealth, accumulate, reposito-
ry, archive, treasures, museum, curator, aficionado, connois-
seur, reliquary, packrat, congregation, menagerie
Example Dragons: Bolla, Isa Bere, Ouagadou-Bida,
Jörmungandr, Vishap, Kuna
DESTROYER
Destroyer Dragons can be warriors or soldiers, but
such roles are more excuses to destroy something than true
callings. The Destroyer feels a thrill in his bones that goes
beyond satisfaction whenever he devours something, tears
something apart, or takes a life. Not all Destroyers are killers
— many Dragons of this Calling stick to tearing down walls or
swallowing moons. All Destroyers indulge in at least a little
physical destruction, but some focus their efforts more often
on destroying more intangible things, such as organizations,
reputations, or faith.
Skills: Athletics, Close Combat, Firearms
Craving: Destroy or consume something significant,
such as a building, a person, an organization, a Touchstone,
or someone’s reputation or livelihood.
122 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS
Example Keywords: demolition, explosions, mighty,
mass destruction, strength, devour, kill, ending, terrorist,
crumble, ruin, consume, crush, oblivion, raze, salt the earth,
exterminate, extinguish, break, smash, bane, sabotage
Example Dragons: Bašmu, Bolla, Leviathan, Ammut,
Apophis, Isa Bere, Fáfnir, Níðhöggr, Gōnggōng, Horomatangi,
Kuna, Yīnglóng, Waxaklajuun
GUARDIAN
Guardian Dragons protect and defend, becoming cus-
todians of hidden places, wardens for particular groups of
people, and champions of principles or phenomena. The
stereotypical Guardian Dragon is one who stands guard over
a Lair or demands trials for passage into secret corners of
The World, but many carry their charges with them or travel
The World seeking those who fall under their stewardship
and ensuring all is well. A Guardian might protect something
specific or general, ranging from one unique and dangerous
amulet, to The World’s ley lines, to all homeless people.
Skills: Athletics, Empathy, Integrity
Craving: Assume guardianship over someone or some-
thing and take significant actions to protect them from all
perceived harm, physical or otherwise, whether they want
you to or not.
Example Keywords: warden, stand guard, protector,
den mother, rescue, shelter, safeguard, bulwark, champion,
defender, safety, watch over, patrol, vigilant, sentinel, bur-
den, responsibility, duty, steward
Example Dragons: Muš uššu, Ammut, Ouagadou-Bida,
Raina, Fáfnir, Loch Ness Monster, Vishap, Horomatangi,
Yīnglóng, Ladon, Mucalinda, Sri Gumum, Ndengei,
Waxaklajuun
HEALER
Some Healer Dragons turn their restorative powers to
healing the sick and injured, while others use them to purify
corrupted lands or rebuild what once was broken. To be a
Healer is to improve and revive, to cure ills and undo hurt of
all kinds. Everything a Healer Dragon touches is better for
having been touched. He might bring peace to the tumultu-
ous, succor to the despairing, and redemption to the damned.
Many Healers bring compassion and kindness, too, but
they’re not necessary for the Calling — some improve things
not for the sake of those things, but to lord their importance
over others or make themselves indispensable.
Skills: Empathy, Medicine, Technology
Craving: Seek out corruption, illness, injury, or some-
thing broken and heal or fix it at any cost.
Example Keywords: doctor, nurse, fix, repair, cure,
purify, cleanse, improve, rebuild, restore, revive, rejuvenate,
surgeon, health, balm, succor, care, relief, mend, calm, seren-
ity, peace, life, resurrection, savior, renewal, reforge
Example Dragons: Ouagadou-Bida, Raina, Yīnglóng,
Mucalinda, Sri Gumum, Witz’
JUDGE
Draconic Judges are fearsome and imposing figures,
weighing the worth of deeds or petitioners and deciding
their fates. Where Gods of Judgment are often psychopomps
who judge the dead, a Dragon of this Calling is more likely
to judge the living, and is less often concerned with existing
codes of law or behavior (which is to say, human codes)
than enforcing their own or their Flight’s. Most are self-ap-
pointed, and their punishments for the guilty are rarely
merciful. Despite this, many Judge Dragons are famed (and,
sometimes, infamous) for their stoic impartiality no matter
the circumstances. Leniency isn’t often among their virtues,
but they can be trusted to deal fairly and consistently with
everyone, whether they’re strangers or family.
Skills: Academics, Culture, Integrity
Craving: Pass judgment on someone who’s wronged
you or your allies and mete out significant punishment, or
go to bat for someone you believe is innocent and save them
from wrongful persecution, at any cost.
Example Keywords: fair, impartial, punishment, juror,
assessor, adjudicator, mediator, test, trial, ordeal, law, com-
mandment, code, oath, neutrality, weigh, worthy/unworthy,
price, doom, condemn, conviction, verdict, arbiter, inquisi-
tion, damnation, guilt, innocence, decree
Example Dragons: Bašmu, Muš uššu, Ammut, Fáfnir,
Horomatangi, Ryūjin, Yīnglóng, Kulshedra, Vasuki
MYSTIC
The Mystic is the Dragon who uses knowledge rather
than just hoarding it; who keeps arcane secrets and passes
them on to those who prove themselves; who not only prac-
tices magic, but masters it. Some Dragons even embody it,
becoming pure sources of occult power from which others
draw. The Mystic divines the future, takes apprentices, and
shrouds himself in an air of mystery. Don’t mistake him for
a hermit, though; the Dragon Mystic travels The World and
its Terra Incognita chasing power and riddles to solve, or
seeking the perfect successors to his formidable wisdom and
magical might.
Skills: Academics, Occult, Subterfuge
Craving: Learn a significant secret or obtain a magical
object, at any cost.
Example Keywords: magic, knowledge, secrets, ar-
cane, enigmatic, sorcerer, oracle, wise, teacher, guide, master,
apprentice, mentor, tutor, shepherd, patron, mysterious,
puzzle, riddle, clever, enchantment, divination, augury, pro-
fessor, advisor, study, research
Example Dragons: Apophis, Ouagadou-Bida, Vishap,
Ryujin, Ladon, Vasuki, K’uk’ulkan
NOMAD
A Dragon Nomad sees The World entire as his Lair,
and can’t abide imprisonment or limitations. He wanders
land, sea, and sky — not in search of anything in particular,
just to see and experience it all, or to get away from his past
Callings
and leave something behind forever. Some Nomads end up
Called to the road after an unwilling expulsion or rejection
from somewhere they once belonged. Some escape a terrible
situation and refuse to be controlled or bound ever again.
Some just love the thrill of meeting new people and discover-
ing something they’ve never seen before. Worldly travelers,
survivalists, pilots, explorers, and refugees may all be drawn
to the draconic Nomad Calling.
Skills: Culture, Pilot, Survival
Craving: Travel to a place you’ve never been and ex-
plore it thoroughly, or escape a situation that could feasibly
be interpreted as imprisonment, obligation, or limitations on
your will or actions, at any cost.
Example Keywords: travel, freedom, wanderer, rogue,
rebel, discovery, explorer, adventure, pilot, transportation,
walker, escape, vagabond, hike, meander, ramble, roam,
iconoclast, journey, path, road, sailor, messenger, refugee,
transplant, expat, cosmopolitan, navigator, map
Example Dragons: Leviathan, Jörmungandr, Gōnggōng,
Mucalinda, Xiuhcoatl, K’uk’ulkan
PREDATOR
The Predator Dragon asserts his power and superiority
over those weaker and smaller than he is, whether physically,
socially, or politically. He isn’t necessarily cruel or selfish, but
he is always a wolf among sheep, even when he puts his fangs
away. He may be a natural hunter, pursuing prey for food,
money, or justice; an ambitious ladder-climber willing to
tread on others to get where he’s going; or the lurking threat
demanding sacrifices to stave off his wrath. The Predator
is relentless by nature, even when he pursues noble goals.
Unlike the Destroyer, the “kill” (literal or metaphorical) isn’t
the point for these Dragons; it’s just the event that marks the
end of one pursuit and the beginning of the next.
Skills: Firearms, Subterfuge, Survival
Craving: Take significant action to demonstrate your
superiority over someone else or threaten them into doing
what you want, regardless of damage it might cause to your
relationships.
Example Keywords: hunter, shark, pursuit, relentless,
unstoppable, all-seeing, superior, stalker, shadow, intimida-
tion, coercion, blackmail, tracker, quarry, carnivore, assassin,
bully, menace, strong-arm, threat, demand, terrorize
Example Dragons: Bašmu, Bolla, Isa Bere, Níðhöggr,
Loch Ness Monster, Gōnggōng, Kuna, Kulshedra, Ndengei
PRIMEVAL
Primeval Dragons are in many ways the most alien to
humanity, embodying aspects of The World, concepts, phe-
nomena, or places. The Dragon who is both an individual
being and the ocean is a Primeval, as is an entity of wrath
incarnate who manifests as a Dragon. A Primeval might be so
closely connected to his Lair that he becomes a part of it, or
he might get himself lost in a kind of magic or energy and end
up suffusing himself completely with it — now he’s made of
it, and the two are inseparable. Primeval Dragons are forces
123
of nature and environments in and of themselves, passively
affecting The World even when they don’t do anything; they
impose their will just by existing.
Skills: Integrity, Occult, Science
Craving: Unleash your draconic power without re-
straint or discretion.
Example Keywords: elemental, embodiment, force,
nature, environment, symbol, manifestation, personification,
expression, boundless, unfettered, infinite, unfathomable,
alien, fundamental, overflowing, overwhelming, primordial,
connected
Example Dragons: Tiamat, Leviathan, Apophis, Raina,
Loch Ness Monster, Gōnggōng, Sri Gumum, Witz’
RULER
When a Dragon leads, he is never first among equals. He
doesn’t see leadership as serving his people, and he doesn’t
share the crown. He rules. That doesn’t mean all Ruler
Dragons are tyrants, though some certainly are; others are
benevolent and beloved, and some work hard to make their
followers’ lives better, but even the best of them is still large
and in charge, and they know it. A Ruler might reign from
the shadows through proxies or openly take command, but
either way their word is final. Most Rulers don’t actually rule
nations or kingdoms, but they naturally gravitate to the top of
the food chain of whatever group or organization they’re in.
Skills: Culture, Leadership, Persuasion
Craving: Take significant action to convince or force
someone to follow your orders and carry out your will, no
matter how reticent they are.
FATEBINDING
DRAGONS
Dragons, and by extension their Heirs, are
mostly immune to the effects of Fatebindings.
They are not divine in nature, and unless they
are wearing a divine Mantle as a God or Titan,
their actions do not stir Fate to action. Dragons
and their Heirs do not create Fatebindings
when they spend Inheritance.
The Dragons’ collective memories allow them
to remember all truths at once, and this gives
them a shield against divine Fate changing
and altering them. That isn’t to say that they are
completely untouched by Fate. When an Heir
would be Fatebound to a Scion or God, the
effect only lasts for 24 hours, then fades without
resolving.
Player characters are completely immune to
the effects of Fatebinding, as they are the focus
the story and should never have their actions
dictated by another player’s character.
124 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS
Example Keywords: majestic, royal, noble, grand,
grandiose, tyrant, dictator, queen, king, monarch, emperor,
leadership, command, general, admiral, CEO, benevolent,
magnanimous, throne, crown, scepter, proclaim, authority,
rank
Example Dragons: Leviathan, Tiamat, Apophis,
Isa Bere, Kulshedra, Ladon, Sri Gumum, Waxaklajuun,
Xiuhcoatl
WATCHER
The Watcher Dragon is the spy in the shadows, the
diligent sleuth, and the observer of humanity’s progress. He
infiltrates enemy ranks, thieves and swindles, quietly obtains
damning evidence against his rivals, and hides in plain sight.
He’s always watching, but that’s not all he does — his surveil-
lance serves a purpose, from finding missing persons to gath-
ering intel to scouting ahead before a battle. Keen of eye and
sharp of wit, the Watcher may mostly stay behind the scenes
and pass information on to his brood, or he may use his pan-
optic awareness to make satisfying revelations or informed
threats at just the right time. Many Watchers keep records of
what they observe, whether they record conversations with
their smartphones, keep track of clues in a handwritten jour-
nal, or chronicle histories throughout their long lives.
Skills: Empathy, Subterfuge, Technology
Craving: Obtain significant private information about
someone, or take possession of evidence against them or
something that belongs to them, by underhanded means,
even if it would damage relationships or subvert plans.
Example Keywords: private eye, sleuth, investigator,
historian, spy, infiltrate, disguise, tradecraft, thief, con artist,
larceny, mask, unseen, invisible, camouflage, surveillance,
scout, lookout, observer, attentive, vigilant, undercover, espi-
onage, intelligence, witness, sneak
Example Dragons: Tiamat, Muš uššu, Raina, Kuna,
Witz’, Xiuhcoatl
MEMORY
D ragons and their Heirs don’t pull mortals into their orbits
through Fate the way Scions do. However, their actions
do influence The World and those who live in it by exposing
layers of age-old plans one by one, revealing the ways in which
humans and their institutions are pawns in a grand game they
will never see. They do this by accessing their Memory, the
collective history of the deeds of Dragonkind written into
the bones of The World — and, more specifically, memories
their Handlers marked for their Heirs to recall vicariously,
either deliberately or during moments of dramatic victory,
dominance, defeat, and death.
Accessing these memories is more of an ordeal than sim-
ply willing the information to mind. An Heir needs a physical
symbol or reminder that triggers a vision or flashback. It
could be a place or an object, or even a being; either some-
thing that would have reminded her Dragon patron of an
important event in their life, or something that actually dates
back to such an event. This is the reason Dragons developed
the urge to hoard, and to make Lairs: unlike Gods, staying
completely apart from The World indefinitely makes it hard-
er for a Dragon to tap into her Memory. She needs something
to spark that mental connection. The more treasures she
collects, and the more places she dominates and makes her
own, the more reminders she’ll have on hand whenever she
requires the wisdom of those who came before her.
Whenever an Heir encounters a reminder and ex-
periences a vicarious Memory, she temporarily takes on
her Dragon patron’s mindset and drives, and remembers a
significant moment from their history. She might suddenly
learn that someone she knows was a sleeper agent for a
Flight all along, or is the reincarnation of an ancient figure
from her Handler’s life — or perhaps even the original figure
themselves. She also gains insight into a task she’s meant
to perform, a place she’s meant to visit, or some other clue
that enables an end for which her patron has planned. These
insights lead to achieving Memory Deeds (p. XX), which in
turn contribute to the Heir’s growing Inheritance and power.
However, an Heir doesn’t have to fully embrace the
Memory she experiences. She can still glean insight from
it without letting it take over. Doing so stunts her ability to
increase her draconic powers, but allows her to reinforce her
place in the human World instead.
SYSTEMS
Memories manifest in the game as Memory Conditions,
which have contexts based on Callings (p. XX). An Heir may
simultaneously access a number of active Memories up to
her Inheritance rating. If she accesses another Memory be-
yond that limit, she must choose a currently active Memory
Condition to end without resolving, relegating that Memory
back to her subconscious mind.
Once per session, a player may declare that something in
the current scene has triggered a Memory for her character,
and regain a spent Inheritance point. She chooses one of her
Callings to associate with the Memory, based on the context
of the scene and the Memory trigger. That Memory becomes
active, awakening in the character’s blood and mind as her
circumstances align with something her Handler experi-
enced that had a strong impact on them or that set a plan
in motion that’s coming to fruition now. The character gains
the appropriate Memory Condition (below) for the chosen
Calling. The Storyguide is the final arbiter of whether a
Memory trigger is appropriate. Note the because a charac-
ter can possibly have more active Memories than Callings,
she may have multiple Memory Conditions from the same
Calling each relating to a different Memory.
The Storyguide may also declare that a Memory triggers
for one or more of the characters once per session. This
doesn’t take up the player’s declaration for that session.
Acquiring a Memory Condition doesn’t mean the char-
acter experiences the full recollection immediately. Instead,
she gradually unlocks its pieces and puts them together, as
it colors everything she does from that point on until the
Memory
Condition resolves. What she does receive upon gaining a
Memory Condition is a drive to perform a specific task that
will somehow advance the plans of her patron or Flight; the
Storyguide assigns this task based on the associated Calling,
the character’s Flight, and current circumstances.
Memory Conditions have the following components:
• Trigger: When the character first gains the Memory
Condition, the Storyguide narrates a brief vision to
the player, as the character experiences a flashback
that grants her the urge to perform a specific task,
travel to a specific place, retrieve a specific object, or
some other discrete action. The Storyguide chooses
this action, which becomes the method by which the
Memory Condition can resolve.
• Invoke: Once per session, a player may reflexively
roll (Inheritance + 1 per step toward Cipher from
the center) to invoke one of her Memory Conditions,
making a particular type of declaration or gaining a
benefit based on the chosen Calling. If she succeeds,
the Storyguide narrates a flashback vision, as above,
that grants her the benefit or the information the
player has declared to be true.
• Compel: Once per session, the player or the
Storyguide may compel one of her Memory
Conditions to immediately push the character one
step toward her Cipher and inflict her Craving
Condition (p. XX). In exchange, she regains a spent
Inheritance point. The Storyguide narrates a flash-
back vision, as above, that creates these urges. If
the Storyguide compels the Memory Condition, the
player may choose to resist it, but if so, the character
regains no Inheritance and takes one step toward
her Defection instead.
• Resolve: The Memory Condition resolves when the
character performs the action the Memory drives
her to perform. Each Calling grants different bene-
fits for resolving an associated Memory Condition.
In addition, the player completes a Memory Deed.
“Once per session” means a player can invoke and
compel each of her character’s Memory Conditions once per
session.
MEMORY CONDITIONS
Each Calling has an associated Memory Condition, as
follows.
COLLECTOR’S MEMORY
A Collector remembers where ancient relics are buried
and where rivals keep their hoards.
Invoke: The player declares that an important object,
treasure, or resource is present somewhere in the vicinity,
and gains an Enhancement on unopposed rolls to find or re-
trieve it of 1 + (current steps toward Cipher from center) for
the scene. She may specify a type of resource, such as “a mag-
ical weapon” or “evidence to prove my brother’s innocence,”
but can’t declare specific items such as “the sword Tyrfing”
125
or “surveillance footage of the killer.” This effect doesn’t
guarantee that the resource will be somewhere convenient
or that someone won’t be actively using it.
Resolve: The character gains a temporary dot of Hoard
(p. XX) that lasts for the rest of the arc. This can increase her
Hoard beyond its maximum rating, but no combination of
effects can increase her Hoard by more than (Inheritance/2,
rounded up) dots.
DESTROYER’S MEMORY
A Destroyer remembers the heights of sheer draconic
might sleeping in her blood, and can unleash it for a short
time.
Invoke: The character may use one Destroyer Knack
she doesn’t know once before the end of the scene, plus one
additional time per current step toward Cipher from center.
Resolve: The character gains +1 force Scale for the rest
of the episode.
GUARDIAN’S MEMORY
A Guardian remembers something her patron once
swore to protect at all costs, and renewing this oath gives her
strength.
Invoke: For the rest of the episode, the Heir may have
one additional Knack active than her usual maximum, as
126 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS
long as the extra Knack is a Guardian one and she isn’t al-
ready using any other Guardian Knack to protect the chosen
ward.
Resolve: For the rest of the arc, the character treats all
SG characters of equal or lesser size Scale as trivial targets
for purposes of warding them away from any Lair belonging
to her or her broodmates, and from one significant object,
place, or ideal this Memory showed her that her Handler
once protected. This doesn’t apply to harming would-be
interlopers, only keeping them out.
HEALER’S MEMORY
A Healer remembers mystical healing techniques or
calls upon a deep, ancestral connection to the land to cleanse
and renew.
Invoke: The character’s blood gains purifying prop-
erties, as the player declares her ancestry anathema to the
baleful source of a single supernatural corruption or sick-
ness. She may provide enough blood to purify one target
(living or otherwise) with a simple action by accepting a
Bruised Injury Condition when she invokes this Memory,
and she may do this as many times as she likes until the
end of the scene, as long as each target’s corruption comes
from the same source. When the target drinks, absorbs, or
bathes in her spilled blood, it suppresses one Condition or
Complication affecting them that represents the corruption
for the rest of the scene. The suppressed corruption acts as
though it were completely removed for the duration, but
returns at full strength afterward.
Resolve: Upon resolution, the character’s blood brims
with healing power, allowing her to use it as above to per-
manently remove an appropriate Condition or Complication
instead of suppressing it; this effect ends after she uses it
once or at the end of the arc, whichever comes first.
JUDGE’S MEMORY
A Judge remembers forgotten crimes that have gone
unpunished, or the wrongful judgment of an innocent.
Invoke: The player declares that one character present
in the scene, a group or organization to which they belong, or
one of their relatives or patrons either committed a grievous
crime at some point in the past for which they didn’t make
amends, or were severely punished for something they didn’t
do. The Heir gains Enhancement (1 + current steps toward
Cipher from center) to direct attempts to right this wrong for
the rest of the episode. If she successfully does so within the
episode, all members of her Flight and anyone connected to
the target by blood or other family ties learns about the crime
(real or fabricated) and the punishment (deserved or not).
Resolve: Once before the end of the arc, the charac-
ter may automatically succeed at forcing a true confession
from any SG character of equal or lesser leadership Scale. If
it turns out the target is in fact innocent, the Heir knows it
without a doubt.
MYSTIC’S MEMORY
A Mystic remembers arcane secrets buried under centu-
ries of dusty history.
Invoke: The Heir may use one Spell she doesn’t know
in any Dragon Magic Form other than a Flight-specific one
once before the end of the scene, plus one additional time per
current step toward Cipher from center.
Resolve: The Heir becomes a font of mystical power,
choosing one Spell she does know other than a Flight-specific
one. All Heirs and other draconic beings present in the scene
(allied or not) may use that Spell even if they don’t know it
for the rest of the scene.
NOMAD’S MEMORY
A Nomad remembers places ancient Dragons roamed
and secret routes lost to modern times.
Invoke: The player may invoke this Memory whenever
she fails a roll to navigate, locate, or get into a mundane place.
She may either gain 2 Momentum instead of 1, or choose to
define her own Consolation rather than the Storyguide doing
so. Once she invokes this Memory, she may use its effects on
any appropriate failed roll for the rest of the episode.
Resolve: The Heir automatically succeeds on a single
action (simple or complex) to navigate, locate, or get into
any type of place, mundane or supernatural, ranging from an
Otherworld Gate to a magically warded Lair. She can do so
even if she lacks the required key (mundane or metaphysi-
cal), but she must at least have enough information to make
Memory
the roll in the first place; for instance, she couldn’t use it to
randomly suss out the location of a Gate if she doesn’t already
know there is one in the vicinity. This benefit vanishes if she
doesn’t use it within the current arc.
PREDATOR’S MEMORY
A Predator remembers the thrill of a successful hunt or
the best way to intimidate lesser beings into giving her what
she wants.
Invoke: For the rest of the scene, the Heir automatical-
ly imposes a Complication of a level equal to her Predator
Calling rating to any attempt to flee or hide from her while
she’s actively pursuing or seeking them. Should they fail to
buy it off, she may immediately and reflexively either take
her draconic form (p. XX) at its usual cost, or use any one
Predator Knack she doesn’t know.
Resolve: The character gains +1 speed Scale for the rest
of the episode.
PRIMEVAL’S MEMORY
A Primeval remembers impossible, inhuman experienc-
es and secrets The World knows that humans never did.
Invoke: The player declares that a place of power or
significant source of a specific element or substance is pres-
ent somewhere in the vicinity, and gains an Enhancement
on unopposed rolls to find or access it of 1 + (current steps
toward Cipher from center) for the scene. She may specify
a type of place or source, such as “a Touchstone” or “fresh
water,” but can’t declare specific ones such as “a Touchstone
that leads to my hometown,” “a temple to Poseidon,” or “a
river.” This effect doesn’t guarantee that the place or source
will be somewhere convenient or that she’ll have what she
needs to access it properly.
Resolve: Once before the end of the arc, the char-
acter may assume her draconic form (p. XX) reflexively
and without imbuing Inheritance, and doesn’t suffer
any Complications for features she hasn’t purchased the
Transformation Knacks for.
RULER’S MEMORY
A Ruler remembers a position of authority that’s right-
fully hers, or an act of command or dominance that won her
patron great renown or accomplished grand deeds.
Invoke: The Heir gains +1 leadership Scale for the scene.
Resolve: The character gains a temporary dot of Pawns
(p. XX) that lasts for the rest of the arc. This can increase
her Pawns Birthright beyond its maximum rating, but no
combination of effects can increase her Pawns by more than
(Inheritance/2, rounded up) dots.
WATCHER’S MEMORY
A Watcher remembers the delicate dance of past in-
trigues, vast and complex webs of relationships and connec-
tions, and her patron’s greatest feats of spycraft.
Invoke: The player declares that one SG character
present in the scene was a sleeper agent or double agent for
127
 STROLLING DOWN MEMORY LANE
The Memory system is flexible enough to encompass several different approaches, so you can use it
in ways that make the most sense for your game. You can, if you like, just leave it freeform — whenever
the characters run into something that seems significant enough to warrant a Memory trigger, go for it.
This is best for troupes who like to wing it most of the time, or for when a dramatic moment happens and
somebody at the table feels like it’d be perfect for a flashback.
If you like a little more intentional questing, the Storyguide can introduce something to chase — a treasure,
an ancient tome, a wise mystic, a hidden sanctuary — and hint to the players that it could hold the key to
unlocking a Memory. For extra espionage goodness, put it behind enemy lines and make them work to
gain access to it. Maybe titanspawn kidnapped the wise mystic and forced her to work for them, or maybe
angry spirits protect the Underworld library where the book of draconic rituals has been for a thousand
years. Likewise, a player could choose a Deed that involves hunting down such a thing, or create a plot
twist through a Path that introduces one.
Storyguides: Narrate the Memory flashbacks piecemeal. When the Memory first triggers, give a vague,
fleeting impression that only hints at the truth, or one very specific moment that doesn’t show the whole
picture. Then, each time the Memory is invoked or compelled, fill in a few more details; and when it’s
resolved, reveal the rest. You can even let the player play their own patron in the final flashback and assign
other players to play the other characters present, thus allowing the players to put the pieces together and
come to their own conclusions about the past.

either an enemy, an ally, or the character’s own Flight all
along. The chosen character might be a knowing mole, an
unwitting patsy, a conflicted defector, a brainwashed plant,
etc.; they may secretly carry the blood of Dragons in their
veins, have been retroactively recruited or influenced by the
Heir or someone else at some point in the past, labor under
a hidden enchantment that triggers now, or simply be play-
ing both sides against the middle for their own benefit. The
Heir must reveal the treachery to everyone present, either
deliberately or through happenstance. If the revelation turns
an ally against the brood, add 2 Momentum to the pool. If
it turns an enemy to the brood’s side, add 2 points to the
tension pool instead. The Watcher’s player can’t declare the
traitor to be anyone represented by any player’s Birthrights
without that player’s permission.
Resolve: For the rest of the arc, the player may cross-ap-
ply procedural stunts resulting from clues to intrigue rolls,
and Bond successes to rolls to find clues. This manifests as
using information from clues as leverage, bait, or bribes, and
manipulating or cajoling her friends and rivals to lead her
to the truth. The Complication for working against a Bond
always applies unless the Heir is completely up front about
using her connections for her own gain.
guided by his Flight’s typical features and the Callings he
possesses.
By default, with no Transformation Knacks, this form
significantly increases the character’s size and strength.
The Heir gains +1 Scale on all actions, which doesn’t stack
with any Scale benefits from Knacks or other sources; if two
sources would grant Scale, use the highest bonus among
them. While in this form, the character may perform Feats
of Scale by spending one Momentum per Feat, rather than
suffering the usual Complication. His draconic form lasts un-
til the end of the scene. He may change back to human form
with a simple action before then, but he may only assume his
draconic form once per scene.
If the Heir’s draconic form possesses features that should
change his innate capabilities, such as wings that provide
flight or claws that grant the Lethal tag to unarmed attacks,
he gains access to those abilities but takes a Complication
on all actions to use them equal to (6 − half his Inheritance,
rounded up). Failure to buy off this Complication leads to
general mishaps, incorrect usage mistakes, or even harm
to the user. Purchasing a Transformation Knack for such a
feature permanently removes this Complication when using
that feature, in addition to its other benefits.

DRACONIC FORM If the character possesses any Transformation Knacks,

they all automatically activate at no additional cost when he
takes his draconic form, whether they’re transformed or not,
A n Heir is still human, but he’s also more. Even the most
unassuming Heir is a shapeshifter with the power to take
a draconic form — his own unique Dragon shape, based on
even if it would activate more Knacks at a time than his usual
maximum.
those of his Flight and the specific transformations in which
he’s invested via Transformation Knacks (p. XX). Each Flight
favors certain kinds of transformations; see p. XX for details.
BIRTHRIGHTS
To take his draconic form, the character imbues one
Inheritance point and takes a simple action. The player
H eirs inherit more than memories and power from
their patrons. The Dragons have sown the seeds of
their comeback in countless ways, from hiding a towering
decides what this form looks like and what features it has, palace behind age-old illusions to await a chosen Heir

128 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

who remembers the correct passphrase, to ensuring the
proliferation of their bloodlines in enough humans that their
descendants will always have minions on hand.
These varied benefits the Dragons pass down to their
Heirs are known as Birthrights. An Heir rarely receives a
Birthright directly from her draconic patron. Instead, her
activation as an agent of Dragons sets her on a path littered
with omens, prophecies, clues, and fortuitous coincidences
that lead her to what’s rightfully hers, meticulously planned
centuries before her birth.
LOST BIRTHRIGHTS
If a character loses a Birthright over the course of the
game, either through story events or specific mechanical ef-
fects like the Burn Notice Condition (p. XX), the player may
reassign the lost dots to another Birthright appropriate to the
situation at the end of the episode. If it makes sense, the new
Birthright could be the same one (such as, reassigning dots of
Lair to a new Lair), as long as it makes sense. Reassignments
are subject to Storyguide approval.
GUIDES
Dragons, by virtue of playing the long game, stay out
of The World as a general rule. It suits their needs to dole
information out to their Heirs a little at a time through mys-
terious, pre-planned machinations rather than showing up
and telling them everything they need to know — relying
on their chosen proxies is a gamble, and the more plausible
deniability they can build into their schemes, the better.
Still, with no guidance, their Heirs wouldn’t be able to
carry out their missions. Dragons can tap other beings with
relevant resources or knowledge to cross paths with their
Heirs and offer their aid, or arrange for an instructional tome
to conveniently fall into the brood’s lap. Sometimes, Heirs
acquire guides in other ways — one might intercept another
Heir’s intended guide using counter-intelligence their own
patron provided them, while another might unearth an an-
cient spirit who knows secrets some Dragons would kill to
get their hands on. A guide can even be a Dragon, if one de-
cides it’s worth dipping a toe in directly, or a more powerful
Lesser Wyrm with a better idea of the bigger picture than
greener Heirs.
Guides are usually characters, but they can be even
stranger things, such as disembodied souls, sapient trea-
sures, or the touch of prophetic dreams. A guide could even
be some aspect of Memory itself that comes through more
clearly or more often than usual; for instance, while most
Heirs experience ancestral memories as brief visions or a
strange, leading sense of déjà vu, one with a Memory guide
might actually immerse completely whenever the player
accesses the Birthright under circumstances that resonate
strongly with a draconic patron, effectively allowing that
patron’s memories to possess her for a time.
The dot value of a guide is an indicator of its overall
usefulness to the character, though that doesn’t necessarily
translate into raw power. A guide with a low rating could be a
Birthrights
mortal prophet, or it could be a potent imprisoned Titan who
just can’t — or won’t — get much help to the Heir very often.
SYSTEMS
A guide is both a character and a resource. The
Storyguide may or may not give a guide real character traits,
depending on whether he expects it to play a more active role
in the story. Either way, a guide functions similarly to the way
a Path does, granting an array of related benefits as the result
of the Heir having earned or inherited its help. The player
can invoke a guide like a Path, and can push its benefits to
even greater limits in exchange for a Condition that makes
the guide unavailable until it’s resolved. Guides have a start-
ing positive Attitude of 1 towards the character, but through
prolonged interaction, the Attitude may grow stronger.
The Path Condition for invoking a guide more than once
per session is Quid Pro Quo.
The Heir may also call upon his guide for an extraction
once per arc. Only one extraction may be in effect at a time.
Whether by direct intervention, occult ritual, the fulfillment
of a dire prophecy, or some other method within the guide’s
power, the Heir gains the following for the rest of the scene:
He acts in all ways as though he were one Tier higher than he
is for purposes of escaping a dangerous or inconvenient sit-
uation, getting out of trouble, or rescuing someone, and may
introduce narrative twists through any Dragon Path he pos-
sesses (including Birthrights that act as Paths) as many times
as he likes without risking Path Suspension or Revocation at
the cost of one Momentum per such Stunt. In exchange, at
the end of the scene, he gains the Burn Notice Condition.
By default, a guide has the following elements.
• Asset Skills: as Path Asset Skills, and they grant ac-
cess to the guide’s Stunt (see below). One-dot guides
grant one Asset Skill, while those at 2+ dots grant
two.
• General Benefits and Invocation: Guides can
grant access to equipment, locations, allies, contacts,
and narrative editing the same way Paths do, using
the same guidelines for what requires invocation
and what doesn’t. Narrative editing usually takes the
form of the guide showing up or pulling strings to
help the Heir out.
• Guide Stunt: Every guide grants access to a unique
Stunt, accessible by invoking the guide when the
player rolls one of the guide’s Asset Skills; the player
may wait to invoke until after he makes such a roll.
• For each dot above two, the guide also gains one of
the following elements; a guide can only have one
each of these elements:
• Dragon Magic: A guide can grant access to a new
Dragon Magic in which the Heir can learn Spells,
although never a Flight signature one. If the Heir
loses his guide’s favor, through either Burn Notice
or story events, he can’t use or learn any Spells in
that Dragon Magic until he makes amends.
129

GUIDE CONDITIONS
Quid Pro Quo
The draconic lifestyle doesn’t lend itself to
favors without strings attached. Your guide has
scratched your back, and now they expect you
to scratch theirs.
Effect: The Storyguide gives the character a
new short-term or Dragon Deed in addition to
the one he already has, representing the favor
he owes his guide. Ancient machinations ensure
he will pay his debt; he takes a Complication
of a severity equal to the guide’s dot rating to
any action that doesn’t make progress toward
achieving the new Deed.
Resolution: The player achieves the Deed
as above.
Burn Notice
The Heir has used up precious resources
getting himself or his allies out of trouble, and
his guide’s put a moratorium on asking for any
more favors for a while. If he presses the issue,
he could find himself completely on the outs.
Effect: The guide’s Attitude toward the
character flips to negative, and the Heir loses
access to all benefits that guide would normally
grant, including access to Spells or Knacks
from the guide’s Dragon Magic or Calling.
He can still use these benefits if he spends one
Momentum per use, cajoling or intimidating the
guide into helping out in a pinch, but doing so
decreases the guide’s Attitude by one level. If
the guide’s Attitude reaches 0, the character
loses that Birthright altogether.
Resolution: The character performs a number
of significant tasks that benefit the guide or
replenish their resources equal to the guide’s
dot rating; or the character loses the guide, as
above.
• Callings: The Heir can learn Knacks in the guide’s
Calling, and trigger Memories in it if the guide is
suitable, such as inherited dreams or prophecies, or
someone from his Flight’s own past.
• Deed Names: The Heir can invoke the guide to make
use of her Deed Name as though it were his own.
A guide with a rating of 3+ may also grant access to a
unique Knack in her Calling, or a Draconic Knack if appro-
priate. Depending on the power of the Knack, it may pre-
clude the inclusion of some or all the above elements, such as
a Dragon Magic or Calling.
EXAMPLE GUIDES
Perhaps not surprisingly, many of the Guides which
Dragons send to their Heirs take the form of reptiles. Any
gathering of Heirs frequently also features the appearance
130 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS
of multiple reptilian Guides. It often surprises outsiders that
Dragons also send birds with great frequency.
Ati-a-muri (•)
Horomatangi’s loyal servant, Ati-a-muri is often sent to
guide Heirs to the Lóng Flight. He often appears as a fellow
traveler and puts his Heir students to tests of wit and strength
to ensure they can handle draconic responsibility.
Asset Skill: Integrity
Guide Stunt (1 success): You may purchase this Stunt
with successes on any roll to resist being emotionally ma-
nipulated, creating a +2 Complication for those attempting
to influence you. Foes who fail to buy it off suddenly find
themselves unable to find you for the remainder of the scene,
unless you voluntarily interact with them.
Blackbirds (•)
Carrying gossip and chattering incessantly, blackbirds
only briefly appear similar to the Morrigan or Odin’s ravens:
much smaller, much quicker, and much more annoying, they
don’t so much teach their Heirs as annoy them into doing the
proper thing. They often initially appear in threes, leaving
behind only one with the Heir. Blackbirds focus on the here
and now more than anything else.
Asset Skill: Occult
Guide Stunt (1 Success): You may purchase this stunt
with successes from any roll made to understand the motiva-
tions or figure out the intentions of a supernatural creature
or individual. You gain +1 Enhancement to any Initiative roll
made if the creature or individual in question decides to at-
tack you or your allies (but not if you’re the aggressor).
Ershaj (•)
These intermediaries for the Naga appear as large ser-
pents, outsized even for pythons and boa constrictors, and
whisper wisdom and Memories into the ears of the Heirs to
whom the Naga send them. Their name comes from one of
the Kulshedra’s intermediary forms, a lesser form of the full-
grown Dragon, and many of these Guides fancy themselves
miniature Dragons.
Asset Skill: Culture
Guide Stunt (1-3 successes): You may purchase this
Stunt with successes from any Information Gathering roll.
You gain +1 Enhancement to Influence rolls you make to
affect targets of the Information Gathering roll a number of
times equal to the Stunt’s value.
Ghosts of the Children of Dragons (••)
These distant, inhuman ghosts drift between Heir and
Draconic parent, carrying with them memories which lit-
erally predate humanity. They sometimes appear to Heirs
as overlarge reptiles or saurian creatures, sometimes as
something closer to lamia and nagaraja (see p. XX). Those
Heirs who the Ghosts of the Children of Dragons visit have
harrowing, but informative, dreams, rarely knowing an unin-
terrupted night’s sleep.
 Asset Skills: Empathy, Occult
Guide Stunt (1 success): You may purchase this Stunt
with successes from any roll made to interpret dreams.
You gain startling insight from ancient memories, and a +2
Enhancement bonus on any one roll made for acting on that
insight before the next time you sleep.
Lost Souls (••)
Ghosts, Shades, and all forms of dead seek out aid from
the Serpents before heading off to various Underworlds. In
exchange for this assistance, the lost souls are sent to guide
Serpent Heirs for short periods of time, sharing with them
whatever knowledge they have.
Asset Skill: Academics, Leadership
Guide Stunt (1 success): You may purchase this Stunt
with successes from any roll made to inspire or influence
a crowd. You gain the help of the Birthright Pawns 1 (Any
Archetype, with the Helpful Tag) appropriate for to crowd
you were speaking to for the remainder of the session.
Multiple uses of this Stunt may replace the Pawns with a
different type of Pawn, but do not stack.
Mist Hounds (••)
Mist Hounds act as the ultimate spies for anyone who is
willing to offer them proper pay. They traffic in information
more than anything, and willingly guide Lóng Heirs in ex-
change for secrets.
Asset Skill: Athletics, Subterfuge
Guide Stunt (1 success): When you attempt to hide,
either physically or through verbal deception, you may
purchase this Stunt. Inflict a +2 Complication to see through
your deception. Gain a +2 Enhancement for the rest of the
scene to deceive those who fail to buy off the Complication.
Sacred Engineers of the Dragon King (••)
This ancient organization appears to most to simply
function as a means for engineers to meet socially, like a
Shriner’s society for people who own slide rules. The Sacred
Engineers take as students those Heirs who devote them-
selves to the repair of the world, with chapters secreted
away in every major city in the world. In Jerusalem, they
have perfected the irrigation system vintners rely upon. In
Tokyo, they work on earthquake preparedness. In Florida,
they tackle the problem of rising sea levels.
Asset Skills: Science, Technology
Guide Stunt (2 successes): You may purchase this
Stunt with successes from any roll made as part of a Crafting
roll for architecture, landscaping, or other large-scale proj-
ects. You immediately complete an additional Milestone.
Aqrabuamelu (•••)
Aqrabuamelu are Legendary Creatures with the head
and upper torso of a human and the body of a scorpion. They
stand outside the gates of Kur and generally act as guards to
the underworld. While the Aqrabuamelu might currently
serve the Gods, they deal with the Draq frequently as they
Birthrights
are siblings to many Dragons there. The Draq send them to
guide and protect their Heirs, offering them martial advice
and support.
Asset Skill: Close Combat, Firearms
Guide Stunt (2 successes): You may purchase this
Stunt with successes on an attack action. Inflict the Poisoned
Condition on your opponent with a rating equal to half your
Inheritance, rounded down.
Calling: Destroyer
Lamia (•••)
These Children of Dragons live in remote areas in the
world, clustering high in the mountains and making lairs in
deep woods; they remember when they lived openly, in great
mound-temples, and raised their children in proper rever-
ence of dragonkind. The Heir who overcomes their natural
reticence to assist any of humankind finds them thoughtful
and deliberate creatures, as resentful of the role humankind
has assigned them in myth as their draconic parents.
Asset Skill: Empathy, Medicine
Guide Stunt (2 successes): You may purchase this
Stunt with successes from any roll made to treat emotional
or physical wounds. You may spirit the target of your roll
away to safety; if there are immediate impediments to doing
so, you automatically overcome them unless they are of a
higher Tier, in which case you gain +3 Enhancement for rolls
to escape them and bring your patient to safety.
Dragon Magic: Transformation
Mokele-mbembe (•••)
These water-dwelling Legendary Creatures have all but
disappeared from Africa, though they still dwell in Strange
Places found near rivers or in caves. Best known for their
fighting prowess and ability to swim rivers with astounding
speed, mokele-mbembe make good backup when an Heir
knows she’s going to be in a fight.
Asset Skill: Close Combat, Pilot
Guide Stunt (3 successes): You may purchase this Stunt
with success from any roll made to attack an enemy you hav-
en’t yet attacked this Scene. Your enemy gains the Condition
World Wounding for the rest of the scene. Whenever you at-
tack an enemy suffering from World Wounding, your attacks
gain the Shockwave, Brutal, and Messy tag.
Calling: Destroyer
Vishapakar (•••)
This name, used both by the Heirs of Vishap and their
families, forms a major support system for all the Lindwurm
Heirs. Skilled in research and devoted to uncovering the
secrets of their long-lost Dragon Mother, they assist worthy
Heirs in following leads on missing Lairs and uncovering
artifacts. They’ve worked together for generations and do so
exceptionally well.
Asset Skill: Occult, Science
131
 Guide Stunt (3 success): You may purchase this Stunt
with successes from any Information Gathering roll. Pick
any Clue uncovered from the roll; you immediately have ac-
cess to any mundane resources needed to take advantage of
the information uncovered, gaining +3 Enhancement on any
one roll if you directly act on that information.
Talking Head (••••)
Talking Heads are the literal remnant of lost Naga heads,
steeped in ancient magic. Naga send these heads to lead their
Heirs back to the Divine Realm. They use their magic to keep
them safe and ensure they can make their way safely.

Calling: Mystic Asset Skill: Occult, Science

Guide Stunt (1 success): You
Arke (••••)
may purchase this Stunt with suc-
This strange bird-like human- cesses from a roll to discover or
oid sports shimmering feathers in investigate traps, hazards, or other
her hair and trailing down her neck, environmental danger. For the
opal talons tipping each of her fin- remainder of the scene,
gers, and large, iridescent-feathered you gain Hard Armor
wings sprouting from her back. against that danger
The Gods shattered the bones and forms of damage
of those wings, however, and like it. If you already
Arke moves with great have Hard Armor,
pain, leaning on an elab- that Armor becomes
orately carved cane. She Resistant against
claims descent from a long- the type of damage
ago congress between Iris the trap or danger
and the Python of Delphi. represents.
Arke talks endlessly to Dragon Magic:
anyone who’ll listen about Flight
the golden days when she
had a place on Olympus Knack: Warning Sense
and in the halls of the (Guardian Knack)
dragon kings, but clams Bi Xi (•••••)
up whenever pressed on
why, exactly, she doesn’t One of Ryūjin’s nine chil-
have a place there any- dren, Bi Xi is a turtle who like,
more. Conversation with Ao, can hold a great deal of weight
the rainbow-shimmering on his back. He is a lesser Dragon
creature leads to strange in- amongst the Lóng Flight, and has
sights as thoughts prism along eyes everywhere in the form of stele
unexpected pathways. Arke that dot the countryside all throughout
shows special favor to those who the northern parts of Asia. He can travel
bring her the means to alleviate the between them with ease, and even travel
pain of her broken wings, and would through depictions of them in modern times.
favor greatly indeed those who found He isn’t just strong, he’s helpful, using his wide
the means to heal them. network to aid Dragons in need throughout The
World. It doesn’t take much for an Heir of any Flight to get a
Asset Skills: Occult, Persuasion chat with him, and with the proper payment, he’s more than
Guide Stunt (3 successes): You may purchase this Stunt willing to lend his strength in aid.
with successes from any roll made to make plans or prepare Asset Skills: Medicine, Survival
for the future. You gain the Condition Prismatic Possibilities.
When the circumstances you’re preparing for occur, you may Guide Stunt (1-5 successes): You may purchase this
resolve the Condition to ask what would occur if you took Stunt with successes from any roll made to prepare an ally
a particular course of action. If the Storyguide is unable to for trouble. Until the end of the Scene, for each success you
provide useful information, you gain Momentum instead. may choose to have a harmful effect or attack targeting your
ally target you instead, as long as you are in the same Range
Unique Knack: Add a +3 Enhancement to your rolls to Band as your ally.
reveal a single concealed or hidden person or item in your
immediate surroundings: the hidden thing or individual ap- Unique Knack: Once per session, ignore wound levels
pears to have a rainbow haze illumined around them in your from a single attack equal to your Inheritance, gaining a thick
vision. carapace similar to a turtle’s shell.
Calling: Guardian

132 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS

Komodo Dragon (•••••)
Not the venomous, four-legged lizard found in Indonesia,
Komodo Dragon is the code name given to Heirs who came
close to ascending to Lesser Wyrm but chose instead to return
to a human life. These Heirs who have abandoned their dra-
conic side have not lost their knowledge, even if their power
is greatly diminished. Many do not survive such a choice, as
their draconic patron doesn’t take kindly to what they see as a
betrayal. Others, though, slipped through the cracks, knowing
the system well enough to skirt past notice. They are masters
of the unseen, keeping themselves away from the draconic life
as best as possible, though they dip back in regularly — they
just can’t help it. If an Heir can find a Komodo Dragon, she
deserves whatever help he can give her.
Asset Skills: Leadership, Subterfuge
Guide Stunt (5 successes): You may purchase this
Stunt with successes from any roll made to hide the move-
ments, activities, or presence of others. As long as those
you are trying to protect don’t act to directly harm others
or actively draw attention to themselves, beings of lower
Tier than yours simply can’t find or detect them. Beings of
equal or greater Tier suffer the Condition Wait, They Can’t
Actually Be… if they discover or detect your protected targets.
The Condition resolves if they attempt to initiate violence
against your protected group, causing the aggressor to count
as though they had rolled no successes on their Initiative roll.
Dragon Magic: Illusions
Unique Knack: When you give others advice on how
to hide, move unseen, or otherwise remain undetected, they
gain +3 Enhancement to all rolls to avoid notice as long as
they follow your advice.
HOARD
Not everything a Dragon leaves to his Heirs is unduly
esoteric or comes through convoluted circumstances.
Sometimes, she just inherits riches like anyone else. The
difference is, a Dragon’s hoard comes with a long history of
intrigue, thieving and counter-thieving, and deal-making. On
the bright side, an Heir with a significant hoard has more
leverage over anyone who covets her treasures, and more
potential connections to her Memory. A hoard can contain
any combination of wealth, Worldly treasures of cultural or
monetary value, and items of mystical power.
Unlike a guide, a single hoard can belong to more
than one broodmate. Any player who wants to can pitch
in Experience to purchase dots of this Birthright, and any
character who contributes dots to the total can access the
full, combined amount. Players can effectively increase the
rating of a hoard above five dots this way, but each character
still only has access to five dots’ worth of benefits; which is to
say, six players could contribute Experience and all of them
could access the hoard, but only at a rating of Hoard 5 even
though technically it’s a six-dot hoard. Players who contrib-
ute dots to a communal hoard may also purchase separate
hoards of their own if they like, but they can’t use more than
Birthrights
five dots’ worth of benefits at a time regardless of how many
hoards they’ve contributed to.
SYSTEMS
Like guides, a hoard functions like a Path. The player
can invoke it, and can push its benefits to even greater limits
in exchange for a Condition that complicates things for the
character.
The Path Condition for invoking a hoard more than
once per session is Covetous Neighbors.
A hoard grants the following benefits:
• Asset Skills: The first dot of Hoard grants Persuasion
as an Asset Skill; wealth is a powerful motivator. The
second dot grants Subterfuge, as she can more effec-
tively wield bribes and exert financial pressure. The
third dot grants Leadership, attracting followers and
employees eager for a cut.
• General Benefits and Invocation: A hoard grants
access to equipment, locations, allies, contacts, and
narrative editing the same way Paths do, using the
same guidelines for what requires invocation and
what doesn’t. Narrative editing usually takes the form
of throwing money at a problem to make it disappear,
making an advantageous trade, or having just the right
relic on hand at the right time — whether for its powers
or for leverage against those who want it.
• Hoard Stunt: A hoard grants access to the Hoard
Stunt, accessible by invoking the hoard when the
player rolls one of the hoard’s Asset Skills to encourage
behavior or shift someone’s Attitude, with a difficulty
of (6 – number of Hoard dots the character is willing
to invest). This stunt sweetens the pot for subsequent
dealings, granting +1 leadership Scale on a number of
future Social rolls against the target equal to successes
spent, which vanish if unused by the end of the arc.
In exchange, Hoard dots equal to those successes be-
come unavailable until the end of the arc, effectively
lowering the character’s rating temporarily. Using the
stunt repeatedly against the same target doesn’t allow
these future rolls to stack; only the largest investment
applies. If the hoard is shared, all contributing players
must agree to the use of this stunt.
• The Hoarding Instinct: Once per session, when-
ever the character acquires a significant new source
of wealth or valuable item through play, treat her
Hoard rating as one higher than it is until the end of
the session. If she uses the Hoard stunt during this
time, the additional dot is invested last; if she does
invest it, the stunt’s benefits vanish at the end of the
session when the extra dot vanishes.
• Collection of Recollection: The player gains
Enhancement 1 on a number of rolls to invoke a
Memory Condition per session equal to her dots in
Hoard. For example, a character with three active
Memory Conditions and two dots of Hoard could gain
Enhancement 1 to her roll to invoke any two of them in
133
 that session. If the character also has the Lair Birthright
(p. XX), she may combine her Hoard and Lair dots for
this purpose, to a maximum of five total dots.
For each dot above two, the hoard also gains one of the
following elements; a hoard can only have one each of these
elements:
• Dragon Magic: Magical treasures in a hoard can
grant access to a new Dragon Magic in which the
Heir can learn Spells, although never a Flight signa-
ture one. If key treasures are stolen or lost, through
either Covetous Neighbors or story events, she can’t
use or learn any more Spells in that Dragon Magic
until she retrieves or replaces it.
• Callings: Draconic treasures can bestow access to
any Calling available to Dragons, allowing the Heir
to learn its Knacks and trigger Memories in it if ap-
plicable. As with Dragon Magic, losing key treasures
removes access to these Knacks and Callings until
they’re retrieved or replaced.
• Magical Equipment: Many tomes and relics exist
in The World that aren’t draconic in nature, and
nothing stops an Heir from getting her hands on
them. The character gains access to a piece of rare
equipment which gives her an Enhancement bo-
nus equal to her Hoard rating on actions using it.
Additionally, the item allows the character to access
a single Calling Knack or Dragon Magic Spell fitting
with her Hoard’s Calling or Dragon Magic without it
taking up a slot normally reserved for learning those.
Alternatively, the Magical Equipment benefit may be
used to gain access to a single Scion Boon or Knack at the
CONDITION:
COVETOUS NEIGHBORS
You’ve relied too heavily on treasures
from your hoard or flaunted your wealth too
flagrantly, and it’s attracted unwanted attention.
Effect: The Storyguide introduces a narrative
twist in which a SG character has learned the
location of the hoard and wants something from
it, has already stolen something important from
it, or has history with its treasures and catches
wind of their renewed use. That character now
possesses leverage or an advantage over the
Heir, gaining an Enhancement to all rolls to
influence or oppose him equal to (the hoard’s
rating/2, rounded up). Treat the hoard’s rating
as one dot lower than it is for all other purposes.
Resolution: The Heir retrieves the item, makes
a significant sacrifice or concession to the
offending character to appease them (which
could include simply giving up the Hoard
dot to them permanently), or gains a suitable
replacement for the item.
134 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS
Hero level (see Scion: Hero) as long as the Heir keeps the
object on her person, but doing so risks Scions or titanspawn
wanting it back. The Storyguide may spend a tension point
once per episode to bring a character into the scene who will
try to take it by any available means.
LAIRS
Dragons have been biding their time in the shadows
for centuries or longer, carving out safehouses and palac-
es in hijacked Terra Incognita or squatting in abandoned
Godsrealms. They call these places Lairs, and their Heirs may
claim the same, either within The World or on its outskirts.
Memory leads some Heirs to discover Lairs that belong
to or were co-opted by their Handlers. Others obtain their
own through connections or force of arms. A Lair is any kind
of secure place where an Heir can keep his hoard, make plans
with his brood without fear of eavesdroppers, and lick his
wounds. Some example types of Lairs include usurped bun-
kers, apartments decked out with surveillance equipment,
remote caves, partially intact castle ruins, stolen or discarded
Midrealms or Titanic Lairs, temples to the Heir himself or
appropriated ones to some other God, a now-unused branch
of an Axis Mundi, or hidden Liminalities.
Heirs don’t need the Lair Birthright to have a secure
place to live or a home base for their brood. The Birthright
just grants mechanical benefits to having such a place.
Like hoards (p. XX), a single Lair can belong to more than
one broodmate, and players can pool their dots and access the
same way. This comes with the same benefits and limitations,
except that all contributing characters can access all features
of the Lair even if it has more than five dots’ worth of features.
Each player may contribute a maximum of five dots.
SYSTEMS
By default, every Lair grants the following benefits to its
Heir:
• Home Field Advantage: While inside his Lair, the
Heir gains Enhancement 1 to all attempts to hide
from someone, corner or trap them, herd them to
a specific room, or otherwise trick them using the
environment. Any Field Complications introduced
inside the Lair don’t apply to the Heir or anyone he
designates as welcome; he can extend or revoke this
welcome at any time.
• Security: Increase the Difficulty of any attempt to
find, break into, or rob the Lair by one.
• Other Birthrights: A Lair can pair with other
Birthrights to increase the effectiveness of both. If an
Heir has both a Lair and a Hoard, he may combine their
dots for purposes of enhancing his Memory Condition
invocation rolls as noted on p. XX. If he has both a Lair
and Pawns, he can use his Lair’s resources while he’s
not there according to his pawns’ standing orders, and
the pawns gain +1 Enhancement to all rolls the player
makes for them to guard or make use of the Lair. If he
has both a Lair and Tradecraft, the Lair acts as a hub to
 coordinate the network and its resources, but also puts
more eggs in a single basket; his player may generate
Tradecraft Enhancements a number of times per arc
equal to his Lair rating, and gains a number of free Lair
feature dots appropriate to his espionage resources
equal to his Tradecraft rating. However, every failure
on rolls that take advantage of Tradecraft is a botch,
and each such botch denies him access to the extra
Lair features until the character takes a significant
action to restore the security of his Lair and its secrets.
LAIR FEATURES
Each Lair also has a number of features whose dot costs
add up to the Lair’s total dot rating. The player or players
choose these features whenever they purchase more Lair
dots. If a feature is lost through story events, contributing
players may reassign its Lair dots to new features at the end
of the session.
•-••• Additional Defenses: The Lair possesses addi-
tional mundane security features, such as reinforced steel
doors and deadbolt locks, traps, exterior camouflage, surveil-
lance cameras, or electronic locks requiring a specific pass-
code, access card, or even retina or fingerprint scans. Increase
the Difficulty of attempts to find, break into, or rob the Lair
by an additional +1 per dot of Additional Security. By increas-
ing the total cost of this feature by two dots (which may ex-
ceed the 3-dot maximum), the Lair may also possess mystical
defenses, such as guardian spirits or wards; any attempt to
find, break into, or rob the Lair suffers a Complication with
severity equal to the rating of this feature’s mundane security
increase. If it’s not bought off, the intruder suffers the effects
of a single Spell the Heir knows that can affect others, chosen
when this Lair feature is purchased.
•-••••• Fields: The Lair includes one or more specific
types of Fields that create Complications for intruders. The
Complication’s severity equals the feature’s rating, and the
player may choose this feature multiple times to represent
separate Fields.
• Alert: The Heir chooses one type of threat or prob-
lem that could befall his Lair, such as “automated
defenses have been breached” or “someone activat-
ed the powerful relic.” Whenever that event occurs,
no matter where the Heir is, he knows about it (al-
though he doesn’t know any details), and adds two
Momentum to the pool.
• Kill Switch: Whether it’s a literal button he can
press or a psychic command, the Heir can destroy
his Lair with a simple action no matter where he
is. Anything inside the Lair at the time (servers full
of classified data, a dangerous artifact, etc.) is also
destroyed, buried, scattered, or otherwise highly
difficult to access. Trivial targets inside the Lair
die immediately; others are Taken Out. Upon acti-
vating the Kill Switch, in addition to reassigning
his lost Birthright dots as usual, the Heir regains a
spent Inheritance point and immediately fills the
Momentum pool to its maximum capacity.
Birthrights
•• Attunement: The Heir is stronger in his Lair, gaining
+1 to one type of Scale (which may include size while he’s in
his draconic form) while inside. The player may choose this
feature multiple times for different types of Scale.
•• Mobile: The Lair is mobile, whether because it’s an
RV or because it perches on a floating sky-island that moves
based on the tides.
•• Remote Viewing: The Heir may take a simple action
and spend one Momentum to transport his senses back to his
Lair. He can see, hear, and smell everything within the Lair as
though he were there, but can’t sense his own surroundings
or defend himself while he does so. If he possesses supernat-
ural senses, he can use them as normal to sense things in the
Lair. This effect lasts until the end of the scene or until the
Heir takes a simple action to end it, whichever comes first.
••• Borrowed Power: The Heir may use his powers at
reduced cost within the Lair. Powers that require spending
Inheritance only require imbuing it; powers that require
imbuing Inheritance only require spending one Momentum;
and powers that require spending Momentum cost one few-
er point, to a minimum of 0.
••• No Mortals Allowed: The Lair is located in a place
where ordinary mortals can’t go on their own, whether it’s
in a Terra Incognita or has an entrance no mortal can find
without magical help.
•••• Hibernation: The Lair contains a living chrys-
alis, a pool of sacred water, a stone sarcophagus, or other
enclosed space where the Heir can retreat to hibernate.
While slumbering there, he heals Injury Conditions at twice
the usual rate, regains one spent Inheritance per full day of
slumber, and resolves the Taken Out Condition without the
injury getting in his way after one full day of slumber. Once
per arc, whenever he hibernates for at least a day, he triggers
a Memory (p. XX). Any character with an Inheritance rating
can hibernate there.
•••• Soul Egg: The Heir’s Lair is the seat of his power,
housing a piece of his soul at its core. He can’t be Taken Out
while within his Lair unless the soul egg is first destroyed,
which requires 15 successes and a complex action to break
with Athletics + Might (see Scion: Origin, p. 58). Destroying
the egg immediately inflicts Taken Out on the Heir, but re-
turns the soulstuff to him; he may re-house it later through
ritual. However, taking possession of a soul egg gives
someone power over its Heir; if another character with an
Inheritance rating holds the soul egg, they may use any Spell
or Knack the Heir knows, and any action he takes against
them comes with a +4 Complication; if he doesn’t overcome
it, they may order him to perform any one action he’s capable
of that doesn’t harm him or his allies within the same scene.
PAWNS
Just as Dragons act through their Heirs, Heirs can act
through their pawns: employees, students, mercenary bands,
paid informants, servants, exceptional pets, or even mindless
magical drones. They might inherit these pawns through
a convoluted series of planned events beyond their ken, or
135
might earn them through machinations of their own. Pawns
may or may not know who they’re really working for, and
once they’re embroiled in the Heir’s schemes, they have
trouble extracting themselves unless the character lets them
go. Of course, doing so leaves loose ends, and loose ends are
dangerous.
Pawns can take many forms, from a remarkably loyal ser-
vant to an entourage of flunkies. They can be mortal, Denizens,
or purely supernatural beings, depending on the use to which
the character puts them and their Worldly or Otherworldly
connections. Pawns are Storyguide characters, but they don’t
make rolls or act on their own. Instead, they grant their Heir
additional options, and function as a sort of living equipment.
USING PAWNS
Rolls to command a pawn to do something use a dice
pool of one of the Heir’s Attributes in the appropriate Arena
+ the higher of the pawn’s rating or the Heir’s Leadership
Skill. Commanding pawns is a simple action, but the player
can take a mixed action for the Heir to also act while com-
manding them. Pawns don’t get a spot in the initiative roster
and don’t act independently — they always act on the Heir’s
turn, and their action always takes up that turn. If the Heir is
Taken Out, her pawns can keep acting on her turn, but their
dice pool becomes her Attribute + their rating.
Pawns can take one Bruised and one Maimed Injury
Condition before being Taken Out. Their Defense is equal to
half their dot rating, rounded up. If the Heir is present in the
scene and she or her pawn suffers an Injury Condition, the
player decides whether the Condition affects the Heir or the
pawn. Pawns who are Taken Out typically return to form at
136 CHAPTER FOUR: TRAITS
the beginning of the next session. If being Taken Out means
they’re permanently removed from play, the player may re-
assign that pawn’s dots to other Birthrights at the end of the
session (including new pawns, if she wants).
CREATING PAWNS
First, describe your pawns with a short phrase that
defines the kinds of actions they can take: an intelligence
organization can provide classified government information,
a sword-wielding champion can protect the Heir and her
assets, and so on. Pawns can use equipment if it fits their
nature, and start with whatever’s appropriate.
Pawns start with one of the following archetypes, deter-
mining in which Arena they can act:
• Heavy: Physical
• Entourage: Social
• Consultant: Mental
PAWN TAGS
A pawn has a number of tags equal to its dot rating. Like
tags on weapons or armor, pawn tags describe the important
elements that distinguish one from another. Some have spe-
cific mechanical effects, while others provide context for the
Storyguide to create Complications and Consolations.
If a tag says it requires another tag, the pawn must al-
ready have the prerequisite tag. If a tag says it replaces anoth-
er tag, the pawn still has to already have the prerequisite, but
the new one supersedes it.
• Archetype: The pawn gains an additional archetype
(Heavy, Entourage, or Consultant).
• Access: The pawn can grant the Heir and her brood
access to some locale, information, or resource that’s
otherwise difficult to obtain. Specify what kind of ac-
cess your pawn grants: either a single Terra Incognita,
Overworld, or Underworld; a broad class of human
institution (police stations, the hottest clubs, etc.); or a
specific type of information or resource (foreign intel-
ligence, medical records, blood donations, etc.). Pawns
can have multiple instances of this tag.
• Defensive: The pawn gains +1 Defense.
• Group: The pawn is actually a group of 5-10 individ-
uals. The player can use a mixed action to command
her pawns to take two actions at once.
• Helpful: As long as a complex action fits the pawn’s
description, gain one additional interval to complete it.
• Indirect: The pawn has no direct contact with the
Heir. They provide more security, but may misinter-
pret orders, miss dead drops, or get mixed messages
from proxy messengers. All rolls to discover or in-
terfere with the pawns’ actions, or track them back
to the Heir, increase their Difficulty by 1. All rolls to
command them come with a Complication of sever-
ity 1 appropriate to their nature.
• Knack: Choose a single Calling or Draconic Knack
that fits the pawn’s description. They may use it on
the Heir’s behalf. If the Knack requires a dice pool,
it uses the Heir’s Attribute + the pawn’s dot rating.
Pawns can have multiple instances of this tag. The
Knack can only be a Scale Knack if the pawn’s dot
rating is •••• or •••••.
• Mob: Replaces Group. The pawn represents 20-50
individuals. They have Scale one level higher than
the Heir they serve when raw numbers matter.
The player can use a mixed action to command her
pawns to take two actions at once.
• Savage: The pawn is especially brutal. On actions
meant to harm others (physically or emotionally),
rolls to command the pawn gain Enhancement 2.
Creatures often have this tag.
• Smooth: The pawn improves the Attitude of
Storyguide characters by 1, as long as they’re present
and the character is receptive based on the pawn’s
description. Against particularly opposed charac-
ters (e.g. a hair-metal band against a classical-music
snob), they might worsen the Attitude instead.
• Terrible: Choose one area in which the pawn has
Scale (e.g. Size, Speed, Intellect). The pawn’s Scale
is one level higher than the Heir’s.
• Tough: The pawn gains +1 Armor.
• Unruly: The pawn doesn’t take orders well. All
Difficulties on actions to command the pawn in-
crease by 1, but add a Momentum to the pool when-
ever the player fails such a roll in addition to any
other Consolation she would earn.
Birthrights
ROLEPLAYING PAWNS
The player dictates what her pawns do when the dice
come out. Otherwise, they’re Storyguide characters, and the
SG can use them to inject drama into the story. Dissatisfaction,
dropping out of communication, mutiny, or kidnapping can
result from Complications, but unless the troupe is actively
interested in stories of operatic betrayal, pawns are generally
assumed to stay loyal.
For groups of pawns, the player should name and de-
scribe a few key members. The Storyguide should flesh them
out and use them mercilessly as reasons to invest players in
the pawns’ well-being.
TRADECRAFT
An activated Heir steps into a world of complex machi-
nations the Dragons have set in motion, arranging for useful
resources to fall into her hands when she needs them and
dropping hints that give her access to established lines of
covert communication. They have no wish to expose their
plans to their enemies, so they provide their Heirs with the
proper tools to practice effective espionage.
The Tradecraft Birthright manifests as a series of cryp-
tic clues, dead drop coordinates, useful gadgets, and shady
informants who call the Heir in the middle of the night from
burner phones and never meet with her in person. She might
wake up one morning to find an anonymous letter with no
return address in her mailbox, giving her the written key to
decrypt an encrypted message she hasn’t even encountered
yet. It can be a frustrating life, constantly working to make
sense of a network of spies and counterintelligence without
context; but when the moment comes that an Heir absolutely
needs a crucial illicit recording from the tapped phone of a
Scion she’s never met, she’ll have it.
SYSTEMS
Tradecraft ranges from one to five dots. Once per scene,
the player may substitute her Tradecraft rating for any Skill
on a roll to find clues in a procedural investigation.
Moreover, she may roll to find retroactive clues. Once
per arc, upon uncovering a lead, the player may declare that
her extensive spy network has already given her character
the pieces she needs to put the puzzle together. She rolls
(her Tradecraft rating + an appropriate Finesse Attribute)
to interpret the cryptic messages or consult her conspiracy
wall, and gains a total banked Enhancement equal to the suc-
cesses to apply in any combination to any roll following up on
that lead, whether it’s to find clues, chase down an enemy, or
convince an authority figure to help. However, this can’t add
more than Enhancement 3 to any single roll.
Finally, any roll another character makes to track the
Heir down via paper trail, mystical powers, asking around, or
other means, or to identify her based on clues and evidence
of her Deeds, suffers a Complication equal to her dots in
Tradecraft. If not bought off, this Complication alerts the
Heir to whoever’s poking around.
137
 “Come not between the Dragon and his wrath.”
— King Lear, Act 1, Scene 1
Though not a full Dragon, an Heir has access to a great
many draconic traits bestowed upon her by her Dragon an-
cestor. These powers are part of her inheritance as much as
any Birthright; even if she rebukes her draconic nature, she
cannot deny the power coursing through her veins.
CALLING KNACKS
H eirs derive their non-magical power from Knacks in the
same way Hero Scions do. Their Calling Knacks will be
familiar to any player who has picked up and read through
Scion: Origin or Scion: Hero. However, Heirs do not divide
the powers from their Calling into Heroic and Immortal
categories. Instead, Calling Knacks cover any special ability
based on their heroic archetype, and they have access to a
new kind of Knack, Dragon Knacks, which fuel their draconic
form and can be transformed into permanent effects at the
cost of their humanity.
KNACK SKILLS
Many Knacks reference Knack Skill rolls. The
Storyguide and player choose the most appropriate Skill for
each Knack, based on the character’s Deed Name and Paths,
but also on the Skills listed in the Calling section. This Skill
is chosen when the Knack is activated and may be a different
Skill each time, allowing characters to express their abilities
with tremendous flexibility. Storyguides are advised to adju-
dicate this with leniency.
MOMENTUM EXPENDITURE
AND ENHANCEMENT
Some Knacks are powered by Momentum. You spend
from the communal pool as usual, except instead of adding
HEIR KNACKS AND
HERO GAMES
Some of these Knacks appear in Origin and
Hero as players may note. A few have been
reprinted whole cloth, with no changes. Others
have had name changes to be more thematic
for Dragon
Dragon,, and others minor adjustments
thanks to a better understanding of how Scion
plays.
Power creep, the reader laments, these
versions are better! It’s inevitable that the
designers develop a stronger understanding of
their own material as a game line progresses.
Consider this explicit permission to use any
of the updated versions in Origin and Hero
games.
Calling Knacks
CLASH OF WILLS
As a general rule, Knacks and Spells cannot
be applied to anyone two Tiers higher than
you. If something breaks this rule, it will say
so within the mechanical text. In the event that
two supernatural abilities are in opposition with
each other, this is called a Clash of Wills.
For the purposes of Knacks, a Clash of Wills
is resolved by making opposed rolls of Knack
Skill + Inheritance or Calling dots, whichever
is higher. If no Knack Skill applies, substitute
Integrity.
For the purposes of Spells, a Clash of
Wills is resolved by making opposed rolls of
appropriate Attribute + Inheritance (or Legend).
The Attribute used is decided at the time of the
Clash, and is often the most appropriate for the
situation the Spell is being used in. Resisting a
Clash always uses a Resilience Attribute.
dice, you gain the ability granted by the Knack. Enhancements
add bonus successes equal to the Enhancement rating,
which apply after a roll has been made and netted at least
one success, thereby transforming what might be a failure
into a success. Some Knacks bend this rule, allowing the
Enhancement to apply before the roll, allowing for the possi-
bility of an automatic success. When this is the case, the text
will state it. In the event of two effects stacking, where one
applies before the roll, only apply the Enhancement from
the single Knack before the roll. As stated in the core rules,
Enhancements only stack up to 5, though Enhancement
from Scale may exceed this limit.
COLLECTOR
Collector Knacks improve your ability to gather and cu-
rate your hoard, as well as focusing your mind on commerce
and numbers. They are driven by the concepts of ownership
and analytics.
Bottomless Stash: You never need to roll to acquire
mundane supplies or goods, as you always know where and
how to find them. Unless the item is exceedingly rare (or
being blocked from access by a rival), you get what you need
with little complication — this does not make materials cost
less, or arrive any faster should they need to be transported
to you. If someone or something is preventing you from ac-
quiring materials, make a Clash of Wills.
Discerning Collector: Choose a type of object to
hoard. Whenever you take actions to acquire more of
this object for your hoard, you gain your Collector dots in
Enhancement to any applicable rolls made to add it to your
collection. This can be any attempt, from a legal attempt
139
to negotiate price, to less scrupulous methods like theft.
Combat rolls do not apply.
Infinite Pockets: Produce any item from your hoard
in an instant, though it must be able to fit in your pocket or
your hand. To pull something much bigger out of a suitcase,
backpack, carpet bag, or musical instrument case, etc. spend
Momentum. Alternatively, spend Momentum to instead pro-
duce the same-sized object from a part of your body (usually
the mouth, though producing it from an ear, nostril, or palm
is just as common). Larger items may not be produced from
your body.
Obsessive Tally: You are capable of impressive feats of
mental math, able to count any number of objects in mere
instants. Your mind filters important data from irrelevant
information, leaving only the greater pattern behind. For
any roll where this would apply, add +2 Enhancement which
applies before you roll — for example, an Analyze roll during
Procedural play. This does not allow you to do impossible
feats, such as numbering all the stars in the sky or counting
every grain of sand on the beach, but will allow you to notice
a trend in a killer’s behavior, or predict the actions of an en-
emy spy. If you are able to perform Collector Feats of Scale,
this Knack may be used as such, overriding the previous
statement.
One for the Collection: When you acquire an object —
whether legitimately, through barter or purchase or illegally
through theft — you may tuck it into a pocket and return
it instantly to your hoard. It must fit into a pocket or your
hand. Spend Momentum to stuff a much larger object into
a larger container (a musical instrument case, a duffle bag,
etc) and return it to your hoard. A second purchase of this
Knack allows you to consume the object to banish it to your
hoard instead.
Scent of Treasure: When you pursue an object for
your hoard, make a Knack Skill roll. For each success, ask
the Storyguide one of the following questions, which must
be answered honestly:
• How far away is it?
• In what direction is it?
• What lies between here and the object?
• Who has it now?
• Who else wants to obtain it?
Wireless Alarm: You’re alerted the instant anyone
steals or touches anything in your hoard and can spend
Momentum to appear wherever your items are stashed.
You are also always able to identify a stolen object, even if it
wasn’t taken from you.
DESTROYER
Destroyer Knacks bestow the power to crush and
destroy objects and enemies alike. They are driven by the
concepts of destruction and forcefulness.
Armor-Shearing Jaws: Your Natural Tag attacks auto-
matically gain the Piercing Tag and count as 1 Scale greater
140 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
for the purposes of destroying inanimate objects. If you have
Rending Claws transformed, gain +1 Enhancement to attacks
made against objects or armored targets.
Devourer of Stone: You are capable of biting through
and eating anything inedible: glass, stone, wood, steel, etc.
and consuming it as though it had nutritional value. You
cannot eat anything you can’t fit into your mouth. This
does mean that in full dragon form, you can bite through
buildings, armored vehicles, and military-grade equipment.
Spend Momentum to be able to consume anything that has
been intentionally poisoned.
Enhanced Impact: Whenever you successfully deal
Injury with your Knack Skill, you also knock the target back
one range band. This does not do any extra damage, but can
put someone in a tight spot.
Leeching Strength: You have the power to drain the in-
herent properties from an object. When you use this Knack,
make a Knack Skill roll. The object must be something you
can hold in one hand. On any successes, you destroy the ob-
ject (by crushing, consuming, smashing, etc., at your choice)
and absorb the essence of its qualities. These devoured
properties persist for the duration of the scene. For example:
consuming the power out of a burning torch would give you
the Elemental (Fire) damage tag to your attacks or eating a
diamond might grant Hard (1) Armor, etc. The Storyguide
and the player adjudicate which Tags and properties an item
bestows, though it should make sense for the object’s profile.
Terrible Dragon Roar: You attack your foes with a
forceful shout, or shatter walls with the power of your voice.
Spend Momentum and make an attack using your Knack
Skill, if it is higher than Close Combat or Athletics. When
used against an enemy, it is an attack with the following
Tags: Lethal, Loud, Messy, Piercing, Pushing, Reach. When
used against an object with a Scale less than your Destroyer
dots, roll Knack Skill. With any successes, it shatters in an
instant.
Render of Cities:
Prerequisite: Terrible Dragon Roar.
You become a whirlwind of destruction, adding your
Destroyer rating to force Scale for the purposes of demoli-
tion and mass destruction. In a fight, spend Momentum to
add the Shockwave tag to all attacks you make until the end
of the Turn.
World-Eater: When you destroy something, make a
Knack Skill roll. On any successes, you do it so completely
that no trace of the thing remains. At five or more successes,
you may spend Momentum to erase the thing from the mem-
ories of others. This only affects small scale things, unless
you also have the ability to perform Destroyer Feats of Scale.
GUARDIAN
Guardian Knacks fill you with the power to protect what
is yours: your loved ones, your lair, and your hoard. They are
driven by the concepts of protection and vigilance.
 Bestow Responsibility: When you task a target of low-
er Tier with protecting something important to you (such
as your lair or hoard), they protect it as you would, taking
actions relevant to your interests. You automatically know if
the character tasked with protection is in trouble, wounded,
or has failed in their given task.
Clarity of Purpose: Dedicate yourself to an ideal of
your choosing (fight for love and justice, defend the weak,
save The World from invasion). When you take action to
defend this ideal, gain +1 Enhancement to all applicable rolls
and any Stunts you may have gained from Knacks, including
transformations.
Imbue Talisman: Bless an object (usually from your
hoard and given to someone you wish to protect, but not
required) and make a Knack Skill roll. If any successes are
achieved, it then grants the bearer +2 Enhancement to rolls
made to defend or protect against a particular person, thing,
or situation as defined at the time of blessing.
Honed Alertness: While you protect someone, neither
you nor the character in your care can be ambushed. If an
enemy has an effect that would contest this, make a Clash of
Wills. You may spend Momentum to grant either Hard (1)
armor or (Guardian dots/2, rounded up) to Defense to your
protected target until the end of your next turn.
Vigilant Protector: When you stand guard over a per-
son, place, or thing (eggs, your hoard, a bodyguard’s charge),
you do not need to eat or sleep so long as your vigil persists.
This benefit extends so long as the protected target remains
within your sight. You may do other things — talk, interact,
move around, etc. — but must devote most of your time to
Calling Knacks
keeping your vigil. You may only keep vigil over one thing
at a time.
Living Pillar:
Prerequisite: Vigilant Protector.
When you protect someone else with your body, you are
immune to environmental hazards: The flames of a burning
building do not scorch you, a landslide does not crush you,
water cannot drown you, and so on. As long as you keep
your target close (within arm’s reach), they benefit from the
same immunity, but still need to eat, sleep, etc., so it’s best
to leave a hazardous area as quickly as possible. If you have
Elemental Immunity transformed, you may instead spend 2
Momentum to apply this immunity to your protected target
without them needing to be near you.
Warning Sense: You sense the presence of danger be-
fore it emerges. Spend Momentum and double the successes
on any roll to detect ambushes or to discern whether a per-
son means harm.
HEALER
Healer Knacks improve the health and recovery of
yourself and those around you. They are driven by the con-
cepts of rejuvenation and regeneration.
Absorb Ailment: Touch an ailing target and make a
Knack Skill roll. On any successes, you absorb whatever is
afflicting the target, taking on the Injuries, poisons, or dis-
eases they might be suffering, and you must contend with
their effects yourself. The target recovers as if they had never
been affected in the first place.
141
 Combat Medic: When you tend to an ally’s wounds
in the heat of battle, once per turn remove any +1 Bruised
Injury they may be suffering — including damage sustained
to armor — without needing to roll. You may not make Mixed
actions when utilizing this Knack.
Herd Immunity: Designate up to your Knack Skill in
targets to be in your care. While under your protection, they
get +2 Enhancement to all rolls to resist disease and poi-
son, and to recover from injury which lasts as long as Herd
Immunity is one of your active Knacks. Storyguide charac-
ters you protect in this way are automatically protected —
that is, the Storyguide does not need to make rolls when they
would be affected by disease or poison.
Instant Diagnosis: When you spend time interacting
with an ailing target, you diagnose what is wrong with them,
as well as any other pertinent medical information. In the
event that you are diagnosing a patient suffering from a su-
pernatural disease, this may require a Knack Skill roll, which
is opposed by whomever afflicted the victim.
Internal Refinery: When exposed to a poison or dis-
ease, make a Knack Skill roll. A success instantly cures your-
self. By spending a point of Momentum, you then also gener-
ate one dose of a cure or antidote, which you can secrete and
administer to another person. If you have the Dragon’s Fangs
transformed you may instead spend Momentum to absorb
the poison and inflict it via the bite attack.
Rapid Regrowth: When you attend to a wounded
target — including yourself — make a Knack Skill roll. With
any successes, the target ignores any Injury complications
(though this does not remove the injury) until the end of the
scene. At the end of the scene, they roll Athletics or Integrity
(whichever is higher) + Stamina + your Healer Calling. They
heal Injuries based on the number of successes achieved (so
4 would heal Maimed, 2 heals Injured, and so on).
Violent Purification: When you suffer from a disease
or poison, make a Knack Skill roll with a Difficulty equal to
the remaining value of the Condition or Complication. If
successful, the disease or poison is violently expelled from
your body in a hideous miasma. Anyone exposed to the
ejection from your body must roll to resist being poisoned or
diseased themselves.
JUDGE
Judge Knacks give you power over laws, rules, and the
truth. They are driven by the concepts of ordinance and
judgment.
Enforcer’s Eye: When observing a crowd or another
group of characters (such as assembled personages at a
party), you automatically identify anyone with a criminal
background. Gain +1 Enhancement to any actions taken to
either further pursue their criminal activities, or to bring
them to justice. If the target is of a Tier higher than you or
is concealing their identity via magic, make a Clash of Wills.
Lie Detector: Anyone of a Tier lower than you must
overcome Complication 2, “Under Scrutiny” when lying to
you; failure or inability to buy off this Complication results
142 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
in a confession from the target. Spend Momentum, and they
simply cannot lie to you at all. The Storyguide should also
notify you when a lie has been told, though it does not au-
tomatically reveal the truth, but also reveals nebulous truth,
such as “he has been convinced this is true” — which should
always be a means for characters to pursue the person who
manipulated the target in the first place.
One More Question!: When questioning a target that
has broken a rule or law — either one you established, or one
belonging to a nation, state, etc. — they are compelled to keep
answering your questions as long as you keep asking them.
The questions need only be vaguely related to the broken
rule or law. The target must use a Basic Action to answer the
question, which may be part of a Mixed Action. They do not
need to answer honestly but they do need to answer. Targets
of the same Tier or greater can make a Clash of Wills to break
free of the compulsion. You may use this Knack in combat as
well as in any Intrigue or Procedural scene.
The Pain of Dishonesty:
Prerequisite: Lie Detector.
Spend Momentum and anyone who lies directly to you
suffers a +1 Injury Condition. You choose whether or not
to inflict the damage or Condition, automatically alerting
you of the lie (though it does not reveal the truth). You also
know the severity of the lie, and therefore can choose not to
harm someone who is lying to preserve someone’s feelings
as opposed to lying to obstruct a criminal investigation. If
the target is another player’s character with whom you have
Bond, the Bond lessens by 1 unless the character chooses to
reveal the truth.
Petty Tyrant: While in your Lair, you may establish
up to your Judge Calling in arbitrary rules, which you may
change or adjust at the start of any scene. Any Storyguide
character who doesn’t follow your rules gains a +2
Complication of “Rulebreaker” to all actions while within
your domain, if a target refuses or is unable to buy off the
Complication, they are compelled to leave your Lair and
must do so immediately. If they cannot do so immediately,
they must make every effort to do so as swiftly as possible.
Other players’ characters are not required to obey your petty
THAT OFFENDS ME!
Terror of the Guilty allows the player to
define something they find abhorrent, or
perhaps even offensive. Ideally, this should
be something moral or ethical, though players
can be expected to try to slip something past
the Storyguide that doesn’t fit the spirit of the
Knack.
The Storyguide has the final say in what is
an acceptable objection and what isn’t, but
we advise not allowing a player to get away
with chasing antagonists out of a scene over
something that’s far from morally reprehensible.
edicts. This Knack applies even if you have tricked an enemy
into breaking your rules.
Seat of Power: While in a place in which you hold
power (your lair or any other establishment or organization
under your control, etc.) the atmosphere for dealing with
you can never be better or worse than neutral at your choice,
and any positive or negative atmosphere is increased or de-
creased by 1 to the regular maximum or minimum of +/-3.
Terror of the Guilty: Anyone guilty of a wrongdoing of
your choosing who is of lower Tier than you cannot bear to
be in your presence and will flee in panic and terror or break
down weeping and confessing. The wrongdoing must be
something abhorrent to your personal ethics and/or morali-
ty, or applicable to the laws of your place of origin. To apply
this to anyone of the same Tier or higher, spend Momentum
and win a Clash of Wills.
RULER
Ruler Knacks grant you the power to direct others and
lead them fearlessly. They are driven by the concepts of au-
thority and command.
Invulnerable Master: While leading followers loyal
to you (Storyguide characters gained through Birthrights
or roleplay, not bandmates), you can spend 1 Momentum to
shrug off a +1 Bruised injury or 2 Momentum to ignore a +2
Injured injury when they would be inflicted.
Invoke Anger: Target one enemy that you can see.
Make a Knack Skill roll, resisted by the target’s Integrity. On
a success, invert the target’s attitude to a negative one. Once
the target has been enraged, you may spend Momentum to
drive the target to attack another character in the scene.
Irrepressible Charisma: When you make a first im-
pression, roll your Knack Skill. On a success, the target re-
members you favorably, improving the Attitude of everyone
you interact with for the first time by 1.
Loyal Servant: When you dispatch a subordinate to de-
liver a message or speak as a proxy on your behalf, they rep-
resent you and your interests as if you were present. You au-
tomatically know if the character you have sent in your stead
has been ignored, mistreated, or if someone has not-so-pro-
verbially shot the messenger. Gain +1 Enhancement to all
rolls to get vengeance for the slight until the end of the story
or until you successfully get even, whichever comes first.
Pack Alpha: When you display superior might or your
impressive physique before a group of onlookers (of your Tier
or lower), make a Knack Skill roll. On any success, they become
Pawns (as the Birthright) with a rating equal to your Ruler
Calling at the time of acquisition. They remain loyal to you un-
til the end of the story and can be purchased at the equivalent
Birthright cost with experience when this effect wears off.
Perfect Poise: You cannot be shaken by panic or fear
unless it is from another supernatural source — in which
case, you gain +2 Enhancement to resist it (such as making
Clash of Wills rolls) that applies before you roll. You also
gain +1 Enhancement to all Social rolls involving grace,
Calling Knacks
poise, or composure, and to keep a “poker face.” This also
applies before you roll.
Fearless Presence:
Prerequisite: Perfect Poise.
As long as they can see you, your followers of lesser Tier
are fearless and do not panic or flee. They will walk into the
Underworld, plunge into a Titanic monster’s mouth, or face
down a wrathful storm brewed up by a petulant god so long
as you lead them.
MYSTIC
Mystic Knacks grant you power to command knowledge
of The World and its magic. They are driven by the concepts
of understanding and knowledge.
Joyous Revelation: Your draconic nature exults when
you succumb to the power of Memory. When you resolve the
Revelation Condition and you assume your draconic form,
you may choose to gain Enhancement instead of additional
dice when you spend Momentum. Enhancement gained this
way applies before you roll.
Linked to the Past: Your connection to draconic
memory runs deeper than others, allowing you to delve fur-
ther into the web of connection. You may gain 1 additional
Memory Condition, and may invoke one Memory Condition
twice per session. A second purchase of this Knack allows
you to make a Knack Skill roll — on any successes, one of
your broodmates may also invoke one Memory Condition a
second time per session.
Omniglot Translation: When you converse in or read
a foreign language, your communication is flawless, without
a trace of an accent. You can turn out translations in your na-
tive language in a matter of minutes without needing to roll.
If you are translating mystical runes or the handwriting of
Gods, you still do so swiftly, but must make a Knack Skill roll.
Presence of Magic: You always know when you are
near an object or place of true magical or sacred power. How
this manifests is up to you. Ask the Storyguide if an object is
magical or sacred, and she must tell you honestly “yes” or
“no.” This bypasses the need to make any kind of Occult roll
to identify a place or object of magical or sacred power.
Sage Counsel: When someone approaches you in need
of advice, they gain +1 Enhancement to resolve the problem
themselves if you work together on a solution. If they can’t
solve it, you gain the same bonus to all rolls to resolve the
issue by yourself. These bonuses apply before rolls are made.
Spend Momentum to impel a Storyguide Character to come
to seeking your counsel.
Immortal Mastermind:
Prerequisite: Sage Counsel.
When you make a plan of action and direct others to
follow, it grants them +1 Enhancement to all actions. Anyone
who doesn’t follow your plan gains +1 Difficulty to all actions.
Bandmates are not under any obligation to follow your every
word, but do gain the benefit if they opt to participate. When
143
dealing with an enemy, you are free to create a plan in order
to bait your opposition into suffering the Difficulty — just as
planned.
NOMAD
Nomad Knacks grant you the power to travel vast dis-
tances with ease. They are driven by the concepts of journey-
ing and navigation.
Ever Moving: When you move from place to place and
don’t stay in one location for more than a day, targets of less-
er Tier cannot follow your trail and cannot find any record of
you: no receipts, no stray hairs or fibers, and so on. Enemies
of the same Tier or higher make a Clash of Wills in order to
track you down.
Friends Anywhere: When you arrive in any location,
you always have friends and allies you can rely on. You may
spend Momentum in place of invoking a Path to declare a
Contact of your choosing (which does not need to be related
to your Path) with a rating equal to your Nomad dots.
Internal Compass: You always know your precise di-
rection — whether that be navigating while on foot or driving
a car, or working your way out of a petty God’s labyrinthine
prison. You do not ever have to roll to navigate somewhere,
or to find your way out of being lost. If you are entrapped in a
magical maze, make a Clash of Wills with +2 Enhancement.
The Long Road to Anywhere: You make an extended
journey without stopping, but must rest upon arrival. When
you arrive, you can ask hospitality of anyone of a lower Tier
than you, and if they refuse you have the option to make the
target suffer +2 Difficulty to all actions until you choose to
remove the penalty.
Cross the Distance: When you take a Move action,
cross the distance instantly. This movement ignores hazard-
ous and difficult terrain and crosses distance where there
may not be a safe place to walk — such as across a chasm.
So long as you can see your destination and it is within a dis-
tance you can Move, you appear there unharmed. This may
only be used to augment the reflexive Move action, and does
not apply to Rush or Disengage.
Traveling Companions: You can always find conflu-
ences of fellow travelers. You’re always able to encounter
traveling bands, biker gangs, a bus full of dragon enthusiasts
at any point after your Nomad dots in days of travel. These
companions act as temporary Pawns with a rating equal to
your Nomad rating which may be purchased as a Birthright
at the end of the story.
Unfettered: Obstacles cannot stop you, locks do not de-
ter you, and a closed door is nothing but an invitation. When
facing a mundane obstacle that would prevent you from
getting where you want to be, or is between you and your
goal (an item you intend to steal, a comrade in danger, etc)
you ignore it. You do not need to roll to bypass any obstacle,
pick locks, or get past a closed area. If the area is blocked
by supernatural means, you automatically make a Clash of
Wills, and add your Nomad dots as Enhancement.
144 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
PREDATOR
Predator Knacks make you an unparalleled hunter, ca-
pable of stalking the most dangerous prey. They are driven
by the concepts of stealth and killing.
Apex Predator: When a target of lower Tier who you
have been pursuing attacks you or otherwise attempts to
hunt you in return, increase the Difficulty of all Stunts they
apply against you by +1. Spend Momentum to increase it by
an additional +1.
Blood in the Water: When you pursue, hunt, track, or
harm an already injured target, you add the value of their
current Injury Condition as Enhancement to relevant rolls,
including attack rolls.
Implacable Killer: Pick a target that you are hunting.
As long as you hunt, stalk, ambush, or otherwise assault
them indirectly, gain your choice of either Hard (1) Armor
or +2 Difficulty on the target’s use of the Inflict Damage or
Critical Hit Stunts. If you stand and fight your prey head-on
and fairly, this effect immediately ends.
Most Dangerous Prey: Choose an enemy. While you
pursue them, gain +1 Enhancement to all rolls made against
the target (including attack rolls) until the end of the session
or until you catch them, whichever comes first. You gain
access to the following Stunts, which may be applied to any
attack action made against your quarry:
Stalk (1s): After resolving your attack, spend a success to
take an additional Move action.
Entrap (any successes above Defense): You trap the tar-
get in place. They may not make Move, Rush, or Disengage
actions. To end the effect, the target must make Athletics
+ Dexterity rolls vs. your Knack Skill until they succeed or
until you choose to end it, whichever comes first.
Quenched with Blood: When an enemy is Taken Out
by you, spend Momentum and heal 1 Injury, starting with the
most severe. This does not heal any Injuries taken to Armor.
Perfect Camouflage: You blend in seamlessly with
your surroundings, granting +3 Enhancement to avoid no-
tice by the person you are pursuing, which applies before
you roll. Targets of a lower Tier simply cannot spot you. Gain
access to the following Stunt:
Vanish (successes equal to the target’s Composure):
After resolving an attack, you vanish from the target’s line of
sight. They may not target you with any action until the start
of your next turn.
Send the Pack: Make a Knack Skill roll. On a success,
designate a target that you can see with unaided sight.
Friendly characters you designate up to your Inheritance can
pursue them without ceasing and at no increased Difficulty.
PRIMEVAL
The most esoteric of the Callings, Primeval Knacks
allow you to inhabit an aspect of The World: the oceans, a
tsunami, a storm, etc. They are driven by the concepts of
embodiment and environment.
 A Dragon’s Territory: The Field you are fighting in
becomes your territory. When an enemy enters your terri-
tory, you have the option to make one attack against them,
regardless of which range band they have entered and which
may not be boosted by any Knacks that allow you to make
extra attacks. You use this ability even if you have already
taken your action this round and may do so no matter how
many enemies enter your divine territory, but you may only
make one attack per enemy.
Calling Wind and Flame: Make a Knack Skill roll.
With any successes, you summon an environmental disaster
relevant to your Primeval element: a windstorm, hurricane,
storm surge, wildfire, lighting strike, etc. This imposes a
Complication on the Field equal to your Primeval rating that
lasts for a scene.
Consuming Embodiment: At the start of any turn, make
a Knack Skill roll. Your body dissolves, unfolding into a danger-
ous miasma of environmental danger as you fill the Field with
your elemental form. This lasts for a number of turns equal to
the successes rolled. All characters taking actions while within
your miasma suffer a Complication equal to your Primeval
dots, which inflicts a +1 Elemental Injury if not bought off.
Spend Momentum to exempt friendly characters. While in
this form you may not make attacks or be the target of attacks.
Master of the World: While inside a Field, you may
define up to three points of Enhancements or Complications
(or a combination of each). These must appear where you can
perceive them and must conform to the Features of the Field
— it makes sense for a shotgun to be behind the bar, but not a
rocket launcher. The hardwood floors of a burning building
could be expected to be weak, but the flames can’t be cold. Only
three total Enhancements or Complications can be applied to
a Field at a time, regardless of how many Scions possess this
ability. Spend Momentum to add elemental Enhancements or
Complications, such as flooding an area with seawater.
Messenger of the Infinite: You gain diplomatic im-
munity when dealing with supernatural creatures, Gods,
and/or other Dragons so long as you treat with them while
representing your elemental aspect or embodied principle.
Creatures of lesser Tier must treat you well and with respect,
while characters of the same or greater Tier may make a
Clash of Wills to resist. This immunity ends when you take
hostile action against another character.
Purifying Force: Spend Momentum to cleanse a field
of physical impurities: pollution, adulterants, invasive spe-
cies, etc. This might cleanse an area’s drinking water, remove
dangerous additives from a food supply, or expel choking
weeds to their native clime. This Knack may be used as a Feat
of Scale if you are able to perform Primeval Feats of Scale.
Something from Nothing: Spend Momentum and
spontaneously create a small amount of your chosen ele-
ment: a gust of wind, enough electricity to charge a phone,
enough light to fill a room, a torch-sized flame, a bucket of
water, or a basketball-sized stone, etc. For more ethereal
things, like light or electricity or air, the summoned material
lasts for the duration of the scene.
Calling Knacks
OBSERVATION
Storypath avoids directly using any “notice”
rolls; however special abilities such as Watcher
Knacks call out a character observing an area.
Follow the guidelines for Analysis, Surveying,
(Scion: Origin, p. 74).
or Research steps (Scion:
If that does not suit the Storyguide’s needs,
rolling Intellect or Cunning + Composure will
do the trick instead.
WATCHER
Watcher Knacks give you incredible power of observa-
tion, allowing you to keep a close eye on your enemies from
any distance away. They are driven by the concepts of sur-
veying and analysis.
Complete Privacy: When you pursue information,
any interactions you take cannot be listened in on, your lips
cannot be read, your phone can’t be tapped, etc. by use of
mundane means. Add +2 Difficulty to attempts to tail you.
This protects only against covert attempts to invade your pri-
vacy and offers no protection against airport security going
through your luggage or rivals breaking into your apartment.
Eyes in the Blinds: Spend Momentum to invest a frac-
tion of your power into a small token (a coin, a figurine, dice,
an arrowhead, etc.). Place this token anywhere in a Field
you are aware of, and for as long as it remains in place you
have the power to observe the goings-on in the Field as if
you were present. This lasts for the duration of a day in-game
time, or for a session of play, whichever comes first. You do
not have to deliver the token yourself, and may send an ally
or animal companion to deliver it instead. If the token is
destroyed or otherwise removed from the Field, the effect
ends. If an enemy knows to sniff out the token, they roll one
of their applicable pools. The Difficulty to notice the token is
equal to your Watcher Calling dots. If a supernatural ability
would automatically detect this observation, make a Clash
of Wills.
Flawless Observer: During Procedural play, when you
look for clues using the Analysis, Surveying, or Research
approaches, add (Watcher/2, round up) Enhancement to
apply any of the finding clues Stunts, or any other Procedural
Stunts you may have from Birthrights or Magic.
Indisputable Analysis: You spend a moment observing
the scene you wish to analyze, and then make a Knack Skill
roll. You then apply the successes on this roll as Enhancement
to all rolls made to analyze and investigate the incident (for
the purposes of information gathering, etc.) for the rest of
the scene. These successes apply before you roll.
Keen-Eyed Watcher: When you enter a Field, you
extend your senses to determine what might await you. Ask
one question from the following list for free. You may roll
your Knack Skill and spend one success per additional ques-
tion. The Storyguide must answer these questions honestly:
145
 • What kinds of hazards (such as terrain) are present?
• Where is the nearest exit?
• Where is the safest way in?
• How many hostile enemies are present?
• Who (or what) is the biggest threat?
Surveyor’s Watchful Eye: When surveying a person,
place, or thing, you do not need to rest or sleep, and any
attempts made to alter or interfere with the subject of your
observation immediately provokes a Clash of Wills which
automatically identifies the name and location of the inter-
loper. If they win the Clash of Wills, you know one or the
other, at your choice.
Unobtrusive Visitor: When you would observe or
infiltrate a location where you do not belong, spend a
Momentum and blur the line between what is expected and
unexpected. You take on the aspect of someone unassuming
and invisible: a janitor, gardener, housekeeper, etc. So long
as you collect information or remain an observer and do not
take hostile action, anyone in the same Field as you over-
looks your presence. This lasts until you take violent action,
or until you leave the Field, whichever comes first.
DRAGON KNACKS
D ragon Knacks fuel Dragons and Heirs’ true monstrous
nature. They grant characters access to their terrible
draconic forms, as well as the ability to perform Feats of
Scale on par with any child of a God.
KNACKS OF SCALE
As long as an Heir has one of these Knacks of Scale pur-
chased and active, she may perform Feats of Scale as noted
on p. XX, through the invocation of her Calling keywords.
You can also use the personal focus of the Deed name as a
metric for determining the kinds of things she might be able
to do on a vast scale. This also determines what Skills are
applicable, should a roll become a Feat of Scale.
COLLECTOR
Insatiable Collector: When claiming an object on a
huge scale (purloining a forgotten ruin of a lost civilization,
stealing Relics from the Gods themselves), you do so as a Feat
of Scale. This allows you to perform Collector Feats of Scale.
DESTROYER
Unstoppable Force: When fighting a massive force,
such as a divine army arrayed against you, you do so as a Feat
of Scale. This allows you to perform Destroyer Feats of Scale.
GUARDIAN
Vigilant Dragon: When you protect a person, place,
or thing that can be measured with Scale (your draconic
parent’s lair or hoard, keeping a watchful eye on a city all
night), you do so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you to per-
form Guardian Feats of Scale.
146 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
HEALER
Panacea: When you work to cure a disease or fight an
illness on a large Scale (curing an epidemic, stopping a God-
driven plague), you do so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you
to perform Healer Feats of Scale.
JUDGE
Iron-Fisted Rule: When you reshape laws or challenge
the structure of society on a wide Scale (tearing down a God’s
hegemony, smashing the patriarchy), you do so as a Feat of
Scale. This allows you to perform Judge Feats of Scale.
MYSTIC
Eternal Genius: When you unravel a mystery or tackle
a complex, scholarly problem on a massive Scale (untangling
the secrets of quantum physics, solving a trickster God’s ci-
pher), you do so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you to perform
Mystic Feats of Scale.
NOMAD
Nameless and Faceless: When you vanish from the
minds of many or remove all traces of your passage on an
epic scale, you do so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you to
perform Nomad Feats of Scale.
PREDATOR
Relentless: When you pursue or hunt a target on a
massive Scale or of great Size (chasing your target across
dimensions, hunting a mountain-sized Titanspawn), you do
so as a Feat of Scale. This allows you to perform Predator
Feats of Scale.
PRIMEVAL
Force of Nature: When you affect aspects of The
World on a massive or impossible scale (asking mountains to
step aside, rerouting the course of a river), you do so as a Feat
of Scale. This allows you to perform Primeval Feats of Scale.
RULER
On My Command: When you command others or
make demands on a huge Scale (commanding an army of
thousands, calling a whole city to your aid), you do so as a
Feat of Scale. This allows you to perform Ruler Feats of Scale.
WATCHER
Sight Unseen: When you observe something or some-
one or extend your perceptions on an impossible scale (gaz-
ing into the future, observing a distant star), you do so as a
Feat of Scale. This allows you to perform Watcher Feats of
Scale.
TRANSFORMATION KNACKS
As an Heir slowly gains power, she becomes increasing-
ly a monster of legend, and less the human being she used to
be. Like Calling Knacks, Transformation Knacks are reflex-
ive unless they state that they require activation. If a Knack
requires activation, make a Knack Skill roll. On a success, the
effect goes off immediately. On a failure, the Knack becomes
a Basic Action which can be part of a Mixed Action.
 Dragon Knacks with a Transformation ability become
permanent effects, no longer occupying a Knack slot. Once
a Knack has been transformed, any Momentum cost it may
have had no longer applies. If it has an activation roll, this no
longer needs to be made, though if it calls for an attack roll or
any other Knack Skill roll, these still apply. Transformations
cost 10 Experience. Starting characters may not begin play
with any transformed Knacks.
Some Transformation Knacks can be purchased mul-
tiple times, conferring different benefits each time. Each
repurchase costs 5 Experience. This new purchase enhances
the existing Knack and does not take up another Knack slot.
If the Knack has a Transformation effect, it need only be
transformed once.
A Transformation effect is permanent and obvious.
Though characters may be able to conceal some aspects
behind mirrored sunglasses, hats, or heavy scarves, other
things like multiple heads, leathery wings, or wicked talons
are harder to hide. Whenever a Transformation creates a
Complication, the group gains Momentum.
KNACK SKILLS
While Calling Knacks easily lend themselves to Knack
Skills, Dragon Knacks have no direct association with a
particular skillset. Whenever a Dragon Knack calls for a
Knack Skill, the player may choose any Asset skill provided
by her Flight or Dragon-related Path that would be most
appropriate.
Dragon Knacks
NEW TAG
Elemental (1): This weapon deals elemental
damage, in addition to any other type of
damage tag it may have. This bypasses any
armor type that does not have the appropriate
Resistant (Elemental) Tag.
TRANSFORMATION KNACKS
Bottomless Lungs: Your ability to hold your breath
transcends that of mere human ability. When you’re sub-
merged in water, you may move, travel, observe, fight, etc.
underwater for a scene without needing to roll to determine
how long you can hold your breath. If the time spent under-
water lasts longer than one scene (for example: a complex
action involving an investigation in a sunken ship) make a
Knack Skill roll at the start of the scene. On any successes,
the effect carries over. While thematically designed for
water, this Knack may also be used to bypass poison gas or
deadly spores, or anything else where holding breath for
an extended period of time would be a notable advantage.
Transformation: The sound of your breathing carries a
strange echo or reverberation, notable even when you are at
rest.
Brutal Might: Your draconic nature fills the power
of your muscles, allowing you to lift, throw, carry, or break
tremendous objects, creatures, or places. You can hurl a
car into the face of your enemy, smash through the side of
147
a mountain, or carry a giant to safety. Gain +1 Scale when
making lift, break, carry, or throw actions. Transformation:
Gain impressive and fearsome musculature, notable even
under heavy clothing.
Devastating Dragon’s Presence: The first time you
enter a fight (typically when you roll initiative), make a
Knack Skill roll. For each success, designate one target you
can see to gain a Complication equal to your Inheritance di-
vided by 2 (round up). Whenever they make an attack action
targeting you without buying off the Complication, they are
struck with fear and must target another character with the
attack. If there are no other characters present in the scene
to attack, they instead cannot spend Tension or choose the
Inflict Damage stunt. Transformation: Develop a frighten-
ing and exaggerated feature: severe eyebrows, a penetrating
stare, a fearsome mane, etc.
Dragon’s Breath: Spend Momentum to make a breath
attack using any Knack Skill or Athletics (whichever is high-
er). Your breath weapon has the following tags: Elemental
(Your choice), Lethal, Messy, Ranged (Short), Shockwave.
Transformation: Your chest or throat takes on a draconic
aspect, typically changing to a bright color, or becoming
scaly.
Dragon Sight: When you use your senses to inves-
tigate, analyze, or research a topic or subject, you gain +1
Enhancement to applicable rolls. This applies before the
roll. When purchasing this Knack the first time, choose a
benefit. These benefits can be purchased multiple times.
Transformation: Your iris and pupils change to reflect the
nature of your altered sense. Yellow irises and slitted pupils
are common traits.
• Pit Viper’s Sense: Gain the capacity to sense the
body heat of any character or creature present in the
Field. This Knack’s Enhancement applies when you
use your sense to track a target’s body heat.
• Dragon-Sage’s Sense: You identify the presence
of magic using your senses (typically sight). Any
activation of overt magic (such as spending or im-
buing Legend or Inheritance) becomes apparent
to you, even if the effect is subtle. This Knack’s
Enhancement applies to any rolls to analyze or
identify magical items, creatures, or people. If the
target is concealing its magical nature, make a Clash
of Wills.
• Horizon Sense: You are able to observe a target
at incredible distances, provided you have an un-
blocked line of sight. You gain the following Stunt to
any observation-related rolls:
Enhance! (1s): You “zoom” into the target, allowing you
to perceive sight-based details as though you were at Close
Range.
Draconic Majesty: Your draconic appearance draws
the eye and pleases the senses, making others more suscepti-
ble to your influence. When you purchase this Knack, choose
an area of influence: Encourage Behavior, Encourage Belief,
148 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
or Shift Attitude. Against targets of lower Tier or trivial
targets, you no longer need to make a roll to succeed when
using the chosen area. When you spend Momentum to add
dice to any rolls pertaining to your chosen area of influence,
you add two dice instead of one. This Knack may be pur-
chased a second time to add another area of influence, but
may not be purchased more than twice. Transformation:
Your appealing draconic feature — such as beautiful horns,
majestic antlers, a terrifying frill, appealing pheromones, or
shifting, colorful scales — appears in your human form.
Eel’s Trickery: No bonds can hold you for long. When
restrained or imprisoned make a Knack Skill roll. On any
successes, you slip your bonds or slither your way free of
whatever has trapped you. Anyone attempting to grap-
ple you or control a grapple you’re a part of does so at +1
Difficulty. Transformation: Your skin becomes glistening
and slippery.
Elemental Immunity:
Prerequisite: The Dragon’s Scales.
Gain immunity to any Injuries specific to the Elemental
tag, and any other appropriate instances of element-related
hazards or harm. If you choose fire as your element, then
you do not suffer “Third Degree Burns” as an Injury; if you
choose water, you cannot drown, and so on. This does not
protect you from the Lethal, Bashing, or Aggravated tags.
Transformation: You take on a permanent aspect of your
chosen element: unnaturally red hair for fire, white irises for
air, bluish skin for water, etc. at your choosing.
Fade Away: When you hold still or rest, so long as
you do not take aggressive physical action (such as combat
movement actions, or making attacks) you disappear from
sight, vanishing entirely — such to the point that not even
touching you reveals your location. You become invisible to
anything of lower Tier. Anyone of the same Tier or higher
must make a Clash of Wills to notice you. Taking physical
actions ends this effect. Transformation: A major part of
your body shifts colors subconsciously.
Great Slithering Bulk: You shift your form into an
elongated, snakelike shape. This Knack requires activation
at the start of the scene. Outside of a combat sequence, no ef-
fect can knock the character down; not even the most violent
earthquake. In combat, you are immune to the effects of the
Knockdown/Trip Stunt. Spend Momentum to treat yourself
as +1 Size greater for the purposes of carrying or dragging
huge items or initiating a grapple against a larger target.
Transformation: The lower half of your body transforms
into a powerful serpentine tail.
Gripping Coils: When grappling a target, a portion
of your body lengthens into a grasping, scaled coil. Spend
Momentum. This Knack allows you to drag a grappled target
along with you for one Movement action without a resis-
tance roll. If you are the subject of a grapple, you may also
spend Momentum to gain immunity to the Pin, Position, or
Takedown Stunts. Transformation: A major part of your
body (torso, arm, leg, neck, etc.) elongates and takes on a
scaly texture.
 Great Form of the Dragon:
Prerequisite: Inheritance 2.
Your proficiency over your draconic form tran-
scends that of the average Heir. Reduce the severity of the
Complication for lacking aspects of your form to (4 – num-
ber of Knacks Transformed). Great Form of the Dragon can-
not be transformed until Inheritance 5, at which point the
character physically achieves her true dragon form and must
rely on other magic in order to retain anything resembling a
human shape.
Massive Beast Shape: You grow to impressive size, be-
coming capable of tremendous feats of strength and stamina.
Spend Momentum. This Knack requires activation at the
start of the scene. Gain +1 size Scale where a huge form would
be beneficial. This Knack may be purchased more than once,
to a maximum of +2. Transformation: Permanently gain the
size Scale boost from this Knack.
Modest Human Guise: This Knack requires activation
at the start of the scene. For the duration of the scene, sup-
press all transformed Knacks and return to your ordinary
human form. Anyone seeking out magical creatures suffers a
+1 Difficulty to notice you while this Knack is active. Modest
Human Guise cannot be Transformed.
Poison Blood: Deadly poison courses in your veins,
commingling with your blood. Once per scene, when you
would take an Injury that would cause bleeding, you may
immediately inflict the Poisoned Condition on the attacker
with a rating equal to the number of successes over your
Defense. Transformation: Your veins take on an unusual
hue beneath your skin: black, lime green, violet, etc.
Power-Tasting Bite: Once per fight, when you inflict an
Injury, you may also devour one of the target’s Flairs. Until
the end of the fight, the target no longer has access to the Flair,
and you may use it as if it was one of your Knacks. Where a
Flair would cost Tension, you spend Momentum instead. If
the Flair summons other characters, these characters appear
as temporary Pawns relevant to your Flight. This may not be
used on members of your Brood. Transformation: Develop
a permanent hungry look or a predatory, too-wide smile, etc.
Powerful Swimmer: Your body remembers being a
creature of deep oceans, and you move through water as
easily as air. Whenever you make movement actions through
water, including combat movement actions, you ignore
any increase in Difficulty or Complications as a result of
swimming. When you spend Momentum to add dice to any
rolls pertaining to actions performed underwater, you add
two dice instead of one. While thematically designed for
water, this Knack may also be used to swim through mud,
swampland, quicksand, rapidly thickening concrete, or any
other viscous material. Transformation: Your hands, feet
(elbows, knees, etc.) grow webbing or transform into fins.
Rending Claws: Your hands (or feet) transform into
wicked talons, capable of shredding flesh and inflicting griev-
ous wounds. This Knack requires activation at the start of the
scene. Your unarmed attacks gain the Lethal, Natural, and
Dragon Knacks
Versatile tags. Spend Momentum to also add the Elemental
tag, if that suits your Dragon type. Transformation: Your
hands or feet permanently shift into dangerous claws or
talons.
Snapping Hydra’s Form: This Knack requires activa-
tion at the start of the scene. You grow one or more addition-
al heads, which typically have a draconic or reptilian form.
Snapping Hydra’s Form conveys one of the following ben-
efits at the time of purchase. This Knack may be purchased
multiple times. Transformation: You permanently grow
the additional heads.
• Two Heads are Better: Gain +2 Enhancement for
mental or perceptive tasks where having additional
heads would help (such as detecting ambushes or
reading several books at once).
• Vicious Biting Assault: Attacks that have the
Natural tag made with the additional head(s) gain
the Shockwave tag.
Skink’s Regrowth: You’re capable of recovering
from even the most serious of injuries. In a fight, spend
Momentum to clear one Injury Condition beginning with
the most severe and regardless of what the Injury might be —
including recovering lost limbs. Outside of a fight, as long as
this Knack is active or transformed, you recover 1 additional
Injury on top of any others normally regained from any heal-
ing. Transformation: Your skin on a major body part (limb,
torso, etc.) takes on a glistening or smooth texture, notably
unusual and inhuman.
Sweeping Tail: You grow a huge, heavy tail. This
Knack requires activation at the start of the scene. You
may make attacks with the tail using either Close Combat
or Athletics, whichever is higher. The tail has the following
tags: Bashing, Melee, Natural, and Pushing. Manifesting your
tail increases the Difficulty of applying the Knockdown or
Knockback Stunts by +1. Add +1 Enhancement to all rolls in-
volving movement powered by your tail (such as swimming).
Transformation: Permanently grow your tail.
The Dragon’s Fangs: Your bite attack becomes deadly,
capable of inflicting serious harm. This Knack requires ac-
tivation at the start of the scene. Bite attacks you make gain
the Lethal, Natural, and Piercing tags. You may purchase this
Knack a second time to gain a venomous bite, which grants
the Envenomed Stunt. Transformation: You permanently
grow deadly fangs.
Envenomed (any successes over Defense): The target
gains the Poisoned Condition equal the number of successes
spent on this Stunt.
The Dragon’s Scales: You transform your skin into
hardened scales, turning away lethal blows. This Knack re-
quires activation at the start of the scene. Gain Hard (1) armor
for the duration of the scene. If the character was already
wearing armor with the Hard tag, this becomes Hard (3)
instead. Spend Momentum to add the Resistant (Elemental)
tag to your scales if appropriate. Transformation: One
149
significant part of your body (an entire limb, face, torso, etc.)
becomes scaly and obviously inhuman.
The Soaring Dragon: You grow wings. This Knack re-
quires activation at the start of the scene. While the Soaring
Dragon is active, you may make Move, Rush, and Disengage
actions vertically as well as horizontally, which allows you
to avoid difficult or hazardous terrain. Outside of combat,
spend a Momentum to travel long distances via the air. This
takes as much time as would be narratively appropriate.
Transformation: You permanently grow your chosen mode
of flight.
Through the Cracks: You can fit your body (no mat-
ter your current Size) into any space that your head can
also fit into. While slithering through cramped and tiny
spaces, you can only make reflexive Move actions. Spend
Momentum to make other movement actions such as Rush.
Transformation: At random intervals, your joints bend in
rubbery, unusual directions.
Tunneling Wyrm: You grow claws meant for breaking
and turning earth, allowing you to burrow into the ground.
When you make a Movement action, you may do so under-
ground (provided the Field allows for such, and the ground
is of a material you can break), allowing you to avoid ob-
stacles and hazardous or severe terrain. You may travel via
tunneling at your running speed. A second purchase of this
Knack grants the Sinkhole Stunt to Close Combat attacks.
Transformation: Your hands change into powerful digging
claws.
Sinkhole (any successes over Defense): The target gains
a Complication equal to the number of successes spent on
this stunt. Whenever they make Movement actions without
buying off the Complication, you may move them 1 Range
Band in any direction after they complete the movement.
Venom Spit: You jet poison from your mouth, either
from glands, sacs, or the ends of your fangs. Make a Knack
Skill or Athletics roll with the tags: Arcing, Lethal, Ranged
(Short) which also grants the Envenomed Stunt (p. XX).
Transformation: A major body part becomes brightly col-
ored and marked with black bands or spots.
Seizing Jaws: When you make a grapple attempt, you
may do so with your mouth, clamping down on your oppo-
nent with primal strength. This allows you to make Mixed
Actions while controlling a grapple or while being grappled,
as both your hands remain free. Transformation: Grow
a wide, narrow-lipped mouth or beak, like a turtle’s or a
snake’s.
DRAGON MAGIC
In addition to Birthrights and Knacks, Dragons possess
a series of powerful innate magical abilities by virtue of the
fact that they are huge, exceedingly ancient, and profoundly
magical reptiles. Just as Gods and Scions possess Purviews,
Dragons and Heirs possess Dragon Magic. Dragon Magic in-
cludes everything from their ability to control one or more el-
ements, or to master the mysteries of luck or transformation.
150 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
Much Dragon Magic directly affects the Dragon using it, and
only indirectly affects others, but Dragons can capably bless
their allies or destroy their foes.
Some Dragon Magic Spells stack with one another, and
the Dragon must learn them in order. The reason for this ad-
dition is that some Spells for a single type of Dragon Magic
represents increasing skill and power with using particular
abilities innate to Dragons.
Dragon Magic is divided into a range of Magics and
Spells, each of which represents one particular aspect of
draconic physical or magical prowess. All Dragons do not
possess all Magics. Different Dragons possess knowledge
of an affinity with different mystical elements, or an under-
standing of magical forces like luck or transformation. In
addition, each Flight possesses its own special Dragon Magic
that is uniquely its own.
INHERITANCE COSTS
Heirs use Inheritance points to activate their Dragon
Magic and associated Spells. Most Spells require you to tem-
porarily Imbue points of Inheritance. The effects of these
Spells last until the Heir reclaims her Inheritance or until
the power naturally ends. Whenever the Spell’s effect ends,
because of the natural time limit, or because the Heir ended
it early, the imbued Inheritance is returned to her. A few
especially potent Dragon Magic Spells require you to spend
Inheritance points from your pool to use. These don’t return
when the power ends, and must be recovered in other ways
(see p. XX).
MAGICS
Dragons Magics each bestow a variety of abilities to the
Heir who knows them. These individual abilities are called
Spells, and always require the Heir to cast them by taking
an action. When a character gains access to a new Dragon
Magic, she gains a single Spell from the list. Any time a
character would be able to learn a new Spell through an
Inheritance increase, she can choose to learn a Spell from
any Dragon Magic she has access to.
Spells are listed after each Magic type and include the
following information:
• Cost: Spells often have a cost associated with them,
either by imbuing or spending Inheritance.
• Duration: Spells may last for a single turn or until
imbued Inheritance is reclaimed. The default dura-
tion for most Spells is one scene.
• Subject: Most Spells target the user, but some target
one or more other characters or even environments.
If the Spell targets someone other than the Heir, the
Spell will list it.
INCANTATIONS
Spells require the Heir to do something to invoke the
Magic she is calling forth. She might need to ask the ele-
ments to do her bidding, or touch a small totem, or plunge
her hand into icy cold water. Whatever her incantation is,
she is always prepared to do it. Using a Spell is a Simple ac-
tion which cannot be performed as part of a Mixed action.
The need to concentrate on the incantation is too strong.
If something, such as an Injury Condition or being
bound and gagged, prevents the Heir from performing her
normal preferred incantation, she can use any other incanta-
tion preferred by her Flight. If she is unable to perform any
of those incantations, she is unable to cast her Spell.
• Draq: Destroy an object, light a fire, perform an act
of violence
• Joka: Consume something, be it food, drink, or
knowledge
• Lindwurm: Curse an enemy, roar, touch gold or
jewels
• Lóng: Chant, Plunge hand into water, write
• Naga: Dancing, meditation, prayer
• Serpent: Destroy a piece of modern technology,
plunge hand into soil, touch a plant
ANIMAL CONTROL
Your magic gives you a primal connection to all living
things. You have a special connection with the animals of the
world, but you are not limited to mere beasts in your mastery
of control.
FRIEND OF BEASTS
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: One day
Subject: One animal
You share a connection with an animal that rivals that
of your connections with humans. You can form a tempo-
rary Bond with an animal, as though it were a person. Any
successes not spent when the Bond fades are converted to
positive Attitude from the animal to you.
MASTER OF BEASTS
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
You can speak to and understand all animals. Animals
that don’t have a Legend or Inheritance rating treat their
Attitude toward you as one point higher when determining
whether you can persuade them to take on a task. Unless
specified, this bonus does not stack with other magical
Attitude bonuses. Once you reclaim the Inheritance from
this Spell, your animal helpers will still try to complete your
requests, but may become distractible or less reliable, at the
Storyguide’s discretion.
MASTER’S SONG
Prerequisite: Friend of Beasts
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Subject: Multiple animals
Dragon Magic
Your words carry a magical effect, bolstering people and
creatures under your command. All people who you com-
mand (through Birthrights or Paths) and all animals with a
positive Attitude toward you within Medium range gain +1
Scale on all actions made in accordance to you wishes. If all
your targets are trivial, this Spell requires you to only imbue
an Inheritance instead of spending.
MENTAL COMMAND
Prerequisite: Master of Beasts
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Subject: Multiple targets
You can compel any number of trivial targets and ani-
mals within Medium range to act in a specific way. You give a
single command, and as long as they are able to complete it,
they do so. Your targets do not take actions that directly en-
danger their lives, but will attack a superior foe or take risks
to complete the task. You cannot give different commands
to different targets. If an animal is a Legendary Creature, it
provokes a Clash of Wills.
MERGE WITH BEAST
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
Subject: One non-legendary creature
You can temporarily possess and control a single animal.
This animal must be in Short range when you initially use
this Spell, but until you reclaim your Inheritance, it allows
you to mentally control and access the senses of this animal,
regardless of range.
You can use the animals’ senses to experience the world,
dictate their actions, and even use your Spells and Knacks
through them. The animal remains aware of what’s going
on, and can communicate mentally with you. You retain
consciousness and control of your body while possessing
an animal, and can take actions through either body, even
simultaneously. However, all such attempts always count as
mixed actions.
DECAY
You can summon entropic forces to bring death, anni-
hilation, and decay. You can corrupt and destroy nearly any-
thing, leaving devastation in your wake. Your magic erodes
not only objects, but people, bonds, and relationships.
ACCELERATED DECAY
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: A single object
You can destroy an inanimate object up to your size
Scale +1. It rusts, rots, or decays to uselessness, or for partic-
ularly perishable objects, into dust or rot, in less than a min-
ute becoming useless. This Spell does not work on magical
items, but affects everything else, from clothing or food, to
handguns or automobiles.
151
FRAYED
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance or Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: One target
Your magic corrodes the relationships that tie people
together. When you cast this spell, you change your tar-
get’s Attitude toward a single person switches to negative.
If the Attitude was already negative, it shifts down by 2. If
you spend an Inheritance when activating this Spell, then
immediately destroy a single bond your target has with
that person. The Bond’s strength drops to 0, no matter how
strong it was. Non-trivial characters gain a Clash of Wills. On
a success, the Bond simply erodes by 1.
TOXIC CORRUPTION
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance or None
Duration: Condition
Subject: One range band
You create a wave of noxious gas which sickens and
weakens your opponents. Make a ranged attack using
Athletics or Survival against all targets within a single
Range Band up to Long Range. You may inflict the Poisoned
Condition (Scion: Origin p. 125) on anyone whom you inflict
an Injury Condition. You can choose the effect at the time of
inflicting the poison, such as doing damage, causing paraly-
sis, or any similar effect.
You can also use this Spell to poison food or water or to
kill all plants or small animals within Medium range. Doing
so is free. You simply stare at or walk by a garden and watch
it shrivel and die. Used in this fashion, ground remains
infertile for several months unless physically or magically
cleansed or purified.
TOTAL ANNIHILATION
Prerequisite: Accelerated Decay
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Subject: One Field
You fill the Field with a decaying force. Impose the
Entropy Field Condition with a rating equal to one third your
Inheritance (round up) on a single Field. Inanimate objects
age at a rapid rate, breaking down, rusting, and wearing out.
Animate objects creak to a halt or break as their moving parts
wear out. Characters in the Field must make a resistance
roll each round using Medicine or Survival + Stamina and
overcome the Field’s rating as Difficulty. Those who fail the
roll gain the Withered Condition. Anyone with the Withered
Condition suffers +1 Difficulty to perform complex or mixed
actions involving physical activity. Additionally, attempts to
heal wounds or resolve Conditions suffer a +1 Difficulty on
the affected person. Each round the affected person remains
in the Entropy Field, this Condition’s rating increases by +1
to a maximum of +5. The Condition resolves when the char-
acter receives medical care and the healer overcomes the
Condition’s rating with a Medicine + Intellect or Dexterity
roll, or the person receives magical healing.
152 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
UNTOUCHABLE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
For the rest of the scene, you become immune to all poi-
sons and diseases, including those that are magical in nature.
If someone would inflict a magical poison or disease on you,
gain a +3 Enhancement to your Clash of Wills. Additionally,
if you activate this Spell while suffering from a poison or
disease, the Condition resolves immediately, even those that
are magical in nature.
ELEMENTAL
MANIPULATION (AIR)
Mighty winds are yours to command. You can cause
winds to blow or to cease blowing and can even summon
powerful highly focused winds capable of moving people
and relatively large objects.
BREATH OF LIFE
Cost: Free
Duration: Indefinite
You can normally breathe in any circumstances, regard-
less of the presence of safe air. You are immune to all dam-
age or Conditions caused by smoke, bad air, or toxic gases
that are not part of a supernatural attack. In addition, you
can breathe normally underwater, or even in the vacuum of
space. Also, if you imbue a point of Inheritance, you can cast
this spell on any single individual within one range band.
SKYWARD GALE
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: One round
Subject: One Range Band
You can create a powerful updraft that can either lift tar-
gets into the air, or support them during a fall, so they suffer
no harm, regardless of the distance they fall. This Spell can
lift any object no larger than a normal sized person that is
within a single Range Band up to Long range away from you.
Once the lift ends, the target falls to the earth and suffers an
appropriate –2 Injury Condition. Alternately, you can use
these winds to cushion falls, permitting one or more targets
no larger than a normal person that are within Close range
of one another to fall any distance and land without harm.
WIND BLAST
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
You shape an ephemeral weapon out of pure air. The
weapon has the Ranged (Short), Pushing, and Shockwave
tags. The weapon’s shockwave effect applies to uses of the
Shove and Knockdown Stunts, and applies to the knock
down effect of the Pushing Tag. You cannot use this ability
against targets with greater size Scale than you.
Also, you can use these wind attacks for narrative effects
like ripping cloth, blowing shingles off a roof, tipping over
furniture, or turning an orderly desk into a scattered mass of
shredded paper.
WIND OF WINGS
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: A single Range Band
You can buffet an area with wind. Select a Range Band
no further than Medium range away. That Range Band
becomes difficult terrain with a +2 Complication to move-
ment due to buffeting winds. If not bought off, the char-
acter is subject to the Shove or Knock Down Stunts, your
choice. The force of the wind you create blows leaves, sand,
ash, and similar light materials around and can obscure
visibility in the right location. However, this wind can also
improve visibility by blowing away smoke or fog, but causes
any fire in the area to spread rapidly.
WORDS ON THE WIND
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One target
You can command the winds to carry words spoken by
any single voice that you have previously heard. This Spell
automatically fails if used on a subject in a sealed environ-
ment like an airplane, a submarine, or a closed vault, or in
an Otherworld, unless you are in the same Otherworld.
Otherwise, for the next scene you can hear whatever the
subject is saying. However, you cannot hear what anyone
says around them, the winds only provide you with one
voice each time you cast this Spell.
Dragon Magic
ELEMENTAL
MANIPULATION (EARTH)
You understand the nature and secret language of
elemental earth, and all The World’s stone, metal, clay, and
earth are yours to command. You can create structures made
of earth, or breach walls made from stone, metal, or concrete
with a gesture.
ADAMANT BONDS
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
You can imbue any one of your existing Bonds with the
durability of solid rock. When you cast this Spell, increase
the value of the chosen Bond by half your Inheritance (round
up). This Spell ends when you reclaim your Inheritance.
ANIMATE EARTH
Prerequisite: Command the Solid Earth
Cost: Imbue or spend 1 Inheritance
Subject: Earth within Medium range
By imbuing 1 point of Inheritance, you can animate the
earth itself, causing dirt, stone, metal, or mixtures of all three
to become a human or Dragon-shaped creature that is utter-
ly mindless and entirely under your control. This creature
counts as a Professional Archetype (Scion: Origin, p. XX),
and it excels at lifting, moving, and throwing heavy objects.
Animated constructs all possess the Heavily Armored
and Natural Weapon Qualities, and gain the Subterranean
153
Movement and Sure-Footed Quality when they are walking
on the ground.
Creatures you create using this Spell can walk, run,
climb, burrow, or swim, but cannot fly or even jump. You can
give the creature simple, obvious directions, like telling it to
attack someone you indicate. If you do this, you can also act
normally, but you must take an action to tell the creature to
change what it is doing. Alternately, you can effectively pos-
sess this creature, using its senses and controlling its body as
if it was your own. In this case, you can use your Knacks and
Dragon Magic through it. However, you cannot act yourself
unless you either perform a mixed action or spend one or
more actions not controlling the creature, which will stand
motionless unless given simple instructions.
If you instead spend 1 Inheritance, you can create a
number of animate earth creatures equal to your maximum
Inheritance. However, all of these creatures must act togeth-
er, you cannot direct them separately. Regardless of how
many such creatures you animate or how you use them, all
creatures made using this Spell are obviously made of dirt,
rock, concrete, or metal, and cannot disguise themselves as
any sort of living being.
ARMOR OF EARTH
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
As long as you are standing on the ground (the bottom
floor of a building counts) or an earthen surface, you can also
use this Spell to cause the earth to surround you, making you
appear to be an animate creature of Earth. Doing this pro-
vides you with 1 point of Soft Armor, 2 points of Hard Armor,
and +1 Enhancement on all Might and Stamina rolls. This
Spell also increases your size Scale by 1 and all of your Close
Combat attacks gain the Pushing and Reach tags.
COMMAND THE SOLID EARTH
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
Subject: Earth within Long range
You can alter the earth, metal, and stone around you in
complex ways. You can either cause a building or other struc-
ture that’s within Long range to topple in whatever direction
you desire, or turn the local earth, metal, and stone into walls,
ramps, ditches, or even simple buildings or statues. As long
as you concentrate, you may reshape and make your result
appear more finished. You cannot do this as a Mixed Action
with other actions. Once you finish, the manipulating the
Earth, the spell ends, and you can reclaim your Inheritance.
The effects of your changes are permanent. You can use this
Spell multiple times to create vast cave complexes or huge
towers suitable for even the most demanding Dragon to live
in.
EARTH ROAR
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One Field
154 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
By harnessing your innate draconic power and your
terrible roar, you can shape and rend earthen materials
around you. You can rend and tear the area, leaving yawning
pits or devastating shards creating difficult terrain with a + 3
Complication to movement. If someone does not buy off this
Complication, you may choose one of the following options:
Deal an Injury Condition, knock them prone or into a pit, or
slow their movement by half. If a character falls into a hole,
they must spend a Simple action as their movement to get
out.
Conversely, you can smooth out the roughest terrain,
remove natural obstacles, or crush stone to dust. You can
remove up to + 3 Complication from the Field that originate
from uneven or unstable earth, holes or pits, or metal shards.
You may also destroy natural or worked stone barriers, metal
encasements, or anything else that comes from the natural
earth. This Spell does not work on concrete, plastic, or syn-
thetic materials.
ELEMENTAL
MANIPULATION (FIRE)
You can bend the element of fire to your command,
creating and destroying this element at a whim. You can
transform it into your weapon, direct it to avoid harming you
or your fellows, and control its destructive and restorative
forces.
ASHES TO ASHES
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: One target
You have gained precise control over the process of
burning. You may make an attack on a living or inanimate
non-living target, with the Piercing, Ranged (Short), and
Aggravated tags. A successful attack on a trivial or non-living
target grants access to the following Stunt:
Incinerate (Successes equal to the target’s Stamina or
Durability): The target is burned so completely that it is
reduced to nothing but ash.
Conversely, you may use this Spell to restore a burned
object to its previously unburned state. However, this Spell
does not fix damage from other causes — if a table was
burned and then crushed (or the reverse), use of this Spell
leaves you with an unburned, but still crushed table. This
does allow you to remove any Injury Conditions caused by
a fire attack, though it cannot restore life to the dead, but it
will turn a charred corpse into an unburned one.
EMBER SKIN
Cost: None
Duration: One scene
You cannot take damage or suffer any form of harm
from fire, heat, or smoke inhalation. You can walk through
wildfires or industrial microwaves unharmed, swim in
magma for as long as you can hold your breath, and perform
similar feats of fireproof heroism. Extreme cold is likewise
harmless to you. Everything you wear is also immune to fire,
and you possess the ability to create or douse small flames
within Close range at will. You can light or put out a can-
dle or a cigarette with a glance. Finally, you can sense the
direction, location, and approximate size of any fire within
Extreme Range.
FIERY AWE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
You can channel all of the terror and grandeur of a
vast fire into yourself. While your appearance remains un-
changed, everyone interacting with you can feel your power.
You gain an Enhancement to intimidation actions equal to
one half your Inheritance (round up).
FIRE MASTERY
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One fire
Fire listens to your command, allowing you to stoke
or dim them on a whim. When you first use this Spell, you
create a fire in a single Range Band within Long range or
increase an already existing fire’s size and intensity causing
it to spread. Alternately, you can put out a fire the size of a
campfire within Long range, or stop the spread of a particu-
larly large conflagration.
For the duration of the scene, you can control how the
fire spread (either speeding it up, or slowing it down) with
a Reflexive action. You can even make a fire you previous
put out spring back to life, or put out a fire you started. You
cannot control where this fire goes, or move the fire.
FIRE SHAPING
Prerequisite: Fire Mastery
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One fire
You can shape any fire and bend it to your will. You
can clear a safe path through a burning building or move a
fire to a different location. You can also cause a fire to strike
out at targets within Medium range. You can make these at-
tacks using Athletics, and they have the Arcing, Aggravated,
Ranged, and Pushing tags. If the fire is small, such as a torch,
you can use it to attack a single target. If the fire is the size of
a campfire you can use it to attack one target and everyone
within Close range of your target, and if the fire is size of a
bonfire or larger, your attack gains the Shockwave tag.
ELEMENTAL
MANIPULATION (FROST)
You have learned the powerful songs of ice. This knowl-
edge grants you the ability to control cold. In addition to
finding exceptionally cold environments comfortable, you
can create blistering cold and shape ice and snow and direct
its power to aid or harm others.
Dragon Magic
COOL DOWN
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: A single target within Medium range
You temporarily imbue someone the positive nature
of cold. In addition to remaining comfortable in the hottest
weather, this person also ignores Bruised and Injured Injury
Conditions as the cold eliminates their pain. Also, for the
duration of this Spell, the subject is incapable of feeling an-
ger, hatred, or rage and any magical or mundane attempts to
cause them to feel any of these emotions.
FLASH FREEZE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Condition
Subject: Multiple targets
You cause an instant temperature drop causing a wave
of cold to fill the area. Within Short range, inanimate objects
caught in the freezing blast are frozen in place and cannot
move. Trivial targets are similarly frozen in place by the
cold. Anyone of your Tier or higher gains a Clash of Wills.
All affected targets gain the Chilled Condition. While under
the effects of this Condition, the character makes all physi-
cal and mental actions at +2 Difficulty. This Condition ends
when the person leaves the area of the cold, or until you
reclaim your Inheritance.
ICE SCULPTING
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One target of up to Scale size 2
You can create and shape ice into magnificent works of
art. When you activate this Spell, you can either mold and
shape existing ice or snow, or conjure a sizeable amount to
work with. You create exceedingly realistic and detailed ice
sculptures, which wow those who see them. Anyone who
sees your sculpture raises their Attitude toward you by +1.
You sculpted ice does not melt for the duration of this Spell,
but melts normally when the effect ends.
You can also use this Spell to perform a variety of nar-
rative effects, like blocking off a hallway with a wall of ice,
freezing a door shut, making a sturdy bridge, creating cover,
or transforming an area into difficult or dangerous terrain.
RIME
Cost: None or Imbue 1 Inheritance
You cannot take damage or suffer any form of harm
from extreme cold and can comfortably swim nude in arctic
water or safely bob for frozen apples in a vat of liquid nitro-
gen. Extreme heat is likewise harmless to you. Also, you pos-
sess the ability to chill small inanimate objects within Close
range at will, and can cool or even freeze a glass of liquid
or simply make the air around you significantly colder than
the surrounding environment, providing you with portable
climate control.
You can imbue an Inheritance to radiate an aura of icy
cold for the scene. This cold imposes a + 2 Complication to
155
anyone who strikes you from Close Range. If the attacker fails
to buy off the Complication, they take an Injury Condition
from the cold.
SEARING COLD
Prerequisite: Flash Freeze
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: All enemies in one range band
You can drain away the heat of the world, icing over
landscapes and freezing enemies from the inside out. Make
a ranged attack on single Range Band within Long range of
you. The attack has the Piercing tag and either the Bashing
or Lethal tag (your choice). Within the Range Band, water
freezes over, covering the area in a slick rime, making it dif-
ficult terrain in which all movement actions are made at a +2
Difficulty.
ELEMENTAL
MANIPULATION (WATER)
You understand the mystical nature of water and can
command it to do your bidding. Tides rise and fall at your
pleasure and you can also learn magics that allow you to
dwell underwater as easily as on land and to extend your
perceptions throughout a body of water.
FLASH FLOOD
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One Field
You call water from the sky and the earth to fill a single
Field with rushing waters. Anyone caught in the water must
take a move action with + 2 Complication to remain in place,
and other types of movement have a + 3 Complication. Failure
to buy off this Complication results in the character being
swept out of the Field by the rushing waters. Characters in
the Field cannot make Rush actions, and vehicles do not op-
erate unless designed for water transportation.
This water gets into everything, shorting out elec-
tronics, damaging fragile items, waterlogging firearms, and
dousing fires.
You can also use this Spell in reverse, sending water
deep into the earth or evaporating into the air. Doing this
can turn difficult terrain into ordinary terrain, and instantly
dries people and equipment, restoring fragile water-dam-
aged items to their pristine dry state.
HYDRAULIC OVERRIDE
Prerequisite: Oceanic Majesty
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant or one scene
Subject: One target
Your control over magic is fine and precise. You can
control the flow of water at even the smallest level, moving
water in pipes, and even within a creature’s body. When you
156 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
cast this spell, pick a target and gain control over the flow
of the water within. You can cause pipes to swell and burst,
water to flood out of faucets, and running water to stop
immediately. You can also cause blood vessels to rupture,
dehydrate a victim as they sweat water out, or take control of
a person’s muscles and make them move.
When used on a person this Spell is a simple action that
resolves immediately. You can choose to either force the tar-
get to take a single Move action, dictated by you or Inflict an
Injury Condition as though you purchased the Inflict Injury
Stunt on an attack. Non-trivial targets gain a Clash of Wills.
When used on an inanimate object or source of water, you
gain control over its flow for the rest of the scene or until you
regain your Inheritance. Narratively, this Spell could be used
for causing distractions, flooding an indoor area, or gaining
access to water in an otherwise inaccessible place.
OCEANIC MAJESTY
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: A body of water
You exert your will over water, controlling the tides or
currents that move through it. You can calm all water out to
Long Range, making it still and placid even in the face of a
hurricane, or change the direction that currents flow in, let-
ting you temporarily reverse the direction of a river or cause
a riptide to drag lost swimmers back to shore. Reclaiming the
Inheritance imbued in this Spell causes the water to revert
to its natural behavior.
As a Simple action, you can call up a great wave to crash
down on your foes in a single Range Band up to Long range.
This attack has the Bashing, Pushing, and Shockwave tags.
VISION OF THE DISTANT SHORE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
If you immerse yourself in any body of water smaller
than an ocean, you can see the shores or banks, regardless
of how far they are from you. You can either use this Spell to
observe a particular location along the shore or bank, and see
and hear everything occurring there as well as if you were
observing it in person, or you can observe large regions,
perhaps including the entire shore. Used in this fashion,
you can only observe large or dramatic events, like disasters,
large-scale mobilizations of soldiers, or riots. If you see such
an event, you can then focus in on it and observe it in more
detail. However, you can only observe a single location in
detail each time you use this Spell.
WATER MASTERY
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: Water that you can touch
You can shape water to your will and can also cause it to
briefly become as solid as steel. This water can take exceed-
ingly precise shapes that conform to its environment. As a
result, you can command a small amount of water to enter a
lock and become a key that fits and can open it. Alternately,
you could transform a larger amount of water into a crowbar
to pry a door open, or a sturdy lock that prevents anyone
from opening a door for the duration. You cannot make wa-
ter into any sort of complex mechanism, but in addition to a
watery key being able to open the lock it is in, tools made of
water provide +3 Enhancement to the use you make them
for. Finally, you can pour water on the ground and trans-
form it into an area of difficult or dangerous terrain. In an
emergency, you can also transform water in a Close Combat
weapon with appropriate tags.
FEAR
Your magic gets inside people’s heads and manipulate
their fear. You can control these particular emotions either
heightening a sense of fear burgeoning on dread or calming
panic. It can be as subtle as a gentle presence that seems to
heighten emotions, or as terrible as an aura that makes you
appear terrifying.
CALM MIND
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
You become immune to all forms of fear for the rest of
the scene. If a magic would attempt to inflict a fear effect on
you, gain a +3 Enhancement to your Clash of Wills. Mundane
situations never bother you and attempts to influence you
with intimidation or threats fail immediately. You can flee if
the odds are against you, or if you otherwise feel like doing
so, and you know if something might otherwise make you
afraid, but you can banish your fears with a thought.
INTIMIDATING PRESENCE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Condition
Subject: Multiple targets
Without revealing any of your draconic features, you
instill a sense of dread in those who see you. Anyone who can
see you gains the Afraid Condition with you as its subject,
non-trivial targets gain a Clash of Wills to resist gaining the
Condition. Characters with the Afraid Condition suffer a +2
Difficulty to target the subject of their fear in any kind of neg-
ative way, this includes physical attacks and Intrigue actions.
The Condition ends when the person leaves the presence of
the subject of their fear or you reclaim your Inheritance.
LOOMING PRESENCE
Prerequisite: Intimidating Presence
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: Multiple Targets
You exude an aura of menace which fills your enemies
with barely controlled panic. When you activate this Spell,
you can choose up to your Inheritance in allies to exclude
from the aura. Anyone who can see you who was not exclud-
ed is immediately wracked with fear of you and your allies.
Trivial targets flee from your presence immediately, while
non-trivial targets face a +3 Complication on any action that
does not help them flee your presence. If they fail to buy off
the Complication, they are rooted in place in fear.
Dragon Magic
PARALYZING GAZE
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Subject: One character
When you make eye contact with another character
(if used in combat, requires a roll — successes must exceed
the target’s Defense), you may functionally incapacitate that
character. The actual effects vary; you may paralyze the tar-
get with fright, force her to cower in fear, or leave her writh-
ing in terror. In any case, she is unable to break away from
your gaze. However, you cannot take mixed actions while
using this Spell, and cannot Move without using a Simple
action — otherwise, you lose eye contact, and your target is
freed at the end of the next round. If the target is Blind, this
Spell does not work on them. Characters of the same Tier
or higher than you gain a Clash of Wills to resist your gaze.
READ THE ROOM
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One Field
You can change the atmosphere of a room to either
create fear or calm it. When you activate this Spell, select
an Atmosphere, Dread or Calm, to apply to the Field, with a
rating of 2, positive for Calm and negative for Dread. If this
changes the Atmosphere, gain +1 Enhancement to actions
that coincide with the new Atmosphere’s effect. Such as
intimidating someone in an Atmosphere of Dread or empa-
thizing with someone in an Atmosphere of Calm.
FLIGHT
You can cause objects to move through nothing more
than your own force of will. You can lift, throw, or carry
anything that you can see, including yourself. While some
dragons have wings that allow them to lift themselves into
the air under their own power, you can use magic to achieve
the same feat.
ACROBATIC FLIGHT
Prerequisite: Aerial Mobility
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Your flight becomes sinuous and acrobatic and you can
attack and retreat with blinding speed. In combat, you can
use your reflexive Move action (p. XX) to cross two range
bands, and gain +2 Enhancement on Disengage rolls and
Rush actions if you are flying. Once per scene while you
are flying, you may make a Feat of Scale (p. XX) using one
of your Knacks of Scale for the purposes of speed without
taking a Complication.
AERIAL MOBILITY
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
You can fly, using movement actions to ascend upward
into the air or horizontally through it. You can Rush or
Disengage (p. XX) vertically or horizontally while flying.
157
You can use this Spell to bypass dangerous or difficult ter-
rain. This Spell ends when you reclaim your Inheritance.
COMPANION FLIGHT
Prerequisite: Aerial Mobility or Telekinesis
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
Subject: Multiple targets within Medium range
You can allow your companions to fly alongside you.
Grant a number of willing targets equal to twice your
Inheritance to fly. All targets must remain within Medium
range of you, usually requiring you to cast this Spell in com-
bination with Aerial Mobility. Your companions are fully able
to control their own flight. Also, any further spell that affects
your movement, like Acrobatic Flight or Swift as Lightning
automatically affects subjects of this Spell for no additional
cost. This Spell ends when you reclaim your Inheritance.
SWIFT AS LIGHTNING
Prerequisite: Aerial Mobility or Telekinesis
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One target, or self
You can move things at unnatural speeds. When using
your magic to move an inanimate object, it moves with
blinding speed, unable to be seen by the naked eye. When
moving yourself or someone else, they move at speed Scale
+2. Additionally, you buffer your subject against the ill effects
158 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
of moving at high speed. If you use this Spell to take a long
journey via air, your speed Scale increases to +4, and the
Spell lasts until you reclaim your Inheritance as long as you
maintain your course.
TELEKINESIS
Cost: None or Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
Subject: One target within Medium range
Objects move at your command. You can freely move
any object you could comfortably hold in one hand that is
within Short range, without imbuing any Inheritance. By im-
buing Inheritance into this Spell, you can move any person
or object that is your size Scale or smaller within Medium
range. You can move this object as fast as you can run, and
you can move it anywhere within Medium range. Attempting
to move anyone of your Tier or higher requires a Clash of
Wills. Imbuing Inheritance also allows you to hurl objects
you could hold in one hand with great force, permitting you
to use them as Thrown weapons. Because of the precision
of your control, attacks using this Spell automatically gain
the Arcing tag. This Spell ends when you reclaim your
Inheritance.
ILLUSIONS
You have mastered controlling the senses, able to fool
them, create false images and illusions. Your illusions fool
even the most brilliant observer, tricking them into believing
whatever you put in front of them. Additionally, you can
pierce deception, revealing hidden things.
CLEAR SIGHT
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
You gain the ability to see through all illusions and dis-
guises. In addition, you automatically know when a trivial
opponent speaks a lie in your presence, although you only
know you have heard a lie, not the nature of the truth. In
addition, you gain +3 Enhancement for detecting deliberate
and knowing lies in either the speech of non-trivial oppo-
nents or in print.
DISGUISE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: One Day
You can’t change the actual shape of people or objects,
but you can disguise them with an illusion. This illusion can
disguise a group of twice your Inheritance, a single object
of up to Scale size 2, or a location no larger than a medi-
um-sized house.
Disguised people and objects appear lifelike and seem
completely authentic — a person’s hair ripples in the breeze,
a car’s engine throbs, a fire gives off heat. This illusory dis-
guise even feels real to brief, non-forceful touch, but it has
no physical substance and cannot exert force or cause harm.
These disguises remain even after you leave their presence.
A non-trivial character who wins a Clash of Wills can see
through the disguise. Also, attempts to physically interact
with a disguise may reveal it to be fake. You cannot make
people or objects invisible, but you can make them look like
anyone or anything you want.
EYES TURNED AWAY
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: Self or by touch
You cause others to be unable to notice you. You do not
become literally invisible — instead, by seeming chance and
the massive power of your will, no one looks in your direc-
tion and people miss any sounds you make, as long as you
make at least a token effort to be stealthy. Trivial characters
have no chance to see you. Non-trivial characters gain a
Clash of Wills, and you gain +3 Enhancement to evade notice
from those who succeed on their Clash. You can also use this
ability on others that you touch, if they are willing. Anyone
using this Spell who actively draws attention to themselves
automatically ends it.
ILLUSORY AURA
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
You alter your appearance in ways to depend on both
your intent and who is observing you. You must decide on
what impression you wish your appearance to convey — at-
tractive, terrifying, trustworthy, or something more specific,
like being in a position of high authority. For the duration of
this spell, you give all observers the impression you’re aiming
Dragon Magic
for, but what they see differs depending upon who is looking
at you. If you wish to appear attractive, you look very different
to two people with different definitions of attractiveness.
Also, if you wish to appear to be someone in a position
of authority, someone strongly religious may see you as an
important religious official, while a soldier would almost
certainly see you as a high-ranking officer. Regardless of what
someone sees you as, you also gain an Attitude of 3 for all ob-
servers — this Attitude can be positive or negative, depending
upon your wishes when casting this Spell. Trivial targets are
affected by this Attitude and firmly convinced that you are
who they believe you to be, although they may become con-
fused if several of them discuss you. Characters of your Tier or
higher still see your desired appearance, but are not affected
by your illusory Attitude if they win a Clash of Wills.
IMPERSONATION
Prerequisite: Disguise
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Subject: Self or touch
You can disguise the target as a specific individual. You
must have either touched the individual or seen them in per-
son and heard them speak for at least several minutes. This
disguise is perfect, and includes appearance, accent, body lan-
guage, and even scent, so that it fools someone’s dog as well as
their allies. Also, your fingerprints and other physical details
appear to match perfectly. In addition, while this Spell does
not provide the subject with any special knowledge of the per-
son they are impersonating, the Spell helps convince people.
As a result, all trivial targets are firmly convinced that you are
who you appear to be. Also, if you win a Clash of Wills with
characters of your Tier or higher, you gain +3 Enhancement to
all rolls to dispel their doubts about your identity.
LUCK
You command the powers of luck and fortune. Your su-
pernatural might effectively bends the nature of reality and
the dictates of random chance in line with your desires.
ARMOR OF FORTUNE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Your luck is strong enough to survive impossible acci-
dents and deadly firefights. You add +1 Defense against at-
tacks and have +2 Enhancement on any roll where you could
suffer physical harm as a direct result of failing it.
FORTUNE’S FAVOR
Cost: None or Imbue 1 Inheritance
Even without imbuing any Inheritance, Luck is per-
petually on your side. You can always find a parking place
faster than others, there’s always a table waiting for you at
a restaurant, and you take no harm from random or hap-
hazard dangers such as debris in a tornado, a freak traffic
accident, or being trampled by shoppers on Black Friday.
You gain +3 Enhancement to all games of chance. Your
luck does not protect you from damage that results from
159
an action performed with intent to cause harm, like gunfire
in a shootout, or environmental situations. This immunity
extends to any non-magical dangerous terrain, unless a char-
acter in the scene actively created that peril with intent to
harm. You still face any Complications that such situations
would normally impose — you’re simply guaranteed to come
through unscathed. If you imbue 1 Inheritance, you can ap-
ply your Enhancement as beginner’s luck at any task. If you
attempt any action where you have 0 Skill and no relevant
Specialization, you also gain +3 Enhancement to the roll.
SECOND CHANCES
Cost: None
Duration: Instant
Subject: One target within Medium range
If you have negatively altered someone’s Attitude
toward you within the past scene, you can undo whatever
damage you did to their impression of you with this Spell.
This Spell resets the target’s Attitude toward you to what it
was before the recent change. For example, if you made a bad
impression on someone you just met, then the Spell resets
their Attitude toward you to 0. You can automatically alter
Trivial targets’ Attitude. Attempting to reset the Attitude of
anyone of your Tier or higher requires a Clash of Wills.
STOLEN LUCK
Prerequisite: Second Chances
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One target within Medium range
You can steal someone’s luck. You do this by imposing
the Unlucky Condition on someone. This Condition imposes
a +3 Difficulty on all rolls of a specific type, such as move-
ment, information gathering, intrigue, or combat. For the
next scene, if your target fails any of these rolls because of
this increased Difficulty, and would have succeeded at this
roll without this increase, then you gain +3 Enhancement on
your next action of any type.
SWIFT FORTUNE
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
You become inhumanly lucky, especially when per-
forming difficult physical movements in complex environ-
ments. In effect, the World gets out of your way, allowing you
to not worry about minor random events, granting you +3
Enhancement with all such rolls. You gain this same bonus
to all chases and other actions involving physical movement,
including everything from performing difficult acrobatics to
driving a car in combat.
TRANSFORMATION
Many Dragons can switch between human and Dragon
form with ease, but you have learned the secrets of the art of
altering your shape in far more profound ways. You can turn
yourself into almost any form and can also transform objects
and other individuals.
160 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
HIDE BENEATH NOTICE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
You can change your impressive draconic form into
something small and innocuous. This Spell allows you to ei-
ther turn into any small lizard, snake, or amphibian distantly
related to your draconic parent, or just a tiny version of
your dragon form. While in this small form, you are beneath
notice so long as you behave the way the animal you have
become should; whenever magical detection would identify
you as a magical creature, make a Clash of Wills. You can
move or act just like the creature you resemble, and while
your other traits do not change, your Might is effectively 0
and you cannot increase it by any means while in this shape.
This Spell ends when you reclaim your Inheritance.
SHIFT SHAPE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
You take on another form. Like most dragons, your
range of forms is usually somewhat limited. Each time you
learn this spell you can learn one of three types of forms. You
can either turn into any normal animal at least the size of
a crow or cat, you can keep your ordinary shape but trans-
form yourself in an animate elemental material such as mist,
lightning, fire, or stone, or you can transform yourself into
an exact duplicate of a person or Denizen. This last option
even allows you to exactly resemble another Dragon, God,
or Titan, should you wish to risk doing so. This Spell lasts
until you reclaim your Inheritance. In all cases, this trans-
formation is perfect in the details and undetectable through
non-magical means, but doesn’t alter any of your Attributes,
Skills, or other traits. However, depending on the form you
assume, you can gain the following benefits:
• +1 Scale on all actions with a single Physical Attribute
of your choice
• Any special forms of movement that shape possesses.
• Any natural attacks that shape possesses.
• Any miscellaneous abilities the Storyguide decides
the shape should have, like a Dragon made of fire
being able to ignite flammables.
Learning any version of this spell also gives you +3
Enhancement to resist any attempt to transform your body
against your will.
TRANSFORM OBJECT
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Permanent
Subject: One object with Close range
You can transform any object within Close range that is
no larger than size Scale equal to your Inheritance. The trans-
formation is permanent, though you can spend a Simple action
to return the object to its original form. You can only transform
objects into other objects of the same size and made of roughly
the same materials. You could turn a rifle into an umbrella or a
metal dumpster full of trash into a fast sports car. However, you
can only use this Spell to transform purely mundane objects.
TRANSFORM OTHER
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Subject: Multiple targets within Short range
You can alter the form of other living beings. You can
only transform a number of people and creatures equal to
you Inheritance x 2 into other living beings of approximately
the same size and you cannot transform targets into crea-
tures incapable of surviving in their current environment.
If desired, you can transform one or more targets into exact
duplicates of other individuals, including fingerprints and
other identifying characteristics. Also, these transformations
also transform clothes and worn objects, but not objects the
targets are carrying. You can automatically transform Trivial
targets. Attempting to transform anyone of your Tier or
higher without their permission requires a Clash of Wills.
Transformed characters retain their normal traits, but
face Complications if they attempt a task their form is unsuit-
ed to: using a computer keyboard as a chimpanzee faces a + 1
Complication, while firing a machine gun as a dog incurs a +
4 Complication. The advantages of the character’s new form,
such as a dog’s sense of smell, can provide Enhancement 1-3
on actions they apply to.
TRANSFORM SUBSTANCE
Prerequisite: Transform Object
Cost: Imbue or Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Three turns
Subject: Any single object within Medium range
You can briefly transform any object within range that
is your size Scale or smaller into a single other material. You
could turn a motorcycle into solid lead, a sword into cheap
flexible plastic, armor into paper, or the door of a vault into
lightweight cloth or a particle board door into solid steel. You
can change both mundane and mystical objects, including
powerfully enchanted weapons, armor, or chariots. To trans-
form a magical object, spend Inheritance instead of imbuing
and perform a Clash of Wills against its owner. After the Spell
ends, all damage to purely mundane objects remains, but all
mystical objects are automatically restored to how they were
before being transformed.
UNDERSTANDING
You possess a deep and profound insight into The
World and the supernatural realms beyond it. You can see
and understand things at a glance that others either cannot
or require weeks of research to learn.
FORESIGHT
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One target within Medium range
Dragon Magic
You know what your target is going to do before they do
it. When the target attacks you, you can change a Stunt the tar-
get is using against you to a different one. For example, if they
declare Inflict Damage, you could change it to Knockdown
instead. They must still spend the requisite successes to per-
form the Stunt. Alternately, you can use your understanding
of the future to influence it, dictating who and what the target
may attack. You can declare both the target of the attack and
a Stunt for your target. Used in this fashion, this spell imposes
a +3 Complication on your target. If they do not buy it off, you
can dictate how they spend their Successes this round.
GLIMPSE THE FUTURE
Cost: Free
Duration: One session
You sift through your draconic memories looking for a
glimpse of a future known only to Dragons. You gain insight
into a lead you are investigating. The next time you would
use a relevant Knack or Spell this session to investigate that
lead, or interpret clues, you may do so without paying the
Momentum or Inheritance. The relevance of the Knack or
Spell is determined by the Storyguide.
You may only use this Spell once per game session.
PENETRATING INSIGHT
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
You can also read any code or cypher with ease. During
this scene, you can also compose a response in the same
code or cypher. In addition, if you read anything not written
in code, you can use this Spell to increase the depth of your
understanding. As a result, you can use either the Extra Clue,
Interpretation, or Q&A Stunts (Scion: Origin, p. 75) on this
document. Each use of this Spell only allows you to use one
Stunt, and in all cases, this Spell fails if the document does not
contain additional information that you are searching for.
PIERCING GAZE
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Your senses can pierce through lies and confusion.
Add +3 Enhancement on any rolls to determine whether a
character is lying, see through a disguise, pierce an illusion,
or otherwise pierce any and all deceptions. If you face the
Misleading Complication, its rating is reduced by one point.
VISION OF THE AGES
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
When you look intently at something, you can see not
merely its present, but you can also access the full range of
Draconic Memories relating to this object, allowing you to
learn its history and secrets. When you use this Spell, the
Storyguide first provides you with general information about
the object and its history. Then, you can ask four additional
questions about the object and events it was involved or
used in that the Storyguide must answer truthfully. These
questions should normally be versions of the four clue
Stunts (Scion: Origin, p. 75). You could ask only questions
relating to a single one of the four clue Stunts, or each of you
161
questions could be related to a different clue Stunt ― your
only limitation is that each time you cast this Spell, you can
only use the player inspiration clue Stunt once.
WEATHER CONTROL
You know the magical nature of the weather. You can
call or banish storms, and can even use weather as a weapon.
Regardless of where you are, wind, rain, clouds, and even
violent storms bend to your will.
ALTER WEATHER
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One Field
You can alter the weather to any state that is remote-
ly reasonable for the location and season, allowing you to
both create and calm inclement weather. You can’t make it
snow in Death Valley or create a heat wave in the middle of
a Wisconsin winter, but if a particular weather condition
is within the range of possibility for a particular time and
place, you can make it happen. However, if you create ex-
treme weather like tornadoes, you merely create them; you
cannot control or direct them in any fashion. While in many
cases this effect is narrative in scope, in combat it often re-
sults in Field Conditions, or may inflict Conditions on player
characters per the Storyguide’s discretion. After the scene is
over, the weather gradually returns to normal.
LETHAL WEATHER
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: All enemies in one range band
You call up a brief burst of extreme and deadly weather,
rolling an attack with Survival + (highest Power Attribute).
It serves as an attack with the Aggravated, Ranged, and
Shockwave tags. This weather can take the form of light-
ning, a brief but powerful whirlwind or waterspout, or even
a shower of baseball sized hail. You can use this Spell to
attack enemies inside a building, but the building provides a
Defense bonus: from +1 for a one-story building with a light
wooden roof to +5 for a well-made bank.
LOCALIZED WEATHER
Cost: None
You can manifest tiny weather effects at will, as long as
they are within Short range. You could blow open a door by
summoning a small and carefully directed gust of wind or
put out a small fire with a watermelon-sized rain cloud.
RESIST WEATHER
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: One day
Subject: Self and multiple targets within Short range.
You, and if you desire, up to Inheritance x 2 comrades take
no damage and suffer no discomfort from normal extremes of
weather. Not only doesn’t a blizzard chill you, but you can also
keep yourself and anything you are wearing or carrying from
162 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
getting wet in a rainstorm. In addition, you and everyone else
protected by this Spell can ignore up to +3 Complication or +2
Difficulty from weather related phenomenon.
UNNATURAL WEATHER
Prerequisite: Alter Weather
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: One Day
Subject: One Field
You can alter the local weather to create conditions
possible anywhere in the World. You could create a blizzard
on a hot July day in Mexico City, or a heat wave in northern
Canada in December. The other limits on the alter weather
Spell still apply, including your inability to precisely control
phenomena like tornadoes. You can also use this Spell to
create both difficult and dangerous terrain. After the day is
over, the weather gradually returns to normal.
SIGNATURE
DRAGON MAGIC
E ach Flight has its own special and unique Form of Dragon
Magic, which represents the primal power and mystery
that each Flight possesses. Heirs gain access to the signature
Form of their Dragon ancestor, or of the Dragon they are a
reincarnation of. Relics cannot provide access to these Forms
and no Dragon can learn more than one.
DRAQ SIGNATURE MAGIC:
PANDEMONIUM
You command the forces of chaos, allowing you to add
small or large amounts of pandemonium to almost any situa-
tion, while also keeping you safe from its effects.
VORTEX
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: One day
When you activate this Spell, name a single aspect of
your life — which could be anything from your family, work,
relationship, or even the cafe where you get your coffee
each morning — which explodes in chaos. Fights break out,
something needs repair, people miss appointments, or the
power goes out in the building. This upheaval does not di-
rectly involve you nor does it negatively affect you. It instead
imposes a +3 Complication to anyone attempting to take
Intrigue or Procedural actions against you. Failure to buy off
the Complication leads the person to get wrapped up in the
drama rather than whatever they were attempting to do.
MINOR CHAOS
Cost: Free or Imbue 1 Inheritance
Anytime you wish, disorder surrounds you but does
not affect you personally. Minor mistakes and oddities of
chance occur with greater than normal frequency ― flipped
coins land on edge, two-headed calves are born, people make
more random mistakes than normal, electronic devices fail
for random reasons, and bullets hit unintended targets.
Most of these effects are merely annoying, but if you imbue
Inheritance into this Spell, then each round choose one
target within Short range and impose a +3 Complication to
a perform their next task. Unless the target abandons that
task or buys off the Complication, the task goes awry in some
dramatic fashion, like swerving in a car chase in a manner
that causes an ally’s car to crash, or someone performing re-
search accidentally knocks over an entire bookcase, spilling
valuable or perhaps priceless manuscripts all over the floor.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHAOS
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: A single person or organization
You can affect a person or organization through the
careful application of chaos. If you know or strongly suspect
someone has a specific secret, you can use the power of
chaos to insure it comes out within three days ― an email or
letter may be sent to someone other than the intended recip-
ient, or a damning photograph or document may fall out of
someone’s briefcase and be immediately seen and picked up
by a journalist. You can also use this Spell to harm an organi-
zation in a specific fashion. You can cause a single project to
become filled with delays and random minor problems, like
lost files, people missing meetings due to bad traffic, or an
abundance of heated but ultimately pointless arguments. All
rolls associated with this project also increase their Difficulty
by +2. You can also cause the same organization to lose all
files pertaining to a particular person or event. For example,
the police might be forced to release a suspect because sud-
denly all evidence against them mysteriously vanishes.
PARALYZING DISORDER
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One machine or character
You overload a machine’s gears or a person’s mind with
the chaotic power of pandemonium. A targeted character
must struggle simply to maintain coherent thought. On each
turn, if they wish to take an action, they must combine it with
an Athletics + Stamina roll at Difficulty 2. Trivial characters
are rendered catatonic for the scene.
You can target machines up to the size of a private jet.
They break down completely until they receive mainte-
nance. This damage is permanent, but you cannot reclaim
the Inheritance imbued in this Spell until the next scene.
VIOLENT ANARCHY
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Subject: Multiple characters
Pandemonium breaks out. You create a scene of utter
disarray and uncontrolled anarchy. All characters in the
Field immediately lose control over their actions and start
acting in sporadic ways. All people and animals descend into
a frenzied action that does not normally suit them. Fights
Signature Dragon Magic
and orgies break out in the middle of the street, people start
crying in the corner, animals start intermingling with peo-
ple. Anyone of the same Tier or higher than you gains a Clash
of Wills to resist the Spell’s effect.
If the Storyguide has specific plans for what a mortal
character is doing in the scene (for example, the hired secu-
rity you’re trying to distract with a riot), she can declare them
unavailable as targets. You have no control over what’s hap-
pening, but it’s reckless, loud, and provides a good distraction.
JOKA SIGNATURE
MAGIC: REFINEMENT
The Joka’s hunger leads them to collect and store all
sorts of esoteric materials from matter, energy, and even
information. Over time, they have learned to refine these
materials into more suitable forms, or simply eliminate them
completely to gain sustenance.
ABSORB INFORMATION
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: One object
You can touch items containing information, like books,
flash drives, or even computers and instantly absorb all the
information contained within. As long as the information is
not in code or otherwise deliberately concealed, you have
exactly the same comprehension and retention of the infor-
mation as if you carefully read the material. However, touch-
ing a computer while this Spell is active does not allow you
to absorb any information stored online, only information
physically stored on the computer.
FINAL DESTRUCTION
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: One target within Close range
You can destroy almost anything, it doesn’t matter if you
are destroying a soda can, a vault door, or a nuclear weapon.
You can destroy any single inanimate item, up to your size
Scale +1. You can also create a hole in a wall (or other solid
surface) of the same size. If you want to destroy a mystical
artifact of any sort, the owner gains a Clash of Wills to resist
the destruction. Anything you destroy with this Spell nour-
ishes you and is otherwise gone from The World.
TRANSFORM ENERGY
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: One source of energy within Medium range
You can transform any type of energy to any other of
roughly the same magnitude. You can transform a bonfire into
a sufficient quantity of electricity to fully recharge an electric
car or into a brilliant flash of light or a loud sound that persists
as long as the fire would. Similarly, you can turn the sound
from a rock concert or the motion of a truck into a raging
163
bonfire or a brilliant light show. When you cast this Spell,
you can choose a device or vehicle within Medium range and
transform the energy so that it powers the target. Alternately,
you can transform the energy and allow it to do what it natu-
rally would, but in this case you have only the most minimal
control over who the energy spreads and is directed.
TRANSMUTATION
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One target within Short range
You can turn a bonfire, the sound of an explosion or con-
cert, or the light from a spotlight into a brick, wooden statue,
or some other object, or do the reverse. The size of the object
is roughly correlated with the amount of energy involved. A
small campfire, the motion of a bicycle, or the light from a nor-
mal room could be made into an object that fits comfortably
into a pocket, while a raging bonfire or the electricity suffi-
cient to power an entire house, the motion of a truck, or the
light from half a dozen large spotlights would transform into
an object the size of a small backpack or briefcase. You cannot
transform larger sources of energy. Other than limitations of
size, you can use this spell to transmute any mundane object,
including statues, jewelry, guns, or swords. At your choice, you
can either make this transformation permanent by spending
the Inheritance or you can cast the Spell so that the transfor-
mation ends when you reclaim your Inheritance.
TRANSMUTE INFORMATION
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One source of information you touch
164 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
Duration: Permanent
You can transmute a single source of information or
energy into matter. You can turn electronic data into a book,
scroll, or pile of handwritten manuscripts or vice versa. You
can do the same thing with one or your memories or the
memory of someone who is willing to allow you to trans-
form it into matter. You cannot transform memories from
unwilling subjects, but you can trick or coerce someone into
allowing you to convert one of their memories. When you
use this Spell, the information vanishes from its original
source, so memories are lost, or a USB drive is wiped clean.
Restoring a memory lost this way requires the use of the
Absorb Information Spell or relearning the information. The
information remains in its solid form indefinitely, or until
you reclaim your Inheritance.
LINDWURMS SIGNATURE
MAGIC: AVARICE
The Lindwurms know what it is to desire something
they cannot have. In their constant search for lost truths,
they have learned to harness the forces of both desire and
greed. They can wield both, allowing them to inflame these
emotions within others, or to manifest their own desires in
a limited fashion.
OVERWHELMING GREED
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One Field
You create an Atmosphere of greed in the area you are
in. You can choose to have this Atmosphere be positive or
negative and is rated at half your Inheritance rating (round up).
If the Atmosphere is negative, people grow suspicious of one
another, looking over their shoulder and fearing that someone
will attempt to steal from them. If it is positive, people ignore
others who seem to not have any wealth as insignificant while
hyper fixating on those who have more as potential targets. In
addition, this Spell increases selfishness, reducing all Bonds
except rivalry by 2 points. This greed automatically affects all
trivial opponents, but non-trivial characters who win a Clash
of Wills reduce all modifiers by half.
CURSED HOARD
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Condition
Subject: Multiple items
You cast a curse upon your hoard to protect it. When
you cast this spell, select one or a group of items up to and
including everything you have in your Hoard. Anyone who
attempts to steal the enchanted cache gains +3 Difficulty on
all rolls directly or indirectly related to stealing from you. If
the thief is successful and takes one or all of the items af-
fected by this spell, they gain the Avarice Cursed Condition,
which gives them a +2 Difficulty to all their actions. The
Condition resolves when the person returns the stolen item
back to you, apologizes and makes reparations, or you will-
ingly forgive them for their crime.
IRRESISTIBLE CRAVING
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Condition
Subject: One target
You cause someone to develop an overwhelming desire
for a particular object, or for wealth that a particular indi-
vidual possesses. They gain the Craving Condition which
imposes a +2 Complication on all actions not directly related
to acquiring the object of their desire. This Complication
increases to +4 if they see the subject or hear about it either
from talk, seeing an image, or the object itself. Failure to
buy off this Complication leads the character to speak ex-
cessively about the item or to redirect actions to obtain it.
This Condition ends when the target gains the object, or you
reclaim your Inheritance.
STOCK YOUR HOARD
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
One way of improving your own hoard is taking from oth-
ers, and this Spell allows you to excel at this. If you are stealing
from a trivial target, which includes everything from ordinary
mortals, to mortal-owned banks or museums, then you can
automatically and without risk steal any one object you could
reasonably carry away with you. Guards look the other way,
locks “accidentally” open, and security camera temporarily
fail or simply record everything except you. Stealing large ob-
jects like statues or yachts, or stealing from characters of your
Tier or higher is considerably more difficult. In these cases,
this Spell provides you with +3 Enhancement to actions taken
Signature Dragon Magic
in pursuit of the theft. In all cases, you must know what you
are stealing and who owns it ― this Spell only allows you to
steal objects that you already know about.
RADIANT WEALTH
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
While your actual wealth is unchanged, you give people
who interact with you a subtle but unmistakable impression
that you are fabulously wealthy. Anyone who is strongly
moved or impressed by this fact in a positive fashion has a
minimum Attitude of 2 toward you for the duration of this
Spell, and they otherwise increase their Attitude toward you
by +1. Of course, someone who reacts negatively to wealth
reduces their Attitudes toward you in the same fashion. In
addition, you gain +2 Enhancement to all rolls to impress
people or to gain a variety of benefits due to people thinking
you possess vast wealth.
L NG SIGNATURE
MAGIC: BLESSINGS
Lóng love to give gifts. These gifts could be anything
from material items to acts in service, and the Flight has de-
veloped magic by which they bestow these blessings. These
blessings give abundance to those in their favor and mark
them for protection.
BLESSING OF DRACONIC POWER
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
Subject: One character you must touch
You can temporarily give any character, including a
trivial one, one of your Dragon Knacks. Until you reclaim
the Inheritance you imbued in this Spell, they can use this
Knack as their own. You do not lose use of this Knack when
you use this Spell.
BLESSING OF LUCK
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Condition
Subject: One target within Close range
While your own luck is unaffected, you can bless oth-
ers with ease. You can choose one person at a time to bless.
Choosing a new target removes your previous blessing. While
blessed, the target has a variety of minor good luck. They gain
+2 Enhancement when playing games of chance, there’s always
a table waiting for them at a restaurant, and they take no harm
from random or haphazard dangers such as debris in a tornado,
a freak traffic accident, or caught in a stampede. In addition,
targets gain the Protected Condition. While this Condition
affects targets, they either gain +2 Enhancement to perform a
specific activity, like combat or negotiation, or their enemies
suffer +2 Difficulty to perform specific activities against them,
like combat or intimidation. The target gains this Enhancement
or increased Difficulty for a number of actions equal to your
Inheritance, at which point the Condition resolves.
165
BLESSING OF PERFECTION
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One task
You bless a task making it easier and simpler for oth-
ers to perform. Anyone attempting the task, grains +3
Enhancement on their next roll or series of rolls that are
all part of a single complex action to build, create, or repair
something, from playing or writing a song, to fixing a com-
puter, forging a sword, or modifying a car. This Spell only
applies to the task at hand, although if one character stops
and another picks it up, the blessing continues. This Spell is
free to use on trivial targets. Also, it continues working even
after you leave the target’s presence.
DEFENSE FROM AFAR
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: One month
Subject: One character you must touch
This spell immediately alerts you if anyone deliberately
attacks the target, and also lets you know who is attacking
them. If you do not know the attacker, you automatically
recognize them if you meet them later. In addition, the at-
tacker also suffers a + 3 Complication on all rolls to attack the
target. If the attacker does not buy off this Complication, the
attacker automatically suffers an Injury Condition as your
draconic power rends and tears their flesh.
LAND BLESSING
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: One month
Subject: Any defined region no more than four square
kilometers
You can bless a single defined region of land, like a small
forest, an urban or suburban neighborhood, a farmer’s fields,
a lake, or a small town. The only limitation is that this region
cannot be too large, and it must be in some way distinct from
its surroundings. When you cast this Spell choose a single
broad type of action like movement, combat, crafting, re-
search, or communication and negotiation. Anyone you con-
sider a friend, ally, or someone under your protection gains a
+2 Enhancement for this activity when in this region, while
anyone who is either your enemy or who opposes your allies
or anyone under your protection increases the Difficulty of
all such actions +2 when they are in this region.
NAGA SIGNATURE
MAGIC: TELEPORTATION
Naga use their atman’s connection to the Divine Realm
to create smaller temporary realms based on their concepts.
They can use these realms to bypass limitations of distance
CREATE POCKET REALM
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
166 CHAPTER FIVE: DRAGON POWERS
You can create a small pocket realm, no larger than a
large one-bedroom apartment. When you create it, you and
as many as Inheritance x 2 companions teleport into it. The
realm lasts as long as you remain within it, but vanishes when
you leave, disgorging items stored within at your feet. Only
Naga can comfortably exist in pocket realms. Trivial oppo-
nents automatically suffer extreme mental strain. They gain
the Delusional Condition for as long as they remain within
the pocket realm. This Condition imposes a +2 Difficulty
to all actions, and resolves when they leave. Non-Trivial
characters suffer no ill effects, but find the experience to be
deeply uncomfortable.
IMPRISON
Prerequisite: Pocket Lair
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Indefinite
Subject: One target within Close range
You can transport a single target into your pocket lair.
This target can either be an inanimate object or a living
being. You can automatically transport trivial targets and
objects of your size Scale +1 into your pocket lair. However,
you can only transport characters of your Tier or higher if
they lose a Clash of Wills. This Spell ends when you reclaim
your Inheritance. When the Spell ends the target instantly
appears within Short range of you, in a location that is not
immediately harmful to it. If a character transported to your
pocket lair has a way to escape on your own, you immediate-
ly regain your Inheritance and know of their escape.
JUMP
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
You can use your ability to create pocket realms to by-
pass obstacles and short distances. You can move yourself
and a number of willing targets up to your Inheritance. You
can move to any location you can see, or to a space you can’t
see within Long Range, allowing you to move through walls
or enter locked spaces. You don’t need to know what is at
your destination, you merely need to know how far it is from
you and in what direction. If there is insufficient open space
to enter the desired location then the Spell automatically
fails and do not imbue any Inheritance.
POCKET LAIR
Prerequisite: Create Pocket Realm
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Permanent
You can now create a permanent pocket realm. Once
created, it and its contents remain, and every time you use
the Create Pocket Realm Spell, you can choose to enter your
pocket lair instead. You can use this realm to store items and
can outfit it to your comfort.
TELEPORTATION
Prerequisite: Jump
 Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: Two rounds
Subject: Self and up to Inheritance willing companions
You may bypass the limitations of space and even of
realms. When you activate this Spell, you can teleport to an-
other location and bring a number of willing targets with you
up to your Inheritance. This teleportation takes two rounds,
as you first travel briefly to a conceptual realm before exiting
again to your location. You may choose any location you have
seen or know about in enough detail to visualize, both any-
where in The World or in any Terra Incognita.
SERPENT SIGNATURE
MAGIC: PURIFICATION
The Serpents remember The World before pollution
and corruption, and can draw on the Earth’s natural resourc-
es to return it to its former state. Through this restoration,
they have also learned to restore people, plants, and animals.
CLEANSE
Cost: None
Duration: Instant
Subject: All food and drink within Medium range
You remove all toxins, impurities, diseases, and magic
from all food and drink within range. Rotten food restores
to a fresh state, poisons are made inert, and pests or infesta-
tions clear up immediately, and magical effects stop working.
This does not protect the food or drinks from going bad at a
future date, or from someone adding poison later.
SOOTHING AURA
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: Instant
Subject: Every living thing not hostile to you within
Medium range
You can radiate an aura of soothing and healing power.
Plants and animals recover from injury or illness, con-
taminants leave the land, and the dying pass with ease. All
allies out to Medium range may resolve a single Bruised or
Injured Condition, as well as curing diseases or the Poisoned
Condition. This Spell cannot heal Maimed Injury Conditions.
PURIFY ORGANIZATION
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Duration: One week
Subject: One organization
This Spell removes corruption from a single unified
organization, which can be anything from a small neighbor-
hood association to a large local branch of a transnational
corporation. Within one week of you casting this Spell, some
accident or coincidence reveals the identity and activities of
Signature Dragon Magic
anyone working in this organization who is stealing from it,
attempting to undermine or sabotage it, or who is otherwise
using it for their own purposes in ways that harm the orga-
nization or its mission. This Spell causes all such individuals
to make some mistake that reveals their actions to multiple
people in the organization who are not themselves corrupt.
Possible sources of these revelations include people over-
hearing a private conversation, or an email being accidental-
ly sent to multiple unplanned recipients.
RECLAIM THE EARTH
Cost: Imbue 1 Inheritance
Subject: One Field
You empower the land to cleanse itself of unnatural el-
ements. Plants grow, the earth opens up, and vines entangle
anything and everything in the area. When you cast this spell,
declare up to your Inheritance in targets. Targets can be living
entities or objects; non-trivial targets gain a Clash of Wills.
While in the Field, named targets suffer a +2 Difficulty to Move
actions as the very earth revolts against them. Additionally,
the Field becomes rough terrain and moving across it impos-
es a +3 Complication to Move actions. Failure to buy off the
Complication results in one of the following (caster’s choice):
become a named target of the Spell for the rest of the scene,
inflict an Injury Condition, or use the Pin Stunt for free.
REMOVE THE UNNATURAL
Prerequisite: Cleanse
Cost: Spend 1 Inheritance
Duration: One year
Subject: Any defined region no more than four square
kilometers
You can bless a single defined region of land, a small
forest, an urban or suburban neighborhood, a farmer’s
fields, a lake, or a small town. The only limitation is that this
region cannot be too large and it must be in some way dis-
tinct from its surroundings. All toxins and pollution in this
region instantly vanish and the land automatically resists the
introduction of further pollutants for the Spell’s duration.
Pollutants like cleaning chemicals, pesticides, or gasoline
also vanish from containers.
In addition, all structures and roads made of created
materials, like concrete, metal, glass, or plastic collapse and
all roads made of concrete or asphalt decay within one scene
of you casting this Spell. The structures begin to visible decay
and crumble, but anyone inside who does not ignore these
signs has time to leave unharmed. At the end of a scene,
roads become dirt tracks, and “unnatural” buildings and their
remaining contents are nothing more than piles of stone and
dirt. For the duration of this spell, any new buildings suffer
the same fate. This Spell has no effect on roads and structures
made of wood, stone, or brick.
167
T he intruders hadn’t been exactly subtle, tromping
through the forest like they were the apex predators
here. That’s what they normally were, after all, out in
The World: people with guns and body armor, with big
machines to perform the tasks they otherwise couldn’t.
Out in the rainforest — everyday nature — that balance
still shifted. Bobcats didn’t care about Kevlar, and an
Olympic black bear could shrug off several shots while it
rushed its victim. Still, guns made humans feel confident.
Immortal, even.
But here, in this part of the rainforest, they couldn’t
predict what else might be stalking them through the
trees. Several times as Ambrosia and Rhiannon led
the way, Jakob had spotted footprints whose owners
he was sure would be a couple of stories tall, if they
had the misfortune to encounter them. He doubted the
intruders’ guns would do much against a prehistoric
monster.
While Rhiannon and Ambrosia explored the
cavern and Eric scouted off to the west, Jakob found
the trail the intruders had cut through the woods.
They’d come in from the opposite direction, and had
clearly passed back and forth to the shrine a few times.
Trampled ground and broken branches pointed a clear
path to their staging area. Three giant pickup trucks
were parked in a row, with two people in military-style
gear standing around them chatting. Crates filled the
backs of the outer vehicles. In the middle truck’s bed,
a tarp covered something massive. Jakob’s heart sank.
That’s why we didn’t have any trouble getting to the
shrine. They killed its guardian. He couldn’t be certain
168 SCION: DRAGON
— maybe it was a giant bear, or another huge forest
denizen — but the guards all seemed a little too smug
for it to be anything less than an epic kill under there.
He faded back into the forest, intent on warning
the others. Halfway back to the shrine, he found an-
other pair of intruders. They were lugging a plastic
crate between them, paying more attention to the
ground than they were to what was up ahead, which
unfortunately for them, was Jakob.
“You got a permit for that?” he asked, stepping
into their path.
“Buddy, you’re on private property,” said the one
in front. “You need to turn around and go home.”
Jakob frowned. “Last I checked, the rainforest’s
part of the national park.”
“Apparently you haven’t noticed we’re not in
the national park anymore. This land’s been claimed,
and you’re trespassing.” They lowered the crate to the
ground. The one in front unholstered his sidearm, but
didn’t aim it at Jakob. Yet. “You want to move along,
now.”
“What have you got there, anyway?” he asked, ig-
noring the threat. “Some kind of treasure? I bet there’s
some really old stuff out here, probably worth a lot. Do
you get a cut of it?” Jakob knew a thing or two about
greed, how it wormed its way into people’s hearts
and made them jealous of what others had. How it
made them suspicious of one another. He played on
that now. “What’s your percentage? The same, or is it
negotiable?”
 The one in front glanced back at her counterpart.
“We don’t talk numbers.”
Jakob tilted his head. “Really? Because that guy
looks pretty pleased with himself. How big is the stuff?
Anything that could fit in a pocket? Maybe smuggle
something out and sell it yourself, keep the whole pile
of money?”
She stared at her counterpart. “That does sound
like you. What do you have hidden, Frank?”
“Me?” Frank spread his hands. “You’re the one
who was talking numbers back there, Kate. How would
you know what this stuff goes for unless you’ve been
doing some research on your own, maybe setting up
a buyer?”
As they sniped at each other, Jakob inched closer.
They moved from bickering into full-on shouting; it’d
only be a matter of seconds before one took aim at
the other. Stepping up behind Kate, Jakob smoothly
plucked the gun from her hand.
Frank reacted quickly, training his gun on Jakob.
“Hey. Easy now,” he said. “Don’t make me shoot.”
“You can’t,” said Jakob. The air grew bitterly cold
all around them. The intruders’ ragged breath came
out in little clouds. Frank hissed as a skin of rime cov-
ered his gun; he dropped it as ice licked toward his
fingers. “Sit down, both of you.”
They did as they were told, sinking to the ground.
Jakob pulled zip ties from Frank’s belt and secured
their hands behind their backs, then to one another.
He removed their radios and stomped on them until
they shattered. Then, he hefted the plastic bin up onto
one shoulder as though it weighed no more than a
feather. “Now no one gets a cut,” he said.
He left them there, still bickering, and hurried
back to the shrine. In the distance, he heard the thun-
derclap-roar of Donner’s gun.
Jakob reached the clearing as Ambrosia and
Rhiannon emerged from the cavern. Eric came strid-
ing in from the west seconds later.
“What’s going on?” asked Ambrosia. “We heard
the shot.”
“We’re not alone here,” said Jakob. “Got a bunch
of security types in trucks about a mile to the east. I
bumped into a couple of them on the way back, and
I’m guessing Eric’s found more.”
“Yeah. Just one,” he said. “A shoot first type.”
Rhiannon hurried over to him. She’d mentioned
having EMT training, and proved it now, giving her
friend a concerned once over. “I only heard one gun
go off.”
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE
Eric shrugged. “Turns out he shot second. Or
would have, anyway. I didn’t kill him, but it’ll take
him a while to get back to his friends, whoever they
are.”
“Lonergan Industries.” Ambrosia showed them
the badge she’d found below. “Looks like their CEO’s
trying to expand his territory.”
“We can probably scare them off,” said Jakob,
setting his burden down, “but the damage might be
done. They had something in one of their trucks. I
think it was whatever lived here.”
Ambrosia opened the plastic crate. Inside, among
a jumble of worn stone figures, were about a dozen
sharp teeth the size of her palm. “I say we get rid of
them anyway. Those fuckers.”
• • •
T he two guards in the staging area had gone from
their casual shit-shooting to high alert when the four
arrived. Frank and Kate must have hobbled their way
back and alerted the others to the trespassers’ presence;
they stood off to the right, consulting a tablet, probably
marking down lost inventory. They were about to lose
a whole lot more.
Ambrosia recognized one of the guards as she
came through the trees: Byers, whom she and Mitch
had run into at Lonergan’s manor. She didn’t bother
with niceties. Several of their number had already
waved guns at her allies, and between the teeth from
the crate and the lump under the tarp, Ambrosia
doubted Lonergan’s employees had much interest in
negotiating.
Rage seethed in her belly, an echo of what she’d
felt in that memory beneath the earth. Out in the
field, she kept a tight lid on her emotions and let logic
drive her decisions. Here, though, were the modern
equivalents of the wicked men she’d stopped long
ago, though their leader was elsewhere. Lonergan was
content to rake in the profits, but Gods forbid he got
his hands dirty.
Her roar shook the trees as she rushed forward.
Her allies were a hairsbreadth behind. Panic lit Byers’
eyes as he recognized who it was streaking toward
him, but he didn’t turn and flee. That was fine by
Ambrosia.
A wind kicked up as she ran. Between Jakob and
Donner, quite a storm was brewing. It felt good on her
face, like the currents that buffeted some past version
of herself as she soared through the clouds. For a
moment, she was back in that final dive toward the
wicked men, in a controlled plummet that was both
terrifying and thrilling.
169
 Byers’ Kevlar’s wasn’t so different from those old
steel breastplates, she realized. Even though he wasn’t
putting the rainforest to the torch, he’d been complicit
in killing a creature that was merely minding its own
business out here in the wilds, all for some other man’s
greed. Things hadn’t changed all that much.
Byers was ready for her, settling into a defensive
stance. He didn’t draw his gun, maybe full of some
bullshit macho need to best her hand-to-hand. That
was fine. He could make that mistake. It’d be all the
sweeter when she defeated him. She left hers hol-
stered, too.
He had professional training, that was for sure;
Ambrosia noticed it the night of the heist. She won-
dered if he had been military before he’d signed onto
Lonergan’s crew; A Navy SEAL or the Marines, may-
be. He caught several of her swings, turned them aside
and struck while she adjusted. She learned some of
these same moves in her time with the SPD, and even
how to counter them, but her ribs ached wherever
Byers’ blows landed.
He grinned, smug and pre-emptively triumphant.
Wrong choice.
170 SCION: DRAGON
Ambrosia abandoned the police moves. Some
days, a good old-fashioned bar brawl was the way
you needed to go. The switch in styles threw him —
he adjusted, but not fast enough. The force behind
Ambrosia’s wild swing knocked him back, left a dent
where he slammed into the truck’s side.
In that moment, he realized he might lose. So, he
stopped fighting fair. Out came the gun.
“You fucking coward,” Ambrosia sneered.
He squeezed off a shot as she flew at him. A
white-hot streak of pain seared her upper arm as the
bullet grazed her, but she gritted her teeth against
it. Ambrosia closed the distance in a heartbeat and
grabbed his gun hand. Heat flared beneath their fin-
gers and as she pictured the bullets in their chambers.
“If you want to keep that hand,” she said, “let go
right now.” He howled as the metal seared his skin.
The smell of burning flesh was awful, but Ambrosia’s
stomach grumbled anyway.
Byers’ hand relaxed beneath hers. Ambrosia let
go, and he sank to the ground, panting.
Jakob leapt atop the rightmost truck. He hefted
one of the crates and flung it out of the bed, forcing
a guard to dive out of its way. He pitched another
at Frank and Kate. It shattered at their feet, sending
splinters of plastic and stone shrapnel into exposed
skin. Frost spread from Jakob’s feet, encapsulating
the truck. The guard dragged himself into the cab and
turned the ignition, either attempting to flee like a
coward or separate Jakob from his allies. Either way,
it didn’t work. The engine was too cold to start, the
battery drained. Jakob smashed in the window and
dragged the guard out by the collar.
Rhiannon skirted around Ambrosia and Byers,
climbing up into the other truck’s bed. Like Jakob, she
went for the crates. Heavy as they were, she lugged
firehoses and air tanks around on the regular. Out of
the trucks and onto the ground they went, spilling
their contents onto the rainforest’s tire-churned soil.
Eric shot the middle truck’s rear tires, then circled
around behind Frank and Kate. He herded them to-
ward their other two colleagues, directing them with
a flick of Giantsbane’s muzzle. Jakob held the guard
he’d been tangling with by the scruff of the neck and
dragged him over to Ambrosia and Byers like an un-
ruly kitten.
“You’re going to get in this truck and leave,” said
Ambrosia. “You’ll find your last buddy on the way
out. He’ll need some help getting in. Then you’re go-
ing to tell your boss this place is off-limits. He sends
you or another team back, we’ll find out.”
“Do you think this is the only place like this he’s
got?” asked Byers. “You can’t be in all of them.”
Ambrosia leaned down, so Byers could see the
flames flickering in her eyes. “Don’t be so sure,” she
said. “I can be very, very patient. Now run.”
The four Lonergan employees scrambled into the
truck, two in the cab, two riding in the bed. The tires
kicked up dirt as the driver floored the gas.
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE
“Did we just ... declare war on a billionaire?”
asked Jakob.
“Think so,” said Ambrosia. She was already plan-
ning the research she’d need to do when she got back
to Seattle, the calls she’d need to make and the favors
she’d need to call in. “You in?”
He grinned. “Hell yeah.”
• • •
A week later, Ambrosia sat in Leticia Flores Gonzáles’
kitchen. Maps of Washington and printouts of
Lonergan’s holdings covered the table, along with
several notebooks full of Ambrosia’s research. If anyone
would have an idea of which Lonergan endeavors were
the shadiest, it was Leticia. Her environmental activism
had taught her to spot inconsistencies in land buys, and
how to tell when business operations weren’t truly what
they seemed.
“He’s been after permits to cut old-growth trees
that have been off-limits for a long time,” she said
now, twirling the macaw pin on her sweater. “His
whole team of lobbyists have been at it for over a year
now.”
“And he’s using those permits to find places of
power and steal whatever’s there so he can sell it. It’s
only a matter of time before he stumbles across some-
one’s hoard.”
“He’s got resources. Friends in high places. An
army of lawyers. You sure you’re ready for this?”
Ambrosia thought about the empty shrine in the
rainforest, and the relics Lonergan’s people had taken
from their sacred places to turn a profit. She thought
about what they’d found under the tarp after Byers
and his crew drove away, and the deep sorrow and
pity she’d felt as they buried the slain shrine-guardian.
She tapped a place circled on the map, one of
Lonergan’s recent real estate acquisitions. “This is
worth fighting for.”
171
 St. George then looking round about,
The fiery dragon soon espy’d,
And like a knight of courage stout,
Against him did most fiercely ride;
And with such blows he did him greet,
he fell beneath his horse’s feet.
— Reliques of Ancient English Poetry
collected by Thomas Percy
and edited by D. L. Ashliman

S cion focuses on mortal beings under the backdrop of

an epic war. While unique Scions compete with each
other, their gods and deities hang above and dwell below,
creating a mosaic of beliefs, myths, and epic stories. In
this regard, Scion: Dragon presents a third tier in the cold
war between Gods and Titans. This conflict presents new
themes, strategies, and stories, augmenting the already rich
world of Scion. This chapter provides additional tools for
the Storyguide as they pertain to Dragons and Heirs.
A Scion is the offspring of a God. They are a figure of
legend, imbued with power to protect (or harass) people
while serving their given progenitor. By contrast, Heirs
operate in the dark, hiding their nature from others as
well as themselves. Heirs don’t fight monsters on the eve-
ning news, nor are they heroes people worship or deify.
They are clandestine agents, orchestrating events from
the shadows, armed with their wits and protected only
by their anonymity. To put it another way, Michael Bay
would be an excellent choice to direct a Scion movie. For
Heirs, the ghost of Stanley Kubrick would be ideal.
Storylines: A good Storyguide should create a
Storypath — a single resource that includes all the materi-
als they need to convey the story. This should include set-
ting descriptions, one or more plotlines, and Storyguide
characters (SGC) with fully developed sheets. Additional
supplements may include randomized events, fictional
news articles, maps, and music to provide immersion for
locations the player characters may visit.
Some games are one-shot events while others are
campaign style chronicles designed to have multiple game
sessions. Scion: Dragon utilizes a great deal of cloak-and-
dagger events with individual acts of espionage and covert
actions. If the players encounter an SGC and gain access
to their phone or computer, a good Storyguide should
know what they’ll discover ahead of time. This way the
information remains readily available and consistent
throughout the chronicle.
Players vs. Characters: There is an old Hollywood
legend regarding the 1976 film Marathon Man starring
Dustin Hoffman and Sir Laurence Olivier. In the movie,

SETTING Sir Laurence Olivier portrays a war criminal who tortures

Dustin Hoffman’s character. In preparation for this diffi-

THE STAGE cult scene, Dustin Hoffman stayed awake for three days
to capture emotional verisimilitude. According to rumor,
an unimpressed Sir Laurence Olivier asked Hoffman, “My

S cion is a collaborative game, negotiated between the

Storyguide and the players, but the Storyguide maintains
the setting and shape of the experience.
Providing the Game Space: A Storyguide is respon-
sible for the actual playing space of a given game. This in-
cludes making sure all relevant Scion books are available,
the players have access to dice or electronic dice-rollers,
and maintaining a comfortable and collegial atmosphere.
The Storyguide should also make sure character sheets
are up to date and available to the players. Finally, a
Storyguide doesn’t need to memorize every single rule,
but they should have ready access to any relevant rules
and books.
Establishing Setting, Theme, and Goals: A
Storyguide is responsible for establishing the mood of
the game. Scion: Dragon has its own themes and setting,
which are different than a typical Scion game, which this
Chapter explores.
dear boy, why don’t you just try acting?”
This story illustrates two very different views when
it comes to acting, and this lesson translates well into a
roleplaying game. At the end of the day, players play and
portray roles in the game, not their characters. Players
who use their characters to conduct themselves in an
inappropriate manner sometimes use their creations as a
shield. “This is what my character would do” becomes the
go-to defense of their choices.
To be clear, players can and should use their charac-
ters to explore different aspects of the human condition,
but it does not divorce them from personal responsibil-
ity or the emotional consequences of their actions. The
Storyguide, along with each of the players, contributes to
the overall enjoyment of everyone at the game. If a player
feels compelled to take actions which might jeopardize
participants’ trust, then the Storyguide should have a pri-
vate conversation with the aforementioned player about

Setting the Stage 173

how to take actions that remain in the spirit of the mood
and setting of the game session.
Having Fun: Beyond the preparation and execution,
the core job of the Storyguide is to provide a safe and en-
joyable experience. When a game is too difficult for the
players, they can grow frustrated, and a Storyguide who
becomes too protective of their creation can often hinder
their own game. By contrast, the players can’t always win.
Character growth often comes from personal loss and de-
feat. In the end, the Storyguide is the cheerleader for the
players, and their goal is to create a balanced atmosphere
that is both challenging and rewarding.
NUTS–AND–BOLTS
B eyond theory and golden rules, the role of a Storyguide
is half preparation and half improvisation. It builds on
the layout described in Scion: Origin, but with a cloak-and-
dagger twist.
The Seed: The Seed is akin to a thesis statement —
one sentence encapsulating the trajectory of the story. To
use Star Wars Episode IV as an example, the Seed might
be: “A young farm boy learns about their magical powers
and joins the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire.”
The Pitch: If the Seed is a one sentence statement,
the Pitch is the opening paragraph delivered to the play-
ers. If we continue to use Star Wars Episode IV as our ex-
ample, then the opening crawl at the start of the film con-
stitutes a Pitch: “It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships,
striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory
against the evil Galactic Empire. During the battle, Rebel
spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate
weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with
enough power to destroy an entire planet. Pursued by the
Empire’s sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard
her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her
people and restore freedom to the galaxy…”
Deeds: Deeds are character goals. They are moments
a player wants to explore with their character. In addition
to short-term and long-term Worldly Deeds, Heirs pursue
Dragon Deeds and Memory Deeds. Worldly Deeds have
nothing to do with Dragons nor their overarching goals. If
an Heir wants to reunite with their lost love or track down
the person who murdered her best friend, this would be
a Worldly Deed. When a Dragon commands their Heir to
thwart the efforts of a particular Titan, this is a Dragon
Deed. The former deals with non-Dragon related goals
and the later deals exclusively with Dragon interests.
Memory Deeds, however, are new. Memory Deeds are
subconscious actions taken on the part of the character,
but are in truth, merely reflections of their Dragon progen-
itor. A Dragon has centuries of memory, experience, and
attitudes, all of which have been psychically transcribed
onto the soul of their Heir. An Heir cannot control these
memories, but they can learn to understand them, and in
so doing, they may come to unearth their true heritage.
174 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
A Storyguide can assist a player in this regard by offer-
ing moments of seemingly random clarity. For example, a
Dragon who a Titan severely burned a thousand years ago
may bequeath a fear of fire onto their Heir in the form of
a Memory Deed. The Heir suddenly develops this phobia,
and instinctively remembers the source of that memory
is in a particular location. If said Heir travels to that loca-
tion, they may encounter individuals who are “familiar”
to her, though in truth, they are merely part of a Dragon’s
memory. By defeating the pawns of the aforementioned
Titan, the Heir can complete their Memory Deed.
Snakes shed their skins, and so, to become a Lesser
Wyrm, must Heirs shed some part of their humanity.
This represents the last great roleplay arc of this stage
of a character’s arc, and a wonderful opportunity for
Storyguides to collaborate with their players to tell a tru-
ly epic story. An Heir at this point has acquired enough
Deeds to become a Lesser Wyrm, and this story arc should
not represent a monkey wrench thrown in her path, but a
narrative cut-scene of a sort, marking the change in a cin-
ematic fashion. Whether she shaves herself entirely bald
and burns her hair along with everything she owns on the
pyre in which she also immolates the bodies of Scions she
slew in the name of her mother, or locates and uses a Joka
artifact which devours her memories of her mortal family
and leaves said family behind without a word of goodbye,
an Heir must entirely surrender some portion of what
makes her human. In doing so, she kills the heart of what
made her mortal in the most literal of senses. She has by
this point devoted herself fully to the search for her dra-
conic self. Her sacrifice of these symbols of her humanity
marks the last gasping spasm of her expiring mortality.
The Heir dies, and a new Lesser Wyrm walks — or crawls
— the earth.
Planning: In the world of Scion: Dragon, most
stories involve some measure of espionage. They need to
harm, spy on, or otherwise steal from a given individual
or organization. While the characters and the players
portraying them may not know the reason why a Dragon
is asking them to do a thing, the Storyguide should abso-
lutely know why. So, at a high-level view, the Storyguide
should first determine the Dragon at play and their poten-
tial rival. This adversary likely takes the form of a specific
God or Titan. Once this is established, the Storyguide can
flesh out the adversary’s underlings who, ultimately, will
be the target of the player characters.
In the realm of espionage, spies and agents have many
avenues at their disposal. Assassinations, theft, sabotage,
infiltration are all means to an end. Dragons can task the
player characters with going after a series of targets, all of
whom work directly or indirectly for the aforementioned
adversary. If the players prove too effective, the Storyguide
can simply add more underlings. And if the Storyguide
wants to raise the stakes, they can have the adversary
employ Scions for protection or bring in an entirely new
God or Titan with their own individual agendas. While
the characters may launch their clandestine career with
a simple smash-and-grab job on a civil servant, they may
end embroiled in a covert war against an entire group.
Many games later, they come to realize the organization
they’re fighting against is but a proxy for a specific God or
Titan, and from there the characters can begin to question
what this specific God or Titan did to earn the wrath of
their Dragon.
Execution: A Storyguide can have good sense of
where the story should go only to have the players take
a tale in an entirely unexpected direction. Be ready for
the ingenuity of the players. A Storyguide can’t account
for every eventuality and should show flexibility when a
player offers a unique and unexpected tactic, especially
when said tactic is particularly clever. When a player
takes an action, the Storyguide should weigh the merits
of their action and make a final decision based on fairness
and game balance.
Finally, a Storyguide is in charge of the overall pacing
of a game, which players can sometimes derail with their
character choices. The Storyguide should allow the play-
ers to take the reins of their own game, but they may need
to eventually return players to the core through-line — the
Seed mentioned previously. A good question to occasion-
ally ask is, “Does anyone have anything else they’d like to
do before moving forward?”
PLAYERS AS
PLOT CREATORS
While Storyguides fashion events in an Heir’s past or
draconic heritage of which the player may not be initially
Nuts–and–Bolts
aware, especially for Reincarnated Heirs, extending this
privilege across the table to other players might add a
new layer of interest and roleplay depth. The structure of
Dragon provides an environment which actively encour-
ages players to work with one another in laying out po-
tential hooks for their Heirs to interact with one another’s
histories, again, especially where Reincarnated Heirs are
concerned.
At a table where mutual trust between players exists
as a result of good communication and extended roleplay,
allowing players to create hooks or events for each oth-
er’s Heirs where Dragons overlapped creates awesome
roleplay opportunities in what are, essentially, your
characters’ past lives. If Steve and Evelyn are playing the
only two Reincarnated Heirs in a Brood otherwise full of
Chosen Heirs, they may decide to give one another the
freedom to create Deeds for their Draconic parent, or sim-
ply bits of flavor from that parent’s past. Perhaps Steve’s
character Dacey is a reincarnation of Andvari in this game
set in New York City. Steve hasn’t decided what, exactly,
caused Andvari to reincarnate across the sea from the rest
of his Flight. Evelyn decides that it has something to do
with the fact that the sagas tell that Andvari cursed Fáfnir
into becoming a dragon, and Fáfnir didn’t much care for
that interpretation of events becoming the most popular
turn. It’s as if Fáfnir weren’t always a Dragon in his own
right! How scandalous.
Evelyn confers with Steve and establishes some
ground rules and boundaries for what Steve finds fun to
engage as themes, and what they want to avoid. Steve
175
says they’d prefer to know as little as possible about what
Evelyn decides, because they trust her. She decides and
confirms with the Storyguide that Andvari decided to flee
the bonds of his Flight to avoid the blame for Fáfnir’s de-
motion to ‘wasn’t always a dragon,’ and Fáfnir thereafter
snitched to the Æsir about which direction Andvari took
off in. The Storyguide thinks Evelyn’s idea fits perfectly
with some other ideas he’s got in mind for this Brood, and
takes the backstory as is, holding on to it to weave it in
with future storylines.
Evelyn decides she’d like a little bit more information
than Steve, just to whet her curiosity as a player, so when
Steve and the Storyguide confer, Steve tells Evelyn that
the bit of backstory they made up for her has something to
do with how her Dragon met his demise. Since Evelyn and
Steve talked beforehand, and she told him she’d prefer not
to engage with themes of torture, she can relax and enjoy
the story, knowing her tablemates have respected her
wishes. This process can enrich the story-crafting process
for the entire table by both allowing greater player collab-
oration and freeing up the Storyguide’s mental energy for
weaving all of these incredible ideas together rather than
having to be the sole genesis of the twists and turns in a
character’s backstory. In the end, of course, the Storyguide
is the final arbiter of what themes and storylines he wants
to engage with at the table.
Setting firm boundaries beforehand with regards to
topics which would make this exercise less fun gives more
freedom to everyone at the table: if Steve doesn’t want to
engage with anything regarding a particular topic, he’s
more able to enjoy this sort of trust-based interplay once
he’s set those boundaries clearly beforehand and can trust
that his roleplay partners respect those boundaries. Even
with setting firm limits on comfort levels, however, play-
ers might be surprised by their reactions to topics they
didn’t think would bother them.
SHADOW GAMES
I n the real world of espionage, agents come in one of two
categories — official and non-official cover operatives.
Governments assign official cover operatives to a foreign
embassy or consulate and provide them full diplomatic
immunity. On discovery, the foreign embassy usually expels
the operative from the country without further diplomatic
or legal incident.
Non-official cover (NOC) operatives, however, func-
tion without official ties to a particular government. Their
work is illegal, highly dangerous, and if caught, they are
completely on their own. Their governments have plausi-
ble deniability and won’t assist the NOC agent or even ac-
knowledge their existence. Heirs function as NOC agents,
but worse, since NOC agents have at least some semblance
of why they are doing the things they’re doing. Not only
does an Heir have little protection if caught, they don’t
even fully grasp the motives behind their orders. They
176 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
operate in a secret world, not only to their enemies, but
also to themselves.
Be they born, chosen, or reincarnated, all Heirs at
some point come to realize their true heritage and almost
immediately become conscripted into a clandestine war.
Some Dragons speak directly to their children, though
if they choose to do so, it’s usually via dreams or other
portends. More often, Dragons utilize Guides, Pawns, and
other Heirs to handle new recruits. An older Heir func-
tions as a case worker, mentoring, training, and handling
the younger Heir. These mentors help establish false
identities, safe houses, and code words for covert com-
munications. After a few successful missions, the mentor
fades from view, allowing the Heir to operate solo. From
then on, missions come in the form of secure messages,
dead drops, and surreptitious intermediaries.
The life of an Heir is pulled between two different
worlds — their mortal realm and the agenda of their
Dragon parent. But every time a Dragon asks an Heir to
carry out a task, the more that Heir loses some of their
naiveté. The more they steal for a Dragon, or kill for them,
the more embroiled they become until eventually it is too
late to go back. An Heir lives a lonely life, wrought with
doubt and confusion. They are unable to reveal the nature
of their work, and those few they can share it with live
equally uncertain lives.
Intelligence operatives try to remain detached, keep-
ing their emotions in check and keeping their families
compartmentalized. Families and loved ones are, in the
espionage business, potential points of leverage. Agents
often keep their clandestine activities a secret from their
families as much as they keep their families secret from
their clandestine activities. The Heir walks a precarious
tightrope between these two worlds. They live a real
life with a real name and an actual occupation. But they
also fight in a secret war, with a mind full of memorized
code-phrases and a nearby safe house filled with fake IDs,
passports, and a small arsenal.
SCIONS AND HEIRS
While the Gods and the Titans battle each other daily,
Dragons have assumed a more mercurial role. They func-
tion nearly as mercenaries, often as independent actors
or go-betweens. Sometimes they work for the Gods, and
other times they aide the Titans, no matter which side
they may seem to be helping, they have their own per-
sonal goals and agendas for helping the pantheons. Often,
on a long enough timeline, those allegiances change. As a
result, intelligence agents don’t hold grudges. They can’t
afford to. The agent they tried to assassinate yesterday
might be a source of information they need tomorrow.
That said, when it comes to Scions and Heirs, there are
some shared cultural through lines.
The Draq and the Theoi and Anunna: The Draq
despise the Anunna Gods. Marduk is responsible for de-
stroying Tiamat — the mother of all Dragons — an unfor-
givable sin. The Draq would just as soon destroy all the
pantheon if they only have enough power. But they don’t,
which means they bide their time, and spend whatever
time they can wearing Titan mantles with which to make
war against them. Both the Dragons and the Gods cast
each other as villains in their own stories, and that rift is
likely to never heal.
To a lesser extent, the Draq also have a bloody history
with the Theoi, who hunted their members during their
pogrom across Europe and into the Middle East. Draq are
more likely to work with a Theoi God or two, depending
on who it is, or what mantle they are wearing at the time.
Heirs know to take jobs on a case by case basis and not to
have too high of expectations of Theoi agents.
The Joka and the Netjer and Òrìshà: The relation-
ship between the Netjer and the Joka is complicated.
Ammut urges the rest of the Flight to assist the Gods in
destroying the Titans, and Apophis urges the exact oppo-
site. The rest of the Joka fall somewhere in the middle,
acting as mercenaries to whichever side will feed their
hunger the best. Meanwhile, the Òrìshà have offered
peace to the Joka. The Flight doesn’t necessarily trust
it, but the Òrìshà’s insistence on refusing to label anyone
a Titan has won over a few of those on the fence. While
Dragons like Ammut believe such a stance is folly, Raina
appreciates them and has worked with them on more than
one occasion. Joka Heirs are always wary of Scions, but
they are more likely to find allies amongst the Òrìshà’s
Scions than any other pantheon.
The Lindwurm and the Æsir and Theoi: To say
the Dragons of Northern Europe have an adversarial re-
lationship with the Æsir Pantheon is an understatement.
With Fáfnir’s death and Jörmungandr relegated to Titan
and child of Loki, the Lindwurms are not much impressed
with the Æsir Gods. The mythology depicts Dragons as
monsters, slain by Norse heroes of lore, and many lost
their lives to these myths. Unfortunately, this doesn’t
preclude them from working with a God or Titan when
a truth about the Dragon’s real history is at stake. Their
relationship with the Theoi is less fraught, though they
blame Heracles for their loss of memory with the loss
of Vishap. They still seek restitution, though the Theoi
are never likely to give it. Lindwurms have long memo-
ries and hold old grudges, dispensing their resentment
on both groups. Scions of either pantheon better come
bearing choice knowledge if they hope to find help from a
Lindwurm Heir.
The Naga and the Devá and Theoi: The Devá are
unapologetic in their war against the Titans. The Naga
have given their aid in the form of Vasuki who sits on
Shiva’s shoulders, though Vasuki has played both sides
against the middle for as long as he’s been working for
Shiva. The Naga often unofficially help the Devá on both
sides, trading in information, weapons, money, and power.
For the Naga, this is a relationship of convenience. They
collect and catalogue favors from the Deva into a stockpile
of chits, which the Naga eventually plan on calling in.
Shadow Games
The Theoi spent a great deal of time murdering the
Naga, meaning that the European Dragons who weren’t
trapped in the Divine Realm died in the bloody esca-
pade. They refuse to work with the Theoi Gods, though
sometimes they might lend secret aid to a Titan or two if
it seems like it can land a blow on Zeus, who they blame
his Scions (specifically Heracles) for most of their lost
brethren.
The Lóng and the Kami and Shén: The Lóng left the
Kami and the Shén quietly, and many of them still per-
form double duty as Titans to the pantheons. They aren’t
necessarily happy with how their roles were marginal-
ized, especially Ryūjin who the Shén deeply humiliated.
They don’t look kindly on the Gods of these pantheons,
and refuse to work with certain members until an apol-
ogy is forthcoming, but due to their relegation as Titans
otherwise, the Lóng doubt they’ll ever see such. They are
much more likely to help a Titan, or work to protect their
own titanic interests than to help a God of either of these
pantheons.
The Serpents and the K’uh and Teōtl: The South
American pantheons view the Serpents with a certain
reverence, claiming their presence as a universal neces-
sity. The Serpents, on the other hand, feel a bit like the
Gods have betrayed them, allowing humanity to pollute
and slowly destroy The World. The Serpents don’t blame
the Gods, so much as they don’t trust them to do the right
thing. While Ndengei doesn’t trust any Gods, the rest of the
Serpents are fine working with them. Xiuhcoatl still keeps
his ties to the K’uh, carrying a mantle of a God, though
his mercenary acts come from no place of love. K’uk’ulkan
keeps the company of the Teōtl God, Quetzalcoatl, and
considers many of the other Teōtl friends. The Serpents
are firmly on the side of the Gods either way, as they view
Titans as just a different source attempting to destroy The
World. That hasn’t stopped some Titans from reaching
out to them for aid, but the Serpents keep their distance.
FOLLOWING THE
PAPER TRAIL
After enough spy missions and trade craft, at some
point, an Heir is going to start questioning their orders.
Unfortunately, Dragons aren’t generally forthcoming. A
Dragon operates from the deep shadows, using interme-
diaries to move their pawns and further their own agen-
da. One of the themes of Scion: Dragon is self-discovery
while unearthing the true motivations of a Dragon. An
Heir can accomplish this through a number of different
methods.
Comparing Notes: The simplest method of discov-
ering a Dragon’s agenda is to compare notes with other
Heirs. If three different Heirs have clandestine orders to
attack members of the same corporation or group, it paints
a clear picture. That said, getting clandestine agents to
openly discuss their work is risky. If an Heir saunters up
to another Heir at a local bar and asks too many questions,
they’re likely to earn suspicions and side-eye rather than
177
secrets. The trick is to earn the trust of a fellow Heir,
swapping stories, friendship, and perhaps a couple of
secrets.
The Butcher’s Bill: At some point an Heir might
break down and make a list of every act of espionage
they’ve ever committed. In it, they may discover a pattern
of behavior. If they’ve struck at known Scions of a partic-
ular deity, this may suggest their Dragon has beef with a
specific pantheon. If the Heir has conducted operations
to protect or safeguard a particular group, the Heir may
soon learn the particular group serves a specific Titan. By
collecting these data points, the Heir can start to put the
puzzle together, revealing at least part of their Dragon’s
agenda.
Watching the Watchmen: Dragons like to compart-
mentalize their secrets, which means they don’t hand
out orders the same way every single time. They utilize
go-betweens and sub-agents. This allows them to operate
at a distance and maintain some semblance of plausible
deniability. One option for an Heir is to shadow these
intermediaries. They can turn their considerable skills of
espionage against their employers, stalking them to their
homes, learning more about them, and following the in-
evitable money-trail. In so doing, the Heir may identify
a specific bank or organization employed by the Dragon,
which may answer certain questions.
REAL LIFE SPIES
E veryone loves a good spy story. Between books, movies,
and television, there is plenty from which to take
inspiration. Just look at the stories of Jack Bauer and James
Bond, Varys from Game of Thrones, Black Widow from
The Avengers, and Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in
Goldmember. Television shows like Archer, The Americans,
Alias, Spooks, Burn Notice, and more get into what it might
be like to play an Heir.
Less known are the stories of real-life spies. Below
are some true tales to use as jumping off points for player
characters and antagonists.
Mary Bowser: Information steadily dripped from
a leak in the Confederate White House during the Civil
War. Confederate President Jefferson Davis knew he had
a mole giving intelligence to the Union, but couldn’t flush
them out. Mary Bowser posed as a slow-witted servant
to the household unable to read or write. So, David often
left important papers out in the open. Little did he realize,
she was a bright, educated woman with a photographic
memory. Toward the end of the war, when suspicion grew
too much to ignore, she fled the house and tried to burn it
down on her way out.
The Rosenbergs: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were
American communists who passed nuclear secrets to
the Soviet Union in the 1940s. Ethel’s brother, David
Greenglass, would be their undoing. After authorities ar-
rested him as part of the Russian spy ring, he sold out his
sister and brother-in-law during his interrogation. The
178 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
Rosenberg trial was a national sensation, and they were
convicted after a speedy 23 days in 1951. The couple filed
seven appeals, but each one failed. They were executed
in 1953.
Virginia Hall: Hall operated in occupied France
during World War II where she cooperated with the
Resistance in Vichy. The Gestapo put her on their most
wanted list as “the limping lady.” In 1932, she accidently
shot herself in the foot with a hunting rifle when she tried
to climb a fence after forgetting to apply the safety catch.
Her injury resulted in amputation. Doctors replaced her
lower leg with a prosthetic which she named “Cuthbert”
and filled with important documents to keep them secure.
Josephine Baker: Most famous for being a singing
and dancer, Josephine Baker, like Virginia Hall, coordinat-
ed with the French Resistance to smuggle messages. She
reported said, “France made me who I am, the Parisians
gave me their hearts, and I am ready to give them my life.”
Her celebrity status gave her easy access to parties as she
travelled around Europe performing. Another spy posing
as her assistant would use invisible ink to write the intel-
ligence they overheard on her sheet music.
Juan Pujol Garcia: Known as Agent Garbo and the
spy who saved D-Day, he earned the name by being such
a good actor. Garcia was a double-agent who became fa-
mous for faking his intelligence and creating 27 imaginary
spies he said he recruited to feed him this information. So
convincing was he that in 1944, he earned both an Iron
Cross from the Fuhrer and an MBE from Britian’s Security
Service MI5. Afterward, he faked his death until 30 years
later when British writer Nigel West theorized that he
hadn’t died and discovered him living in Venezuela. He
died a second time in 1988.
Anna Chapman: Authorities arrested the Russian
model and spy in 2010, after she used her wiles to learn co-
vert information. Rumored to have tried seducing Edward
Snowden, the NSA whistle-blower, to keep him in Russia
for questioning and caught attempting to honey pot one
of President Obama’s cabinet members, the United States
deported Chapman after her arrest as part of a spy swap.
She’s since gone on to become an Instagram influencer.
INTELLIGENCE
GLOSSARY
I ntelligence trade agents and organizations use a common
vocabulary. The following is a list of familiar terms and
definitions.
Abort: To terminate an operation for any reason.
Access: Gaining entry or proximity to an organiza-
tion or information.
Actionable Intelligence: Information that allows for
direct and immediate exploitation.
 Active Measures: Tradecraft jargon for operations
involving deception, manipulation, and disinformation.
Adherents: A counterterrorism term for individuals
who have formed cooperative relationships with enemy
agents.
Agent: An intelligence operative.
Agent-in-Place: An employee who is manipulated
into cooperating with an intelligence operative.
Analyst: An expert who examines information and
produces actionable intelligence for agents in the field.
Asset: An individual who knowingly or unknowingly
provides information to an intelligence officer.
Backstop: A source who helps support a legend.
Black Operations: Unofficial covert actions not at-
tributed to a particular government or organization.
Blown/Burned: When an agent’s real identity be-
comes discovered or made publicly available.
Bona Fides: Falsified proof supporting a given
legend.
Bridge Agent: Someone who acts as a courier be-
tween case officers and agents.
Brush Pass: The clandestine passing of items or in-
formation between two individuals.
Canadian Security Intelligence Service: The pri-
mary intelligence agency of Canada.
Case Officer: Someone who organizes and manages
multiple agents or assets under their command.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): The primary
intelligence agency of the United States.
Chief of Station: In the CIA, the agent in charge of
multiple officers, placed in a foreign city.
Cipher: A system for masking a message by replacing
numbers or letters.
Clandestine/Covert: An operation designed to be
secret.
Classified: Information protected by law from public
access.
Clearance: Authorized access to information.
Counterintelligence: A means of identifying an ac-
tive intelligence operative.
Countermeasure: A means of negating or mitigating
an enemy action.
Cut Out: An individual used to pass material or infor-
mation between two parties.
Dead Drop: A location used to plant items or infor-
mation, which later, another individual retrieves.
Deep Cover: The act of infiltrating an organization
for an extended period.
Intelligence Glossary
Defector: Someone who abandons their home nation
or organization and joins another.
Directorate-General for External Security
(DGSE): The primary intelligence agency of France.
Disinformation: False or misleading information
used to deceive individuals.
Double Agent: Someone who engages in covert ac-
tivity for two intelligence agencies or organizations.
Espionage: Actions directed toward the secret acqui-
sition of information.
Exfiltration: A rescue operation designed to retrieve
an individual in danger.
False Flag: Operations designed to appear as if they
came from a third party.
Federal Intelligence Service (BND): The primary
intelligence agency of Germany.
Force Protection: Measures used to prevent a hos-
tile attack or action.
Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR): The primary
intelligence agency of Russia.
Ghoul: An agent who researches obituaries and
graveyards for names of deceased persons to use for cover
identities.
Handler: A case officer who manages agents and
assets.
Human Intelligence (HUMINT): Intelligence
gained from information collected by individuals.
Infiltration: Inserting an agent into an area while
avoiding detection.
Informant: Someone who knowingly or unknowing-
ly provides information to an agent.
Intelligence: The product of collected data and
information.
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI): The primary in-
telligence agency of Pakistan.
Legend: A fictitious identity used by a clandestine
agent.
Ministry of Intelligence: The primary intelligence
agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Ministry of State Security (MSS): The primary
intelligence agency of China.
Mole: An agent who infiltrates an organization to spy
on it.
Mossad: The primary intelligence agency of Israel.
Naked: An agent who works without backup.
Non-Official Cover (NOC): An agent who secretly
operates in foreign territory.
Official Cover: An agent who openly operates in for-
eign territory.
179
 Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT): Intelligence
gained from information collected by public sources.
Operation: A mission with a specific objective.
Plaintext: A message before encryption.
Provocateur: An agent used to provoke a rival into a
specific course of action.
Research and Analysis Wing (RAW): The primary
intelligence agency of India.
Recognition Signal: A pre-arranged phrase used
between agents who need to meet.
Recruitment: The method by which an agent ac-
quires an asset.
Redaction: Sensitive information blacked out or de-
leted before distribution.
Safe House: A secondary secure location.
Signals Intelligence (SIGINT): Intelligence gained
from information collected by communication systems,
radars, electronic communication, etc.
Secret Intelligence Service (SIS): The primary in-
telligence agency of the United Kingdom. Also known as
MI6.
Sleeper Agent: An agent who, after long term deep
cover, an organization activates to perform a specific task
or assignment.
Steganography: Methods for concealing the exis-
tence of a message.
Subversion: Actions designed to mislead, under-
mine, and sabotage an enemy organization.
Surveillance: The act of observing a target or area.
True Name: An individual’s real and public name.
Vetting: The means by which an individual is ana-
lyzed or evaluated.
Watch List: A list of names, locations, or phrases
monitored or sought by an intelligence organization.
Wet Work: Actions involving direct violence and
potential death.
Window Dressing: Materials used to help create a
cover story.
Zoning: A means of surveillance divided into individ-
ual areas, rather than by individuals.
TRADECRAFT
H eirs operate on a fundamentally different level than
Scions. If the offspring of Gods are broadswords, the
progeny of Dragons are scalpels, utilized with precision,
patience, and a healthy amount of plausible deniability. Heirs
operate in the shadows, monitoring locations, or assassinating
targets, and they must worry about others monitoring or
assassinating them. The following are sample aspects to help
illustrate the clandestine nature of Scion: Dragon.
180 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
SURVEILLANCE
Everyone leaves a paper trail. Garbage left on the curb
can reveal what take-out place a target prefers or what
bills they pay. When someone uses their computer, an IP
address registers their location. When someone uses their
phone, a cell tower is pinged. Bank records, travel itiner-
ary, and social media help paint a picture. And a picture is
of great value to a spy.
An Heir’s task may revolve around the collection
of information on a particular individual or group. This
demands patience and an ability to blend in with one’s
surroundings. Following a target may require controlling
a herd of animals, a camouflage Knack, or a disguise spell.
Heirs need to mask their activities spying on a target while
simultaneously avoiding being spied on. Intelligence work
calls this ‘coverage.’ Conversely, an Heir can monitor a giv-
en location, allowing their target to come to them. Heirs
who work in pairs or groups can assist in this, switching
out tails at periodic intervals to avoid suspicion.
Sometimes the tables turn on an Heir, and they need
to avoid possible surveillance themselves. In an age of
satellites and closed-circuit cameras, this can be difficult.
It’s why spies utilize locations satellites can’t cover, such
as caves, tunnels, or freeway overpasses. Heirs can also
manipulate the weather, teleport across vast distances, or
employ a Luck spell in order to avoid capture.
Finally, an Heir can plant listening devices on a mark.
Inside a car, phone receiver, light socket, lamp shade,
anything the target comes into contact with is a viable
delivery mechanism. Listening devices with batteries
need to be changed at regular intervals, while bugs tied
to an electrical system transmit radio waves to a nearby
location. This also doesn’t account for the host of super-
natural powers an Heir has to monitor a given individual
or location.
COMMUNICATIONS
One of the principal facets of spy craft is the safe dis-
tribution of information. Passing intelligence to another
individual without notice takes certain precautions. Heirs
use brush passes to safely transfer intelligence to another
person or utilize dead drops so another party can access
them later. A brush pass occurs when two agents physi-
cally pass each other in a public space, and one hands off
an item to the other. This method usually incorporates
the two carrying identical items, such as a newspaper or
briefcase, wherein they collide, drop their belongings,
and then pick up the new item. At a distance, onlookers
observe the collision and do not notice the hand-off.
A dead drop requires a set location, such as under-
neath a public mailbox or behind a fake brick in an alley,
which is then used to plant sensitive messages or material.
The courier marks or tags a shared location, notifying his
counterpart the dead drop is full. This tag usually takes
the form of something innocuous, such as a chalk mark on
a building or a colored tape on a lamp post. Heirs also use
cut-outs or third parties who function as an intermediary
between the spy and their asset.
Heirs trade in information, much of which they en-
crypt through a cipher. Ciphers need to be, by their very
nature, challenging to translate. That said, balance is nec-
essary especially since a simple Knowledge spell can in-
stantly read a given code or cipher. Therefore, some Heirs
base codes on a predetermined signal. If the reader knows
stormy weather means danger, then a message that reads
“there is a 99 percent chance of rain in X location” could
reveal the sender is in danger. If intercepted and decoded,
it won’t reveal the true intent of the message.
When Heirs do need to meet in the open, which is
rare, they usually take one of two options. Public locations
are ideal because they provide multiple escape routes and
an opportunity to blend in. The second option is to meet
somewhere remote such as a sewage plant or condemned
building. But when trust is an issue, the gold-standard of
meeting places is inside a public swimming pool. Why?
It’s difficult to hide a semiautomatic weapon, or anything
else for that matter, in a bathing suit.
DECEPTION
Dragons also use intelligence as a form of misdirec-
tion, spreading false information in order to obfuscate
their true intent. One of the most famous strategic decep-
tions involved the invasion of Normandy during World
War II. Operation Overlord launched on June 6th, 1944
and was the result of years of deliberate deception on
the part of the Allied forces. Their strategy was to make
Hitler believe the D-Day invasion would land at Calais
rather than at Normandy by feeding false information
to known German spies. The Allies purchased maps of
Calais in Switzerland, constructed massive fake military
encampments for German spy planes to photograph, and
even employed an actor in Gibraltar to portray General
Bernard Montgomery. By the time of the D-Day invasion,
Hitler was convinced Normandy was a false front, and the
true invasion remained at Calais. By the time he realized
his error, it was too late.
Strategic deception is all about making an adversary
believe a falsehood to be true. This requires feeding them
erroneous intelligence which, when coupled with enough
facts, makes them appear to be authentic. Dropping off
fake documents at the local embassy raises a few eye-
brows, but fake documents taken off an unwitting pawn,
or accompanied by some sense of authenticity, might
be believed. During World War I, in addition to the in-
famous standoff on the Western Front, the Germans
and the British fought a lesser known battle for control
of East Africa, where both sides had colonies. The man
in charge of English intelligence was Colonel Richard
Meinhertzhagen. In 1917, he arranged for a courier to
lose a haversack containing sensitive documents in the
Sinai Desert, knowing the German army would capture
them. The documents were of course forgeries containing
misleading information regarding an upcoming British
Tradecraft
invasion. The German soldiers gave to the haversack
to General Kress von Kressenstein who, amused by
Meinertzhagen’s German-sounding name, wanted the
documents to be real. Believing Meinhertzhagen to be a
double agent added credence to the ruse, and as a result,
the Germans redeployed their forces. When the British
launched their attack, the German forces were entirely
unprepared.
Deceptions also root out spies and moles. If an Heir
needs to identify a possible mole, they can sometimes
release misleading clues. If a double-agent acts on the
misleading clues, then they reveal their true intent.
ASSETS
Unlike in the movies, the primary method spies use
for gaining classified information is through assets. Heirs
approach employees at key businesses, using a combina-
tion of blackmail, befriending, coercion, and mind control
to turn the asset against their parent agency. Getting
someone to betray their own is a difficult prospect requir-
ing patience, finesse, and no small measure of empathy.
Some Heirs use fear to turn an asset by threatening to hurt
them outright, by threatening their family, or by threaten-
ing to expose some secret. An accountant who’s stealing
from their own company or a cheating spouse are highly
motivated to maintain their position, so they betray their
own if it means avoiding exposure.
Bribery works for some Assets because of simple
greed, but it’s a crapshoot. Heirs usually overpay for the
information they’re after and there’s no money-back guar-
antee if the intelligence proves to be false. Heirs can also
motivate some by love or loyalty, placing their faith in a
cause, or a person, rather than in their employer. Turning
an individual against another is a custom process, based
entirely on the character of the individual.
Using allure and romance is another tool in the ar-
senal of a spy. The two most famous examples are Mata
Hari and Shi Pei Pu. Mata Hari was an exotic dancer and
prostitute in France during World War I. She first spied
on Germany for the French before becoming a double
agent. Meanwhile, Shi Pei Pu was an opera singer who
served the Chinese secret service from 1964 to the early
1980s. Shi Pei Pu cultivated a relationship with a Bernard
Boursicot, a French embassy clerk. Shi Pei Pu convinced
Bouriscot he was in fact a woman dressed as a man. Over
two decades, he managed to acquire more than 150 French
documents.
Assets who can’t be turned are sometimes interrogat-
ed for information, which requires its own set of unspo-
ken rules. Contrary to popular belief, torture is generally
an unreliable form of extracting information, as everyone
reaches a point where they’ll say anything to make the
pain stop. But an Heir who walks into an interrogation
fully prepared, with full knowledge on a given target, has
the power to make the subject feel powerless. After all,
if the interrogator already knows everything, then what’s
the harm in cooperating? Even a stubborn mark can be
181
tricked into revealing sensitive information. Of course,
an Heir still has torture as an option. And supernatural
powers.
INFILTRATION
One of the most famous acts of infiltration took place
during the Revolutionary War. James Armistead was an
African American double agent who worked directly for
General Lafayette. Posing as a runaway slave, Armistead
made his way into a British camp under the command of
Brigadier General Benedict Arnold. Armistead overheard
conversations, troop deployments, and arms shipments,
and relayed information back to General Lafayette.
Indeed, his efforts proved critical to the colonial victory
at Yorktown.
If an Heir cannot gain access to information from a
distance, or through an asset, they need to take a more
direct approach. Infiltrating a group or business often
requires a legend — a fictional background identity sup-
ported by documentation and memorized details. This
method can be tricky. Pretending to be a member of law
enforcement may grant access to a given locale, but one
quick phone call likely blows an agent’s cover.
Modern ID’s and passports utilize magnetic strips,
holograms, and infrared watermarks which are difficult to
replicate, requiring black-market professionals or friends
at the Department of Motor Vehicles. In either case,
building a legend is a lot like building a house of cards: the
higher it gets, the more convincing it is. But every new lie
182 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
is a building block which needs to be corroborated and too
many lies are sometimes difficult to keep track of.
Heirs seeking to penetrate a secure location some-
times rely on basic portrayals as couriers and custodial
staff. But they still rely on facts and details which they
can confirm with a cursory glance. It’s harder to create
a history than it is to alter it, and truths are always easier
to remember. Skilled Heirs incorporate real elements into
their legend supported by outside allies and the occasion-
al supernatural power.
Finally, if mundane avenues are unavailable, a skilled
Heir can infiltrate a location by flying onto the roof or
swimming up through the sewage system. Supernatural
magic and Knacks provide a vast array of infiltration
methods, depending on the relative age and skill of the
Heir.
THEFT
Stealing is the most common task demanded of
Heirs. Sometimes this requires sophisticated equipment
and sometimes this demands a more smash-and-grab
approach. But the sensitivity of the target item generally
dictates the level of security needed to safeguard it.
Stealing someone’s wallet or ID utilizes the same
method as a stage magician — misdirection. Acts of
sleight-of-hand or diversions draw the attention of the
target, leaving their valuables vulnerable to pilfering. One
of the most famous acts of misdirection occurred in the
1960s. Abril Lamarque was a lesser-known magician who
stood on a stage and changed the color of a handkerchief
right before the eyes of a captivated audience. He prom-
inently displayed a yellow handkerchief and proclaimed
by the count of three he was going to turn its color from
yellow to green. By count two, a naked woman walked
onto the stage. Unsurprisingly, the audience was so fixat-
ed on the nude woman they failed to notice how exactly
Mr. Lamarque transformed his handkerchief from yellow
to green. Most Heirs don’t have a naked woman on call,
but a spilled drink or feigned heart attack has roughly the
same effect.
A second method of stealing something is through
sheer brute force, which again largely depends on the
target item. Robbing someone’s wallet requires the threat
of force, but breaking into a bank vault needs sophisticat-
ed equipment or a spell such as Adamant Claws. Stealing
money from an armored van or bank is a risky proposition.
Strike during the day and an agent has lots of pedestrians
who could become potential witnesses. Strike at night and
the spy may trip an alarm, alerting law enforcement in no
time.
Stealing information via the internet is another
method of theft but is actually harder than it looks.
Skilled hackers can obfuscate their IP address, but most
computer systems have enough security to demand direct
access. So if an Heir can’t infiltrate their way into a home
or building, they need to find another means. The most
common method of gaining access to a computer is to
trick someone who already has it. Getting an employee to
click on an email link can help deploy malicious software,
granting the hacker access to their passwords. Another
method is to maneuver an employee to physically insert
a foreign device, flash drive, or disk into their computer.
Once inserted the device can release software which
grants the hacker access.
Most Heirs prefer to steal their items or information
without capture and, ideally, without anyone knowing the
theft even took place. This means breaking into a location,
copying documents, replacing those documents, and es-
caping the scene without incident.
VIOLENCE AND
ASSASSINATIONS
The final tool in an Heir’s repertoire is abject vio-
lence. When a Dragon wants to send a violent message,
they command their Heirs to break a limb or extract a
tooth. And when a Dragon wants someone to simply
disappear, they command an Heir to end someone’s life.
These acts of violence are rare, usually a last resort in the
shadow war between Dragons and their enemies. But they
do happen, executed on a case-by-case basis. An Heir may
not understand where their target fits in the game, but
they do know the price of disobedience. Some targets are
unarmed and innocuous, easy to track and remove. Others
are hardened killers, trained in the arts of counter espio-
nage. An Heir never really knows what they’re facing until
they fall within striking distance.
Operations
Explosives, sabotage, poison, firearms, brute force
or various Magics and Knacks are all viable forms of vi-
olence and assassination. While the murder of Emperors,
Kings, and Presidents is well documented, one of the most
infamous assassinations took place during World War
II. During Operation Anthropoid, two Czechoslovakian
agents infiltrated Prague in order to assassinate General
Reinhard Heydrich. While the General took his daily
commute, the car reached a sharp curve, forcing it to slow
down. As the vehicle slowed, the agents sprung their trap,
armed with both a submachine gun and an anti-tank gre-
nade. Heydrich survived the initial attack but died seven
days later from his wounds.
When someone thinks of an assassin, they usually
picture someone with a sniper rifle on top of a rooftop
ledge. However, most snipers fire their rifle from inside
a room through a large open window. This method hides
the shooter, masks the muzzle flash, and distorts the re-
sulting sound. Of course, an Heir can also fire from five
hundred feet in the air with Flight or mask their position
with thick and sudden fog. Regardless of the panache with
which an Heir executes their abilities, an assassin’s job is
mostly one of preparation—choosing the right vantage
point and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Of course, many Scions can survive a fired bullet from
a thousand yards away. Eliminating Scions or other super-
natural beings takes more than a precision shot. It takes
research, planning, power, and above all, the element of
surprise. A failed assassination on a Scion is a dangerous
mistake to make. It allows the target to fortify their posi-
tion and call for potential backup. In these scenarios, the
hunter can very quickly become the hunted.
OPERATIONS
I n the war between the Gods and Titans, Dragons function as
something of a third party. Some align with the pantheons
and others with the Titans. Those allegiances are specific to a
given Dragon and change with alarming alacrity. Part of this
is by design, given it is difficult to discern a Dragon’s agenda if
someone isn’t even sure what side they’re on. From espionage
to sabotage and infiltrations to direct assassinations, Heirs
are the tip of the spear. The following are sample missions,
known in the trade as ‘operations’.
BREAKING AND ENTERING
The Heir must steal architectural blueprints from a
security company. The plans are inside a secure safe on
the ninth floor. In order to access the safe, the Heir needs
to infiltrate the building either during the day under false
pretenses or at night after the building is closed. Daylight
infiltration means stealing or manufacturing a cover iden-
tity either as a lawyer, security guard, courier, or janitorial
staff. Breaking into the building at night demands bypass-
ing security systems and having to deal with hired guards.
Once they reach the safe, they’ll need to break inside and
either copy the blueprints or steal them outright. From
183
there it’s a simple problem of escaping the building with-
out raising any alarms.
EXPOSURE
A third party delivers a message to the Heir, instruct-
ing the Heir to obtain compromising material on a local
Scion. The Scion in question works as a police officer who,
for some reason, has crossed a Dragon. The Heir begins
surveilling the target, tracking their day-to-day move-
ments. By digging into their garbage, social media profile,
and bank records, the agent can find some thread to pull on.
Perhaps the Scion, as a member of law enforcement, has
large sums of money entering their bank account. Perhaps
it’s far more than a police officer should. This might indi-
cate a police officer on the take extorting drug dealers and
petty criminals for money. Or perhaps the Scion, while
married, frequently visits the same hotel room. This may
suggest an affair or employment of an escort service. Once
the Storyguide determines the nature of the compromise,
the Heir can acquire evidence. If the Heir can tail the
Scion without them noticing, they can take photographs
of the illegal activity, handing it off the aforementioned
third party and completing their operation.
RUN!
The Heir receives an urgent phone call from a trusted
ally, informing them the police are on their way to arrest
them. This is a different kind of story focused more on the
character themselves and the immediacy of survival. The
Heir has precious little time to destroy any compromising
material they might have and escape the scene. The longer
a police chase lasts, the greater the likelihood the police
will catch the person. Roadblocks, helicopters, and addi-
tional pursuit cars all become factors on a long enough
timeline. Given this, the Heir has a limited window to
escape the falling dragnet and must employ evasive ma-
neuvering, camouflage, misdirection, and Dragon Magic.
Once the Heir manages to escape, they’ll need to
ascertain what the police were looking for and why.
Snitches, allies, or counter-surveillance may reveal a false
claim of drug distribution, along with an anonymous po-
lice informant. From there, the Heir simply needs to dig
deep, identify the police informant, and track them down.
If the Storyguide wants to throw the players a curve ball,
they can make the police informant and the individual
responsible for the raid a rival Heir or Scion. From there,
the Heir can approach the rival using diplomacy, bribery,
or direct force to end the conflict.
CANNONS FOR CASH
The Heir must set up a meeting with a black-market
gunrunner and receive money to help secure payment.
From there, the Heir has several different options. They
can set the meeting in a secure location, which helps them
control the terrain. On the other hand, the Heir can ar-
range for the meeting to take place in public, which allows
for multiple exit routes and lots of witnesses. The only
184 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
difficulty with public locations is millions of dollars is
difficult to transport and black-market gunrunners don’t
take checks.
Once arranged, the transaction includes the inspec-
tion of payment, followed by an inspection of the goods.
After the exchange, the Heir can take the weapons to a se-
cure location. However, if the Storyguide wants to present
a challenge they can add a level of paranoia to the gunrun-
ners, or they can make one of the gunrunners an under-
cover detective, prompting a massive sting operation.
BY WAY OF DECEPTION
An Heir needs to plant false evidence on a rival
agent. Whether a competing Heir or maybe it’s a Scion,
the Dragon needs to turn the rival against their employ-
er. The easiest way to do this is by sowing doubt in their
allegiance by planting misleading information. The Heir
acquires a large amount of cash and a USB flash drive con-
taining false intelligence, all of which suggests the rival
agent is selling their secrets to the Titans.
The Heir then begins to survey the target, monitor-
ing their movements and ascertaining the best method of
planting both the information and the cash. Maybe this
means breaking into the rival’s home or maybe this means
impersonating the rival and opening a bank account in the
Caymans. But once the Heir inserts the false narrative,
the Heir can then place an anonymous call to the rival’s
employer.
DEEP COVER
An organization killed an ally of the Heir. Maybe it’s a
street gang, or a drug cartel, but the criminals involved are
dangerous. The Dragon instructs the Heir to infiltrate the
organization, earn their trust, and discover who exactly
murdered the ally. The Heir constructs a fictitious per-
sona backed by credible accomplices. This helps create a
reputation which allows the Heir to get their foot in the
door.
Once on the organizations’ radar, the Heir conducts
several side missions to earn their trust, delving further
into the group with each successful attempt. But, the Heir
needs to tread carefully. One wrong move and they may
expose their false front. Once the Heir identifies the in-
dividuals responsible for the murder, they need to avenge
the ally and then extract themselves from the scene.
SEARCH AND RESCUE
An emergency call reaches the Heir, informing them
a colleague is in immediate trouble. A fellow Heir, in
service to the same Dragon, is locked inside a hotel room
swarming with people. Maybe they’re police, organized
crime, or in service to a Titan, but they are numerous and
they are closing in on the ally. The Heir must find a way to
insert themselves into the scene, rescue their colleague,
and get out safely.
 One strategy is to go in guns-blazing, though, this is a
loud and bloody affair almost certainly drawing attention
to the scene. Another idea is to use misdirection to draw
away the belligerents and then utilize stealth to safely ex-
tract the ally. A third strategy is to masquerade as a mem-
ber of the same organization. Ultimately, the Heir needs
to get their hands on their ally and get them out safely,
likely through force, stealth, or misdirection.
THE HEIST
The Heir searches a dead drop and finds encrypted
instructions. With the proper code book, or with the
proper Knowledge spell, they decipher the plans to reveal
the theft of a Scion artifact from a convoy taking place in
three days. The plans include a description of the artifact,
the license plate of the van carrying the artifact, the in-
tended time and travel route of the vehicle, and instruc-
tions to deliver the item to a third party.
From there the Heir has a great deal to do and little
time to actually do it. Robbing a moving vehicle takes
timing and coordination. First, an agent needs to get the
vehicle to stop, requiring a staged traffic accident, a blown
out tire, or the threat of violence. Then, an agent needs
to secure the vehicle, immobilize the occupants, grab the
artifact, and get away while avoiding pursuit.
Another option is for the Heir to infiltrate the organi-
zation using the convoy, though this may prove challeng-
ing given the small window. If the Storyguide wants to
create more of a challenge, they can replace the van with
an armored car, coupled with armed security guards and
security cameras. If the Storyguide wants to push things
even further, they can make the artifact incredibly heavy
and/or cumbersome or add a Scion to the security detail.
THE 1000 YARD CLUB
The Heir receives a package via courier containing
a name, a photograph, and instructions to execute the
target by a given date. The name and the photograph is of
a corporate lawyer who works for an international firm.
The Heir first needs to acquire information on the target
like their work habits, patterns of behavior, areas they fre-
quent, etc. They need to reconnoiter their home and place
of business, acquire suitable weaponry, and form a plan
of attack. This might take the form of a sniper rifle fired
from a thousand yards away or a close-quarter attack from
inside the lawyer’s home. An alternative might include
sabotaging the target’s car or elevator shaft, killing them
in such a way it looks like an accident. A Storyguide can
complicate this affair by providing a security detail to the
target or by making the target an actual Scion.
TIME IS TICKING
A street gang kidnaps the child of a foreign banker.
The police, either through corruption or coercion, have
decided to turn a blind eye. The Heir must capture one
of the gang members and interrogate them, learning the
location of the child as soon as possible. The Heir needs to
Upper Tier Play
survey the scene, observe the gang members, and find an
opportunity to snatch one. Once in custody, the Heir has
a variety of methods to discover the location of the child.
The first method is to use torture, though considered
largely ineffective. Eventually individuals under torture
say anything, which is even more useless when time is a
factor. A second method is to create a new environment
for the subject, removing their sense of time and any hope
of escape. With the subject’s entire future in the hands of
the Heir, their only means of freedom is through talking.
A third method is a Trojan prisoner approach, or a
reverse interrogation, where the Heir pretends to be a fel-
low prisoner in the subject’s holding cell. By talking with
their fellow “inmate,” the Heir can trick the subject into
revealing something about the child. Finally, the Heir can
use psychotropic drugs, or supernatural gifts, in order to
gain information from the subject.
Once the gang member reveals the location of the
child, the Heir can form a battle plan. Using stealth, direct
force, or misdirection, the Heir can insert themselves into
the group, retrieve the child, and escape.
ASSET ACQUISITION
The Heir must acquire an asset belonging to a scien-
tific research facility. They’ll want to find someone with
enough access or clearance to reach where the facility
stores the asset. The first step is to begin surveillance of
the facility, acquiring a list of employees. The Heir tails
each employee until they find someone useful to their
ends. Good marks are ones who have something to gain or
everything to lose.
Disgruntled workers who involved in gambling
or who feel underpaid might be susceptible to bribery.
Corrupt workers involved in drug activity or extramarital
affairs could be vulnerable to blackmail. Another meth-
od is to befriend an individual using friendship or false
romance.
Regardless, gaining the trust and loyalty of a potential
asset takes time, but eventually through rapport, black-
mail, or bribery, the Heir should be able to convince an
asset to provide them with sensitive information on the
research facility, which can then be passed on to their
Dragon.
UPPER TIER PLAY
W hile most of the information presented in this book is
for Hero level play, Dragons get powerful when they
reach Lesser Wyrm status. The following section explains
how to increase your characters to Lesser Wyrms when they
reach Inheritance 5.
By the time the characters reach Inheritance 9, they
become full blown Dragons. Dragons transition from
spies and operatives to the shadowy manipulators hiding
behind the scenes. While they can still interact with The
World, they do so through intermediaries, gaining their
185

TIERS
Characters in Scion: Dragon can vary
in potency similarly to those in Scion. As
described on p. 62 in Scion: Origin, this
potency is represented by Tier.
1 (Mortal Tier) Characters without a trace
of supernatural power. Inheritance 0. Target
number 8.
2 (Heir Tier) Characters who have been
inducted into the world of Dragons or have
accepted their Inheritance. Inheritance 1-4.
Target number 8.
3 (Lesser Wyrm Tier) Those characters who
have embraced their draconic nature and are
growing into their own entity. Inheritance 5-9.
Target number 7.
4 (Dragon Tier) Characters who have
ascended into full dragon, leaving their human
shell behind and entering into the shadow
games that Dragons play. Inheritance 10.
Target number 7.
own Heirs. The game changes drastically once characters
reach upper Tiers, but we give some suggestions below on
how you can change your game.
LESSER WYRM
The first thing you’ll want to do is increase your char-
acter’s Tier from 2 to 3. Tier 3 characters have their target
number reduced to 7 instead of 8. Additionally, certain
abilities come easier to Tier 3 characters than those of
earlier Tiers.
• All Tier 3 characters immediately gain the Modest
Human Disguise Draconic Knack. If they already
had this Knack, they gain another Draconic Knack
of their choosing.
• Lesser Wyrms spend less effort to create and main-
tain Dragon Magic. The cost for activating Spells is
reduced by one step. Meaning that Spells that require
a spent Inheritance now require the Heir to imbue
it, and Spells that require imbued Inheritance are
now a Simple action to complete. Spells that were
once free, are still free, but now can be activated as a
Reflexive action. The Heir must still perform part of
the Incantation as the Reflexive action, but the Spell
is now so rote for her, just thinking the Incantation
works.
• A Lesser Wyrm is more comfortable in her draconic
form than in her human one. She is no longer limit-
ed to transforming into her draconic form once per
scene and can switch back and forth as many times
as she likes. At Inheritance 9, the Heir fully trans-
forms into her draconic form. She can now imbue
an Inheritance to take on her human form in reverse
186 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
of what she could do before. While in a human
form, she cannot activate any of her Transformation
Knacks that would show her draconic side, though
she can use her Knacks of Scale. When using a
Knack of Scale, failure to buy off the True Draconic
Nature Complication results in ending the human
form transformation.
• Feats of Scale are bigger and showier for Lesser
Wyrms than other Heirs. When a Lesser Wyrm per-
forms a Feat of Scale, she can spend a Momentum to
gain an additional +1 Scale for the action regardless
of if the action falls in line with her Deed Name. This
does stack with the Deed Name Scale bonus though.
But, doing so increases her cumulative Complication
for True Draconic Nature by +1.
• You should use the Collateral Damage rules (p. XX)
at this Tier or higher.
Lesser Wyrms start to care less about the needs of
humans and have a stronger handle on who they are than
Heirs with lower Inheritance. At this point, the Heir’s
draconic ancestor has not just shown herself, but proba-
bly also brought her into the fold and shared some of her
plans. The Lesser Wyrm is on a firm path to becoming a
Dragon, and there’s no turning back now.
Lesser Wyrms are seasoned operatives, often discov-
ering plots or operations on their own and dealing with
them without guidance from their ancestors. These Heirs
might have missions for their Pawns, asking them to take
care of minor things while they jet-set through Terra
Incognitae manipulating both sides of the Titanomachy
to their liking. They have their own goals and are starting
to form their own plots. While they are fully embroiled
in their Flight’s and ancestor’s personal goals, they have
probably made enough friends and enemies to be em-
broiled in those goals as well.
DRAGON
Characters with Inheritance 10 are full Dragons and
increase to Tier 4. At Tier 4, characters have a target num-
ber of 7. Their abilities far surpass anything a simple Heir
could do. Dragons are full on immortal legendary crea-
tures, prone to reincarnation, capable of creating their
own Heirs, and fully entered into the shadowy manipu-
lations all Dragons engage in to sway the Titanomachy.
Their concerns are no longer human, and their actions no
longer always intelligible.
Make the following changes to your Dragon charac-
ter to bring them to Tier 4 play.
• Dragon Magic: Dragons master whatever Dragon
Magic they know and can perform any Spell within
the magic for free at a whim. They do not need to
bother to learn new Spells, as they come up with
new magics all the time.
• Knacks: Dragons no longer spend Momentum to
activate Knacks and they permanently assume their
Draconic Form.
 • Birthrights: Dragons can activate Heirs and can
take Heirs as the Pawn Birthright. Additionally,
their maximum Hoard rating now increases to 10,
instead of 5.
• Draconic Power: Dragons replace their Inheritance
rating with Draconic Power which starts at 5.
Anything that would check for an Inheritance rating
now uses Draconic Power. Dragons no longer have
Remembrances.
• Memory Deeds: A Dragon no longer gains Memory
Conditions as compulsions from an ancestor.
Instead, they can place them on intermediaries as
their own wants and desires. A Dragon can gain a
Memory Condition which is tied to a specific Pawn.
When the Pawn completes the Memory, the player
accomplishes a Memory Deed.
Playing at the level of Dragons drastically changes the
game you are playing for Scion: Dragon. Your character’s
concerns are on a level beyond that of self-discovery or
following the plots of your ancestor or Flight. While she
may still be deeply involved in espionage, keeping secrets,
and manipulations, she is at the level where these involve
taking down entire pantheons, or singling out a God or
Titan to take down or manipulate. She becomes a handler
with her own agents and operatives to fulfill minor ac-
tions for her. The character rarely takes direct action, but
instead sets up plots by directing her agents.
You can handle this in a few different ways. You can
focus the game on the Dragon’s Heirs, making new char-
acters and playing with the knowledge that the player’s
old character’s goals are the ones your new characters are
working through.
Alternatively, you could continue to play as the
Dragons, but instead of going on missions, you direct mis-
sions, and your actions are to direct the flow of a scene, or
to manipulate people on a larger level than just a single
mission. Each action roll represents a single mission en-
acted by your character’s agents, a scene could encompass
an entire month’s worth of plots, schemes, and missions
to set up a specific goal. You get directly involved when
the plot comes to fruition. Dragons fight antagonists such
as Demigods, Gods, Titans, huge titanspawn, and other
Dragons. A group of Heirs may come from a rival and
attempt to take a single Dragon down, but not a cabal of
Dragons.
Dragon goals can be as petty as revenge, or as wide
sweeping as defeating all the Gods and returning The
World to the way it was before. But even a revenge goal
is going to be for some slight a celestial being, or other
massive legendary creature perpetuated. Think big when
trying to decide what goals to deal with as a Dragon, such
as creating a new Flight, taking down a pantheon, starting
another Titanomachy, etc.
Upper Tier Play
COLLATERAL
In games of enormous power and massive effect,
there’s some expectation that buildings crumble, crowds
scatter, and character wreak havoc on a huge scale. As
characters ascend to new, untold levels of power, their
ability to contain collateral damage lessens. Lesser
Wyrms are no longer merely humans struggling with
their draconic nature, but beings halfway between mortal
and true Dragon, and their power matches. When Heirs
reach Lesser Wyrm status, Storyguides should include
the collateral pool to represent the high stakes dangers of
throwing around true draconic power.
BUILDING THE POOL
At the start of any ongoing campaign or a one-shot,
the collateral pool begins with zero dice. Whenever the
players’ characters take any of the following actions, add
one die to the pool for each applicable action.
• Performing Feats of Scale
• Making any roll enhanced by Scale
• Taking on a Draconic Form
• Using Transformation Knacks in front of mortals
• Failing to buy off applicable Complications
• Special Flairs or Antagonist abilities
The pool builds until it reaches 10 dice, and the num-
ber of dice in the pool roll over from session to session
until it hits 10. Once it has been filled, any actions that
would add additional dice instead add Enhancement.
At the end of any round in combat or after all player
characters have taken their actions outside of it, the player
whose action caused the pool to fill then rolls all ten dice
and the Storyguide chooses from the following stunts:
Burned (3s): The character is outed as a draconic
being, their human form associated with large supernat-
ural effects, or their draconic form recognizable to those
looking. The triggering character has people looking for
him, and suffers a +2 Complication to all actions for the
rest of the session. Failure means those people find him.
Narratively, they may simply want to study him, or they
may bring someone along to slay the Dragon.
Harm (2s vs trivial targets/any successes over
Defense): Either a major character is hurt by an environ-
mental disaster caused by the characters’ actions or the
power unleashed causes injury (or death) to any number
of trivial bystanders.
Incite (2s): Onlookers turn against the characters,
furious with them for their wanton destruction. The trig-
gering character has +1 Difficulty to social interactions for
the rest of the session for each time this Stunt is chosen,
to a maximum of +3.
Pin (2s vs trivial targets/any successes over Defense):
A massive piece of rubble falls either on a major character
187
in the scene, or on any number of trivial bystanders, trap-
ping them until they break free or are rescued.
Raze (Successes equal to Size): Destroy an object es-
tablished in the Field such as a building, the getaway car,
an armored vehicle, etc.
Scatter (2s): All trivial or non-magical targets (in-
cluding Pawns and mooks) flee the area, out of terror or
self-preservation. Even well-drilled military units run.
This is a fear effect for the purposes of Knacks and Spells.
Sunder (2s): The Field is shattered and warped. Apply
an appropriate Field Complication. For example, Burning,
Tight, or Unstable work well.
Once the pool has been rolled, it resets to zero, and
resumes filling back up as normal.
Players may engage with the collateral pool in the
following ways:
Unchecked Abandon: When a character makes any
action with unchecked abandon, she may declare before
she rolls any number of Enhancement, up to +5. The
Storyguide adds an equal number of dice to the pool in-
stantly, which may cause the pool to empty.
Devil’s Bargain: Once per session, a character may
take a devil’s bargain, and any collateral they would add
to the pool during that action is instead given to the
Storyguide as Tension.
188 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
FIELD
COMPLICATIONS
A s Heirs to Dragons, characters are likely to find
themselves in strange locales and weird spaces. They
may be delving into a millennia old lair full of traps and tricky
passages, a thick jungle, or even just crowded city streets.
A scene may occur entirely while flying through the air, or
diving through the ocean. Considering these Field elements
will help bring additional action to games of Dragon as
characters deal with unique elements while also fighting
antagonists. Fields can have none or many different effects
at the same time. An open expanse of grass at mid-morning
may have no Field effects, while a midnight run through a
frozen tundra may have both the Dark and Extreme weather
Complications.
All Field effects have the same mechanic, which is
that they impose a Complication to certain actions. The
following example Fields state the level of Complication
they impose in the title, then describe the effect and con-
sequences of not buying off the Complication.
BURNING (1+)
Flames engulf the area, licking up the walls of a build-
ing or raging in a wooded area. For each round the charac-
ters remain in the Burning Field, the Complication’s value
increases by 1, to a maximum of 5. This Complication
applies to all actions taken in the Field, unless the char-
acter has immunity to fire or environmental conditions.
If not bought off, character risk an Injury Condition or
permanent damage to their items and equipment.
CROWDED (2)
The Field is crowded with people or things mak-
ing it hard to push through. The default move action is
no longer reflexive, and players must roll Athletics +
Appropriate Attribute to overcome the myriad barriers.
Additionally, characters cannot Rush in a crowded Field.
Characters suffer the Complication when they take move
actions. Failure to buy off the Complication could result in
an Injury Condition, getting lost, getting turned around,
or getting moved to another range band as the crowd
moves you.
If applied in an Intrigue Encounter, use the Loud
Complication.
DARK (2)
The Field is in pitch darkness, either because of
the environment or through magical means. Characters
suffer the Complication to actions that require sight,
and if the area is anything other than completely flat,
the Complication applies to move actions. Failure to buy
off the Complication could lead to an Injury Condition,
going prone, or simply missing a target. Sources of light
can eliminate this Complication depending on the source.
Small sources might eliminate it for a Range Band, but at-
tempting to take actions on something outside the light’s
range reinstates the Complication. Characters may have
supernatural abilities that provide light for themselves or
others which negate this Complication.
EXTREME WEATHER (3)
The field is in an extreme state. It could be the
frigid winds of the arctic, or the unbearable heat of the
desert, either way, acting is difficult. Characters suffer
the Complication on all actions taken while in the Field
unless they have an immunity. Failure to buy off the
Complication could lead to an Injury Condition, slowed
movement, or a debilitating Condition from dehydration
or frostbite giving a +2 Difficulty for actions until treated.
GAS CLOUD (3)
A choking gas fills the field. This could be smoke from
a fire, noxious fumes, poison gas, or an opponent’s breath
weapon. Characters suffer the Complication on all ac-
tions taken while in the Field. Unless a character doesn’t
have to breath, they are affected by this Complication,
holding your breath while in it may stave off poison, but
doing so still makes it difficult to act. Failure to buy off
the Complication could lead to an Injury Condition, an
increase Difficulty towards actions requiring speech, an
increase Difficulty in actions due to wracking coughing,
or gaining the Poisoned Condition at a rating based on the
Storyguide’s discretion.
Field Complications
HIGH WINDS (2)
Separate from Extreme Weather, high winds make it
difficult to stand or move within a Field. If the characters
are in flight in this Field, increase the Complication to 3.
Characters suffer the Complication when making a move
action. Failure to buy off the Complication results in the
character falling prone, or if the character is in flight be-
ing knocked wildly off course.
LOUD (2)
Music, industrial noises, or ear-splitting racket fills
the Field. Characters suffer the Complication when at-
tempting to take social actions in the Field. Failure to buy
it off risks severe miscommunication, someone overhear-
ing the conversation, of the intended target not hearing
it at all — the Storyguide picks a new target for the social
action. Additionally, this counts as a negative atmosphere
for intrigue play.
SLICK (3)
Something saturates the Field making it slick. It
could be ice, oil, water from heavy rains, or some kind
of magical material. Characters suffer the Complication
when making move actions, and fall prone if they fail to
buy off the Complication.
SOCIAL CODE (2)
The Field is dominated by a social norm and rules you
must follow. You might be in a Dragon’s lair with strict
social etiquette and rules, a location that follows a specific
cultural norm, or a space filled with a majority culture,
race, or gender that the character does not share, and act-
ing outside the expected social code could cause issues.
Characters suffer the Complication when attempting
social actions. Failure to buy off the Complication results
in a -1 shift in attitude of those who witness the faux pas, a
change in the atmosphere to hostile, or another appropri-
ate social consequence.
TIGHT (2)
The Field is physically limited in space, preventing
easy movement and even squeezing the characters as they
move. Characters cannot take actions large weapons at
all, and taking on a Draconic Form immediately causes
an Injury Condition. Characters suffer the Complication
on all movement actions while in the Field. Failure to buy
it off may lead to an Injury Condition, losing an item or
piece of gear, or the loss of their next action.
UNSTABLE (3)
The Field’s ground is unstable and threatens to
fall out from under the character’s feet. You might be
on a rubble strewn street, a collapsing building, or at-
tempting to stand on a rockslide. Characters suffer the
Complication on attack or movement actions that require
balance. Failure to buy it off may lead to the character
destroying the part of the terrain they were standing on,
falling prone, suffering an Injury Condition, or moving
a range band in a direction of the Storyguide’s choosing.
189
Characters flying or otherwise immune to falling do not repertoire and often have lesser Archetypes working
suffer this Complication. for them.
WEIGHTLESS (2) Primary Pool: 9
The Field is non-standard, either in a Terra Incognita, Secondary Pool: 7
or the characters might be in free fall. Characters at- Desperation Pool: 5
tempting to make any move action must roll Athletics
+ Dexterity, and suffer the Complication. Failure to buy Health: 3
off the Complication results in moving too far or too lit- Defense: 3
tle, getting turned around, or engaging with the wrong
Initiative: 6
target. Characters with the ability to fly can ignore this
Complication. Extras: +2 Enhancement for Stunts other than Inflict
Damage
ANTAGONISTS WYRM TRACKER
H eirs pursuing the plans of their ancestors or their own
goals may run afoul a dizzying array of enemies in The
World and beyond from mundane law enforcement to divine
While an Heir may easily defeat her Rival, a Wyrm
Tracker is prepared for a fight. The Wyrm Tracker
leg breakers to titan-birthed creatures crawling out of Terra Archetype is designed to provide a challenge for
Incognitae. Some opponents, however, seek out Dragons and Heirs. They may be other Heirs, Scions, Denizens,
their Heirs, and are a problem for draconic heroes. or monstrous entities looking to make a name for
themselves by seeking out or killing a Dragon. They
DRACONIC ARCHETYPES often have multiple Qualities and Flairs and work in
pairs or lead groups of lesser Archetypes.
The following archetypes define varying power levels
of Antagonists for characters at Inheritance 1-5, or Heirs.
Primary Pool: 11
Use these archetypes to quickly create your own antago- Secondary Pool: 9
nists. For creating Antagonists for use against characters Desperation Pool: 6
at higher Inheritance (Lesser Wyrm and Dragon) see p.
XX. Health: 5
SPY Defense: 4
In any normal situation, a spy is a highly com- Initiative: 9
petent individual with years of training and field Extras: Mystic Arsenal (if appropriate)
experience. They are professionals, and rarely
expect to fail at their missions. But when dealing
with an Heir, they are out classed and out matched.
The Spy Archetype fulfills the same role as the WYRM SLAYER
Mook Archetype (Scion: Origin, p. 145) in that A Wyrm Slayer has killed before and will do it
they are easily taken out in one hit. But Spies are again. They are highly dangerous individuals that
likely to have a few Qualities to show their higher present an imminent threat to a Brood. A Wyrm
competence. Slayer isn’t always seeking out Dragons or their
Heirs to kill, instead they are just that capable,
Primary Pool: 7 anything from a Demigod, titanspawn, terrible
Secondary Pool: 5 monster, or Dragon killer can fit the bill. Much like
the Monster Archetype, Wyrm Slayers should end
Desperation Pool: 3 up being a solo fight for Heirs, though may have
Health: 1 additional allies if the player characters are Lesser
Wyrms.
Defense: 1
Primary Pool: 13
Initiative: 4
Secondary Pool: 11
Extras: +1 Enhancement (Storyguide’s Choice)
Desperation Pool: 7
Health: 10
ROGUE AGENT
Defense: 4
A Rouge Agent presents a real threat to an Heir.
These represent Heirs, Scions, and other supernat- Initiative: 10
ural entities on par with Heirs who oppose their Extras: Apocalyptic Presence, Wyrm Slayers often
actions. This could be anyone from an Heir from make use of Size rules, and particularly terrible ones
another Flight to a Denizen looking to get payback may gain force Scale.
from a bad deal. Rogue Agents add Flairs to their

190 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON


QUALITIES
Qualities define innate abilities for an Antagonist.
These are always on, or activated for free.
ATTACK
Attack Qualities modify an Antagonist’s offensive
capabilities.
ARMOR PIERCING
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype
Attacks made by the Antagonist do not suffer
increased Difficulty to Inflict Damage due to Soft
Armor.
DRAGON BREATH
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype
The Antagonist has some kind of breath weapon
which she can unleash as a ranged attack. This
could be anything from poison gas to gouts of flame.
When she makes an attack with her breath weapon,
it gains the Ranged, Aggravated, and Shockwave
Tags.
ENTRAP
The antagonist has a natural weapon that she can
use to pin a target. It could be a web or spine that
she shoots at her target, or a stinger at the tip of a
long tail. When making an attack with that weapon,
the antagonist can choose the Pin Stunt as though
she were in control of a grapple with her target.
LIFE DRAIN
Prerequisite: Rogue Agent or higher Archetype
The Antagonists blows drain the life out of victims,
sapping their strength even as it kills them, and
empowering the Antagonist at the same time.
Whenever a character takes damage from the
Antagonist’s Close Combat attacks, they gain the
Drained Condition and the Antagonist gains a +2
Enhancement to her next Close Combat action.
Anyone with the Drained Condition suffers a +2
Complication to physical actions, failure to buy of
the Complication causes them to suffer an additional
Injury Condition, or go unconscious (player choice).
The Condition ends when the Antagonist inflicts an
Injury Condition on any character other than the one
with the Drained Condition.
PERFECTED SOLDIER
Even among legendary warriors, there are those
who inspire awe or terror. Beyond the level of
Super Soldier, the Perfected Soldier Antagonist is
terrifying to behold. She gains a +2 Enhancement
to Barehanded Combat. Select a specific weapon,
Antagonists
such as a tonfa or a sword. This weapon counts as
barehanded for the purposes of this Enhancement.
She also gains +1 Defense and +2 Health.
DEFENSE
Defense Qualities provide armor, defensive capabili-
ties, or natural healing.
REGENERATION
Prerequisite: Wyrm Tracker or higher Archetype
The Antagonist heals one Health box per round.
Antagonists with this Quality must also take the
Vulnerability Quality (Scion: Origin, p. 149).
Damage from the defined source is not regenerated.
If the Antagonist survives the fight, their damage
heals at a rate of one box per day.
STABLE
The Antagonist is extremely stable, either because
of their body shape or training. The Antagonist is
immune to effects of the Knockdown/Trip Stunt.
TOUGH AS NAILS
Prerequisite: Rouge Agent or higher Archetype
When the Antagonist takes damage, raise the
Antagonist’s Defense by 1 for a number of turns
equal to the number of Health boxes currently filled.
If she takes damage again before her Defense
returns to normal, reset the countdown.
UNSTOPPABLE
Prerequisite: Rouge Agent or higher Archetype
The Antagonist is truly massive, likely standing at
least eight or nine feet tall and at least half that
across. She has Scale 1 for size and force, which
increases to force Scale 2 when dealing with inan-
imate objects. Additionally, any allied characters
within close range of the Antagonist receive the ben-
efit of the Antagonist’s Armor (but not her Defense).
UTILITY
Utility Qualities provide various modes of movement
or useful Qualities that do not fall into other categories.
FLIGHT
The Antagonist has speed Scale 1 when flying
and ignores any Complication from Difficult or
Dangerous Terrain, unless that Terrain represents
Atmospheric conditions. Additionally, if this
Antagonist chooses to Disengage vertically, she can-
not be followed unless the pursuer has some means
of matching her, such as wings or magic.
191
 ONE STEP AHEAD
The Antagonist is preternaturally good at getting
away. She may be faster than most, or just good
at taking advantage of the scenery. Whenever the
antagonist is attempting to escape a situation or is
being otherwise chased, she gains +2 speed Scale.
SEGMENTED
Prerequisite: Wyrm Tracker or higher Archetype
The antagonist exists in a segmented form. When
you choose this Quality, select a number of
Segments that makes sense (ex. a young hydra with
3 segments, one for each head). Each segment has
the same number of Health, which adds up to no
more than twice the archetype’s maximum Health.
The antagonist is not fully defeated until all segments
are Taken Out. Segments count as allies to the
antagonist for the purposes of Flairs that heal or
buff allies. Certain Qualities may come from the
segmentation, such as an extra arm or an extremely
long tail. Take note that the antagonist may not have
access to those Qualities if that segment is Taken
Out.
SLIPPERY
The Antagonist’s body is covered in a slick surface,
maybe scales or a slippery hide. Attempts to estab-
lish a grapple suffer a +1 Difficulty, and using the
Pin, Position, and Takedown Stunts in a grapple cost
an additional success to perform. Additionally, the
Antagonist can slither their way into tight spaces one
would not think they could based on their size.
SHATTERING TRANSFORMATION
Prerequisite: Rouge Agent or higher Archetype
The Antagonist has a drastically more powerful form,
such as a Dragon shape or other. For 1 Tension,
they can they assume that form. Doing so grants +2
Enhancement to one action in a Primary Pool, +1
size and force Scale, and Hard Armor 3 if they don’t
already have it. This power is always obvious and
usually quite loud.
SWIMMER
The Antagonist has speed Scale 1 when swimming
and ignores any Complications from moving under
water. For 1 Tension, the Antagonist can breath
under water for the rest of the scene.
OCCULT
Occult Qualities add supernatural elements to an
Antagonist.
192 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
APOCALYPTIC PRESENCE
Prerequisite: Rouge Agent or higher Archetype
The Antagonist is something deeply otherworldly
— there is no way it can pass itself off as something
mundane, let alone mortal. It is terrifying and
wondrous to behold, an awesome-in-the-literal-
sense revelation that leaves even the most stalwart
of mortals utterly befuddled. Only beings with
an Inheritance rating (or those doing so from a
great distance, where proper apprehension of the
Antagonist is impossible) may oppose or attack the
Antagonist.
MYSTIC ARSENAL
Prerequisite: Rouge Agent or higher Archetype
The Antagonist is experienced with mythic forces,
and uses them with a deadly precision. The character
has something — likely their own Hoard — that
empowers her. Generally, this is represented as a
signature item or weapon, that gives the Antagonist
+2 Enhancement when using the item for its intended
purpose. Spend 1 Tension to access a special Hoard
Stunt or increase the Enhancement to +4 for a single
action. Additionally, she gains a single Dragon
Magic she can cast Spells from for the cost of 1
Tension.
Play fair — if the player characters defeat the
Antagonist and take her stuff, they can add her
Hoard to theirs. No takebacks, though her allies may
come looking for her stuff. Work with the players to
decide what gets added to their Hoard (or possibly
Lair) Birthright.
SWALLOWED NAME
The Antagonist has mystically devoured or hidden its
own true name and source, making it very difficult to
verify any true details about them or magically harm
them. Any attempts to, track, make Intrigue actions
against, or to harm them with any magical effects
from Purviews, Dragon Magic, or similar sources
suffers +2 Difficulty. Finding out their true name
negates this effect. Attempts to reveal the name with
magical means provokes a Clash of Wills.
VENGEFUL BLOOD
Prerequisite: Wyrm Tracker or higher Archetype
Whenever the Antagonist takes damage from a
source that would spill blood (typically blades, but
also bullets or particularly vicious beatings), create a
number of Spys equal to the number of Health boxes
currently filled. Such beings often spring from the
very ground wherever the drops of blood fall.
SOCIAL
Social Qualities provide Antagonists with non-physi-
cal attacks and defenses.
BY DIVINE RIGHT
Prerequisite: Wyrm Tracker or higher Archetype
The Antagonist is a leader or ruler, perhaps of
a Wordly sect or nation, perhaps from a Terra
Incognita. In any case, she has tremendous power,
resources, and personnel to draw upon. She has
leadership Scale 1, and if she has want of anything,
she has it. For 1 Tension, she can summon (or have
in her possession) one of the following: a group of
guards, a plot-specific item (not already carried by
one of the characters), a person item from a player
character’s Hoard, or unlimited mortal resources to
use as she pleases.
DIPLOMYTHIC IMMUNITY
Prerequisite: Rouge Agent or higher Archetype
The player characters may be the children of
Dragons, but some people are still off limits. The
Antagonist is related to someone — almost cer-
tainly a Dragon — who is powerful, dangerous, or
well-connected. Whatever the reason, others are
unwilling to give evidence about her, higher-ups in
the player characters’ own Flight discourage further
investigation, and so on. All intervals spent directly
investigating the Antagonist incur a +2 Complication,
and if not bought off someone from the Flight comes
and checks in on the characters.
This Quality may be specified to include only a
single Flight, a will only affect intervals relying on
anything associated with that Flight.
OBLIGATION
Prerequisite: Rouge Agent or higher Archetype
The Antagonist is steeped in the power of reciprocity,
of exchange and obligation. Any agreement made
with her is supernaturally binding. When used
against player characters, the Storyguide may spend
1 Tension to force the issue in a number of ways —
she may show up, the character feels compelled
to act (represented as a Condition), or retribution
awaits the oath breaker.
WILLFUL
The Antagonist is made of sterner stuff than her
fellows. When she engages in a Clash of Wills, she
adds three dice to her Desperation Pool.
Antagonists
FLAIRS
Flairs are special abilities that allow Antagonists to
make special attacks or maneuvers. They cost Tension to
activate to limit how often they are used.
ATTACK
Attack Flairs deal damage or target individuals.
CURSE
Cost: None
Duration: One scene, unless broken
Subject: One target
Range: Medium
Action: Simple
Cooldown: End of scene, or the curse is broken
The Antagonist places a curse on her target. The
effects of the curse vary, and the Storyguide is
encouraged to be descriptive. Non-trivial targets
gain a Clash of Wills. Curses come in the form of
a Condition which resolves when broken (through
healing or purification magic) or a specific task is
performed (determined by the Antagonist). Possible
curse effects are:
• Sap Strength: +1 Difficulty to all Might and
Dexterity actions.
• Persistent Injury: Inflict an Injury Condition which
cannot be healed through normal means. The
Condition resolves when the curse is broken.
• Clumsy: +2 Complication to Move and Dexterity
actions, failure to buy off results in the character
falling prone.
THEFT OF PUISSANCE
Cost: None or 1 Tension
Duration: One scene or indefinite
Subject: One target
Range: Touch
Action: Simple
Cooldown: End of scene or end of session
The Antagonist can tap into an Heir’s native power,
stealing part of Dragon Magic from their blood to
empower the Antagonist. Against an unaware or sur-
prised target outside of combat, an Antagonist can
use this power if they simply make skin to skin con-
tact. In combat or against a target on-guard against
them, they require the Heir’s actual blood, usually
from having inflicted an Injured or Maimed condition
on the Heir, and then succeeded at a Close Combat
action against them for making contact.
When the Antagonist activates Theft of Puissance,
they pick one of their targets Knacks or Spells. For
the rest of the scene, the target loses access to the
Knack or Spell and the Antagonist gains access to
193
 it, and does not pay any costs associated with it the
first time they activate it. For the cost of 1 Tension,
the Antagonist instead gains access to the Knack
or Spell indefinitely. The affected Heir still regains
access to their powers at the end of the scene, but all
their actions that would use the Knack or Spell gains
a +1 Complication: Power’s Echo: The Antagonist
knows the character’s location and their use of the
affected power.
DEFENSE
Defense Flairs provide protection to the Antagonist.
MASS CONCEALMENT
Cost: None
Duration: One scene
Subject: Field
Range: Medium
Action: Simple
Cooldown: End of Session
The Antagonist creates a massive shroud, the nature
of which may vary — a thick fog will do as well as
supernatural darkness, for example. This shroud
extends throughout the Field and imposes an
Obscured Field Condition. All characters suffer a
+3 Complication to take combat actions within the
Field, failure to buy off the Complication leads to
one of the following at Storyguide discretion: attack
a different, unintended target; attack one inanimate
object (of size Scale equal or lower); take an Injury
Condition. Additionally, actions to hide or perform
stealth actions gain +2 Enhancement.
SIDESTEP
Cost: 1 Tension
Duration: Instant
Subject: Self
Range: Self
Action: Simple
Cooldown: End of Scene
Activate this Flair after the Antagonist suffers dam-
age. The Antagonist takes a step sideways and im-
mediately exits the Field and scene. The Antagonist
is no longer in the scene. Characters attempting
to follow or track the Antagonist must succeed on
a Clash of Wills. The Antagonist may re-enter the
scene later unless there is some limitation on the
Field which prevents entry.
TRIPWIRE
Cost: None or 1 Tension
Duration: Indefinite
194 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
Subject: One element in a Field
Range: Close
Action: Simple
Cooldown: 3 turns
The Antagonist may roll to attack but save her
successes to set a trap. Roll her attack pool and
note successes, then designate a certain element
in the Field, such as a car, a doorway, or a ladder.
If a character interacts with that element, apply
the successes of the attack to Stunts as though the
Antagonist succeeded, using the character’s Armor
if applicable. For 1 Tension, the trap resets with the
same number of successes and can be triggered
a second time. Players may detect a trap with a
reflexive Subterfuge + Cunning roll, Difficulty of the
Antagonist’s successes on the Tripwire roll.
If Tripwire is used to prepare an ambush, it can only
be used a single time, effectively creating a sneak
attack unless noticed by the player characters. When
combat begins, Tripwire immediately refreshes.
UNDER PRESSURE
Cost: None
Duration: One round
Subject: Self
Range: Self
Action: Reflexive
Cooldown: The Antagonist is not attacked at all for
one round
Activate this Flair when two or more characters
attack the Antagonist in a single round, even if those
attack deal no damage. She receives +2 Defense
against the second attack, and against all other
attacks that round. In the next round, the Antagonist
receives a +3 Enhancement to her Primary combat
pool.
SOCIAL
Social Flairs allows the antagonist to make non-phys-
ical attacks on a target.
MASTERMIND
Cost: None or 1 Tension
Duration: Instant
Subject: One investigation
Range: Indefinite
Action: Simple
Cooldown: End of Session; or the player charac-
ters confront the Antagonist directly
The Antagonist has shielded herself from scrutiny,
be it through cutouts, agents, or magical means.
 Investigations looking into her find themselves going
subtly awry — information is lost, leads turn up
bogus information, clues point to the wrong person.
For 1 Tension, the Antagonist may alter the Clues
in a single Investigation, so that they appear to
implication someone working for her rather than the
Antagonist herself.
MIND CONTROL
Cost: 1 Tension
Duration: Condition
Subject: One target
Range: Medium
Action: Simple
Cooldown: End of Session
The Antagonist takes over the mind of a single indi-
vidual to do her bidding, imparting the Controlled
Condition. Non-trivial characters provoke a Clash
of Wills. While affected by the Controlled Condition,
the character suffers +2 Difficulty to take actions
not specified by the Antagonist. The Condition
ends when the character performs an action the
Antagonist specifies, or the Antagonist is Taken Out,
dies, or otherwise chooses to end their control.
Note: When using this Flair on player characters,
negotiate with the player on the kinds of actions the
Antagonist wants them to take to ensure they are
comfortable with the action.
Range: Touch
Action: Simple
Cooldown: The Antagonist takes damage
The Antagonist clears half (round down) the Health
track of another Antagonist. For 1 Tension, she may
clear the entire Stress track. Not only can this bring
Antagonists back into a fight they were Taken Out
of, it can even resurrect explicitly dead Antagonists
— gapping wounds knit, severed limbs (or heads) re-
attach themselves. Resurrecting a Wyrm Slayer-level
Antagonist always costs 2 Tension, and only restores
half of its Health track.
UTILITY
Utility Flairs give Antagonist access to useful abilities
that are neither attacks nor defenses.
SORCERY
Cost: 1 Tension
Duration: Varies
Subject: Varies
Range: Varies
Action: Varies
Cooldown: One scene
Choose a Dragon Magic (p. XX). The Antagonist
may use Spells from that Dragon Magic for the cost
of 1 Tension.

SUPPORT THEY’RE HERE

Support Flairs allow the Antagonist to help its allies Cost: 1 Tension
and buff itself.
Duration: Instant
HUMAN GUISE Subject: One target
Cost: 1 Tension
Range: World
Duration: One scene
Action: None
Subject: One target
Cooldown: End of Session, or the Heir uses a
Range: Close Transformation knack
Action: Simple The Antagonist shows up at the worst possible time
Cooldown: One scene for their target. Based on their nature, they may sim-
ply walk up out of the darkness, slither out of some
The Antagonist changes their target’s appearance to occult pathway, or simply smash through the nearest
that of a normal mundane human. All supernatural wall. If the Antagonist intends to attack, they gain +2
traits disappear to the naked eye, and effects such Enhancement for their initiative roll.
as Scent the Divine fail to work without a Clash of
Wills. The Antagonist may target herself with this
Flair. WEATHER TYRANT
Cost: 1 Tension
HEALING WAVE Duration: One Scene
Cost: None; 1 Tension; or 2 Tension Subject: Area
Duration: Instant Range: Long
Subject: One ally Action: Simple

Example Antagonists 195

 Cooldown: One Session
The Antagonist can alter the weather, generating
dangerous conditions. While in many cases this ef-
fect is narrative in scope, in combat it often results in
Field Conditions, or may inflict Conditions on player
characters per the Storyguide’s discretion.
WORLD SHAKING
Cost: 1 Tension
Duration: Indefinite
Subject: Terrain
Range: Medium
Action: Simple
Cooldown: End of Scene
The Antagonist disrupts the ground, transforming it
into Difficult Terrain out to medium range. She may
center the disturbance anywhere within her line of
sight. This is not a subtle Flair: Using it significantly
damages the ground and any nearby structures.
EXAMPLE
ANTAGONISTS
A s in Scion: Origin, the following sample Antagonists
are intended to be guidelines and tutorials rather than
hard-and-fast rules to live by. Storyguides should design
Antagonists to fit their chronicles and players, not vice versa!
NEST RAIDERS
As long as there have been Dragons, there have been
those who have desired what is theirs. Titans, Gods, mor-
tals, and quite often other Dragons have sought hoards of
draconic treasure and the luster of draconic magic since
the morning of The World. In the modern age, however,
Dragons and their Lairs are often far outside the reach of
those in the mundane. For those would-be thieves of gold
and fire who know of the existence of Heirs, however, they
offer a tempting target. Often, an Heir’s pursuit of their
heritage or the plans of their Dragon ancestor sees them
coming into contact with all manner of ancient plunder,
and their inarguable draconic heritage comes without the
complication of an entire, immediately present Dragon to
deal with.
PEARL THIEVES
Mortals and near-mortals with just enough knowl-
edge and power to be dangerous, Pearl Thieves are cov-
etous individuals, desiring ancient wealth or draconic
power for their own self-interested reasons. Whether to
provide for a life of easy luxury, gain supernatural pow-
er through stolen magics, or some other purpose, Pearl
Thieves are uniformly willing and able to ruin or end an
Heir’s life to get what they want. Their methods focus on
196 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
tracking and isolating Heirs, using stealth, trickery, and
social engineering to get close enough to strike.
How any individual Pearl Thief learned about the
existence Dragons and their Heirs varies, but many are
catspaws of greater threats and potential enemies. It’s
common for a would-be treasure hunter or blood-drinking
mortal sorcerer to find themselves set on a path towards
a particular Heir by enemies of that Heir’s ancestor or
Flight. Their ability to hijack draconic powers have many
different sources, but usually work similarly, requiring
access to an unsuspecting target, or at least their recently
shed blood.
Particularly successful Pearl Thieves may be Villains
or even Rivals, with additional (stolen) Knacks, the
Sorcery Flair, and Archetype appropriate die-pools. Such
individuals are often wily survivors, having escaped not
only retribution from their victims, but also the leash of
whatever would-be master that thought to control them.
They often understand young Heirs better than the Heirs
themselves might, and are incredibly dangerous.
Archetype: Professional
Qualities: Shroud, Twitchy
Flairs: Theft of Puissance
Drive: Obtain wealth and magical power for
themselves
Primary Pool (7): Subterfuge, Surprise Attacks
(+1 Enhancement)
Secondary Pool (5): Escaping Danger, Occult
Lore, Situational Awareness
Desperation Pool: 2
Health: 2
Defense: 2
Initiative: 7
EGG EATERS
There is no shortage of spawn from absent creators
crawling out of crevices in Terra Incognita to seek youth-
ful flesh and magic. It’s unclear how so many of these
creatures found a taste for draconic flesh. Some accounts
suggest that Echidna or other trapped monstrosities
released them en masse in revenge for Dragons failing
to side with them in ancient conflicts against the Gods;
Other stories suggest that some God quietly introduced
them to The World to drive off draconic involvement all
together. And yet others still, that they are some ancient
consequence of Dragons being in The World; lost children
becoming poison for their own family trees.
Whatever their origin, their forms are parodies of
a Dragon’s own, twisted draconic and reptilian features
without consistency or clear lineage. They can’t often
function long in the modern World without drawing
mortal attention, but lurk at its intersections with Terra
Incognita, waiting to catch scent of their favorite prey.
While they will certainly strike at unfortunates who are
unaware of whatever modicum of Draconic blood they
have in their veins, Egg Eaters’ preferred targets are Heirs
who have recently come into their powers. Weak enough
to overwhelm, but with the enlivened Dragon magic that
the Egg Eaters, for whatever reason, endlessly seek.
Archetype: Spy
Qualities: Heavily Armored (1 Soft, 2 Hard),
Natural Weapons (Claws, Teeth, and Potentially
Anything Else)
Flairs: Theft of Puissance
Drive: Eat meat and drink blood seasoned with
Dragon Magic
Primary Pool (7): Close Combat (+1
Enhancement), Tracking by Scent
Secondary Pool (5): Grabbing and Dragging
Away, Pursuit
Desperation Pool: 3
Health: 1
Defense: 1
Initiative: 4
DRAGONSLAYERS
Gods, their Scions, and Heroes alike have fought
and slain Dragons and Heirs for many reasons across the
breadth of time: to protect their own, to avenge lost loves,
or just to gain power and wealth. Even the haughtiest of
Dragons must admit that these are all good, or at least
comprehensible reasons. After all, few mourn Fáfnir. A
Dragon might seek revenge for a fellow’s demise at the
hands of a Scion defending a relic the deceased was at-
tempting to claim as their own, but such is merely the way
of The World.
And yet, from the earliest encounters of Dragon and
mortal, there exists another thread that has woven itself
into the skein of fate repeatedly. Swords and arrows and
killing arts wielded in no defense of hearth and home, or
even in desire for gold and treasure, but for the singular
glory of slaying a Dragon. Arms and armies rise in pursuit
of draconic murder frequently, beyond obvious benefit
or reason. Some Dragons, and latter-day Heirs, suspect a
long tradition of using mortal heroes as tools of assassina-
tion, while others go so far as to suggest some singular and
malefic supernatural force is behind it. Whatever the case,
whenever Dragons walk the world, dragonslayers follow.
BIG GAME HUNTERS
In the modern age, it’s not rational to hunt dragons.
Even for a person with definitive proof of their exis-
tence, they are illusive and distant prey, and even the
most starry-eyed monster slayer can find a dozen more
pressing and easily accessible threats to mortal life and
Example Antagonists
weal. This does nothing to stop the fire that burns in the
belly of some, the absolute certainty that it is their duty to
seek out the sovereign of serpents, the questing monster,
the Dragon, and slay them. For some, it’s lit by a chance
encounter; fascination with the awe-inspiring existence
grown to murderous obsession. Others embrace the par-
ticular passion for draconic hunting after coaxing from
an outside force. Many divine, Titanic, and even draconic
actors want particular Dragons or Flights slain without
their direct intervention in the modern age, after all, and
some mortals seem to possess a strange affinity for it when
given just the right push. Perhaps most frighteningly,
some Big Game Hunters simply find an unceasing hunger
within themselves to slay the Dragon, mount its head on
their wall, and know it is good…and then devote their lives
to performing the deed.
Mortals who reach the point of practical Dragon-
slaying without obvious supernatural patron usually avail
themselves of every technological advance and modern
weapon available. They stockpile high-powered hunting
rifles, ultramodern personal defense weapons, explosives,
and anything else that might work against the beast. They
prepare for traps and asymmetrical warfare as a matter
of course. Without a ready source of magical power, they
collect those magical baubles and potent charms which
provide any edge against their ultimate prey, without con-
cern for greater mystical knowledge or universal secrets.
They sharpen their skills on every dangerous animal in
The World and some that are native elsewhere, often
become renowned, or at least known slayers of legendary
monsters on their path. By the time a Big Game Hunter
goes after their chosen prey, they’ve sharpened them-
selves into weapons against dragonkind to the exclusion
of all else. There is certainly a great human cost for a mod-
ern person to turn themselves into a dragonslayer, but by
the time one reaches that state, they no longer care.
Archetype: Rogue Agent
Qualities: Armor Piercing, Sniper, Super Soldier
Flairs: Tripwire
Drive: To hunt Dragons and preserve the remains as
trophies
Primary Pool (9): Hunting, Modern Weapons (+1
Enhancement), Relentless Pursuit
Secondary Pool (7): Draconic Lore, Restocking
on Firepower, Stealth
Desperation Pool: 5
Health: 4
Defense: 4
Initiative: 6
ARMORED SLAYERS
Killers of Dragons live in on in legend and song.
Those who slew the scaled kings of the world to save
197
kingdoms, lovers, and the innocent are often known as
great heroes and sometimes greater Scions. But for those
who never put down the blade, who saw the treasures of
the slain only as more fuel for the next hunt, what hap-
pened to them? What became of the names that sought
only slaughter?
Between stories, out of shadow, sometimes they still
walk. Ancient warriors, without legend or story or even
simple posterity, wielding weapons of passed epochs with
superlative skill and impossible might. They gird them-
selves in ancient finery and splendor over armor often
formed of dragonhide and wyrmbone, a barrier against
both human interaction and the frenzied assaults of their
chosen prey. Thusly armored, such figures walk as living
shades, propelled after their prey across mystical and his-
torical ages. The mortal world seems to give such archaic
interruptions a wide breadth; whatever supernatural
force that has brought them alive and murderous to the
modern day also easing their way through the mundane.
Only when confronted by some remnant of their original
identity or their native name do these ceaseless footmen
falter in their quest. Otherwise, they are tireless in their
pursuit of draconic extermination.
Archetype: Wyrm Tracker
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Helpless Fascination
(When confronted with their original name or
198 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
identity), Institutional Disbelief, Perfected Soldier,
Slothful Resilience
Flairs: Here I Come, Seeing Red, They’re Here
Drive: To slaughter dragons and make possessions
of their bodies
Primary Pool (11): Destroying Barriers, Pursuit,
Slaughter (+2 Enhancement)
Secondary Pool (9): Intimidation, Smithing,
Tracking
Desperation Pool: 6
Health: 11 (3 from Armor)
Defense: 5 (1 from Armor)
Initiative: 9
Extra: Superhuman murderous wraiths from the
deep past, Armored Slayers are usually at least
Force Scale 2.
DRAGÙA
These Legendary Creatures serve one purpose in The
World, and it is to protect people from Dragons. Their
imperative, given to them over a millennium ago has gone
from simply, protect people by killing Dragons who get
too close, to seek and destroy all Dragons. They were once
Dragons themselves, or at least, the Dragons remember
that they were there amongst their children during the
earliest times. But the Dragùa are one of those groups
of children who were completely rewritten at the hands
of the pantheons. Now they hide amongst the human
population, their strong magical wings hidden until they
need them in a fight. They use their human appearance
to fool Heirs and Dragons alike, though a smart Heir will
recognize the town’s hero who seems invincible is likely a
Dragùa and turn the other way.
Archetype: Wyrm Tracker
Qualities: Flight, Mystic Arsenal (see extras),
Perfected Soldier (sword), Tough as Nails
Flairs: Sorcery (Weather Control)
Drive: To protect the people from Dragons.
Primary Pool (11): Fighting, Protecting, Tracking
(+2 Enhancement)
Secondary Pool (9): Flying, Surviving
Desperation Pool: 6
Health: 11 (3 from Armor)
Defense: 5 (1 from Armor)
Initiative: 9
Extra: Dragùa are incredibly strong and have
a Force Scale of 1 for Might-based actions.
Additionally, they carry and throw thunder bolts as
their Mystic Arsenal.
THE RIDER
Everyone knows St. George slew the dragon on Libyan
sands. Or was it, St. Theodore of Amasea, on the shores
of Akdamar? Or was it the Thracian Cavalry, along the
wine dark Aegean? If there is some single being behind
the continual rebirth of dragonslayers and nest hunters,
the ancient Rider is its final mask; if there is instead some
pure hunting force, the Rider is the beatific face of the
rising tide of carnage.
Unlike the Armored Slayers, the Rider is not a wraith
moving through the mortal world, ignored to the best of
mundane society’s ability. Unlike the Big Game Hunter,
the Rider is not a lone madman, a singular rifle in the
night. The Rider’s words inspire others to follow, to raise
their hands in pursuit of the great work, in the pursuit of
that rare glory, in pursuit of Dragons defeated and slain.
The Rider will bring peace between enemies, inspire faith
in adherents of any creed, give hope to the desperate,
bread to the hungry, and succor to the needy, so that all
may join hands to hoist the severed head of the serpent
and snake. It has found common cause with Scions of ev-
ery pantheon, ridden alongside supernatural beings and
Titanspawn of countless type and lineage.
Paradoxically, the final slayer of Dragons is also one
of the most likely to leave them maimed but alive. There
have been many accounts of the Rider sparing a young
Hiers
Heir or even full Dragon, leaving them blind or hamstrung
or in terror of sunlight in place of killing them. Such un-
fortunates often attempt to revenge themselves on the
Rider later, or failing that, the communities that aided it in
its quest. Perhaps some quirk of fair play leads the Rider
to spare some of its victims, or perhaps it simply wishes
to ensure that there are always more Dragons to slay and
people to cheer on the killing.
Archetype: Wyrm Slayer
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Stand Tall (when
mounted), Sure Footed (when mounted), Tough as
Nails, Unstoppable (when mounted)
Flairs: I Have Friends, Inspiration
Drive: Rally the World against dragons, forever
Primary Pool (13): Rally Allies, Ride, Slay
Secondary Pool (11): Care for Steeds, Inspire
Murderous Loyalty, Maim and Curse the Broken (+2
Enhancement for creating long term Complications
on a defeated foe)
Desperation Pool: 7
Health: 13 (3 from Armor)
Defense: 4
Initiative: 10
Extras: The Eternal Rider: As long as the Rider
rides on or in anything, be it mortal or supernatural
steed, motorcycle, main battle tank, or fighter jet, it
is Scale 3 for all actions. The Rider can break a city’s
foundation with its blows or rally its populace from
its saddle or seat.
HEIRS
D ragon’s Heirs often act in cross-purposes against
each other, especially when from a different Flight.
Characters may find themselves fighting an Heir either in
direct opposition for conflicting goals, or racing towards the
same goal for different Handlers.
THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
OF TIAMAT, BOLLA, AND COMPANY LLC
Founded first as a mutual benefit pact, it wasn’t
long before the Brood that made up Tiamat, Bolla, and
Company LLC found their abilities could fetch a very high
price on the open market. Working for any entity that
didn’t cross their ancestors’ plans, for years the original
five Heirs made a killing in the business of supernatural
spy craft.
The company grew from five Heirs and a mimeo-
graphed contract to a staff of dozens of mortals and
Denizens, ferreting out secrets and mysteries for the high-
est bidder. Its CEO has changed on multiple occasions,
and is currently Hina Fujiwara, a Kitsune who bought into
199
the LLC after being outed by its investigations into her
cover identity as a textile heiress.
Since the Brood first founded Tiamat, Bolla, and
Co., however, one of the original members has died, one
ascended to the status of Lesser Wyrm and disappeared
into some Otherworld, and the remainder have drifted
away to pursue their own Remembrances…save for one.
Cloaking their origin in deception and lies, devouring
their own name to make identifying their true self almost
impossible, the Chief Financial Officer continues to run
TB&C (no one ever uses its real name anymore) as the
power behind the scenes. Having obtained their ances-
tors’ appetites but little in the way of loyalty to the long
dead Dragon, the CFO is content to amass all the money in
the world. Eventually, it may become a matter of choosing
between aging and ascendance, but until then the CFO
uses the powerful business and intelligence apparatus of
TB&C to enrich themselves, stay apprised of threats, and
steadily grow in power. The CFO targets young Scions,
Denizens, and Heirs alike for use as pawns in their plans,
considering themselves beyond the reach of anyone short
of a Lesser Wyrm or Demigod. And with the power of a
professional spy organization, millions of dollars, and a
bevy of supernatural servants at their disposal, perhaps
the CFO is right.
Agenda: The CFO continues to grow TB&C, using its
resources to gain blackmail material on mortals and super-
natural beings alike, and then leverage that information
for more money and resources to continue the process. It’s
only a matter of time before they co-opt the leadership of
a major group of Denizens, and CFO is idly wondering if
centaur or reptilian destroyer shock troopers would make
breaking into the mercenary business plausible.
Hooks: TB&C begins tracking local Broods, before
threatening to expose the Heirs to their enemies if they
don’t start working for TB&C. Local peddlers of influ-
ence and secret knowledge begin turning up dead, with
signs pointing to TB&C; have they started to move into
wetwork? The CFO takes a personal interest in Heirs who
have made a name for themselves, offering them a place in
the company…while trying to discover their weaknesses,
in case they want to exploit them.
Archetype: Rogue Agent
Qualities: By Divine Right, Diplomythic Immunity
(Dragons), Swallowed Name
Flairs: Shattering Transformation
Drive: Sit on a giant pile of money and never die.
Primary Pool (11): Boardroom Politics, Financial
Exploitation, Stealing Secrets
Secondary Pool (9): Cheap Shots, Larceny
Desperation Pool: 6
Health: 5
Defense: 4
Initiative: 9
200 CHAPTER SIX: STORYGUIDING DRAGON
LEGENDARY CREATURES
Despite what some Dragons may claim, there are
creatures who have lived alongside them for nearly their
entire history. Whether created by draconic misadven-
ture or simply cast into their corner by the vagaries of the
World, these beings are sometimes subjects, sometimes
foes, and sometimes fellow travelers with Dragon, God,
and denizen alike.
OPHIDIAN LAMIAI
AND OTHER SCOURGES
They lived beyond the bounds of safety established
by Theoi Scions, their homes deserts, wastes, and rooted
warrens beyond polis and kingdom. The cursed, the ex-
iled, and the warped would hear the serpentine whispers
in the dark, and follow them to the coiling and scaled em-
brace of the desert dwellers: the dancing snakes at the edge
of the night. They don’t deserve you, the serpent mothers
would explain, just like they deserve so few of the gifts
The World has given them. And so those who dwelled in
kingdom and polis learned to dread the slithering visitor
in the night, who would take that which was undeserved.
For it was not treasure and magic seized, not even mighty
lives ended by poison that archon and paterfamilias and
Theoi tyrant would fear most. It was that whisper from
darkness to the scorned sibling, the abused child, the mis-
erable spouse, the trod upon citizens to come away, come
away and dance and be free at the end of the world.
What Flight or individual Dragon might’ve given rise
to the lineage of Scourges is unclear, but it is certain that
many embraced Lamia as their true mother soon after
she, herself, joined their ranks. Sometimes, the Ophidian
Lamiai serve the interest of Dragons directly through
their actions, but far more often an Heir finds themselves
tasked with bargaining with them for something or even
someone they’ve seized. It can be difficult to obtain
anything from them if they consider you unworthy, and
nearly as hard to prove ‘worth’ to a people who have been
judging The World wanting since before humanity knew
how to farm.
Archetype: Professional
Qualities: Natural Weapons, Toxic
Flairs: Long Arm
Drive: Steal away things and people of value from
the unworthy
Primary Pool (7): Moving Unseen, Scenting the
Unworthy
Secondary Pool (5): Coils and Fangs (+1
Enhancement), Whispering in Darkness,
Desperation Pool: 3
Health: 2
Defense: 2
Initiative: 5
 REPTILIAN DESTROYERS
Reptilian destroyers were always hard for early man
to describe in more than bits and pieces, when they left
anyone alive to describe them. Perhaps they were twice as
wide as a man and half again as tall. Perhaps their mouths
were full of crocodilian teeth and their hands fistfuls of
raptor talons. Children of a Dragon, Titan, or nameless
and ashamed God, the reptilian destroyers roamed the
early World alongside other monsters, until God, Hero,
and humanity’s growing strength drove them back to
darkness. They never really went away, retreating only
into Terra Incognitae or lairs made open to them. And
while humanity fears them, the world of the supernatural
finds they make for formidable soldiers, fighters, guards,
and grunts. With little in the way of other work available
for them, reptilian destroyers often leap at the chance to
do a little mayhem for a payday.
Archetype: Monster
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Natural Weapons
Flairs: Here I come
Drive: Live easy through violence
Primary Pool (11): Move Too Fast for Anything
That Large, Wreak Havoc
Secondary Pool (9): Bargain for More, Brute
Force
Desperation Pool: 5
Health: 6
Armor: 3
Defense: 4
Initiative: 9
Extras: Reptilian Destroyers are usually size Scale
1. Particularly dangerous individuals may possess
additional force or size Scale.
Hiers
RULING SERPENTS
They live beneath the earth of The World, focused
on finding and collecting treasures. They have long hid-
den from humanity’s sight, but they lurk in every nook,
cranny, and hidden place within The World. They infest
Terra Incognitae, and they raid lairs looking for hoards to
pillage. They once paid homage to Dragons, now they curl
up in their lost lairs taking their treasures for their own.
Ruling Serpents rarely leave a lair once they’ve claimed
it for their own, but plenty are still seeking their treasure
and glory, or amassing a hoard of their own. They see no
shame in stealing from an Heir, they aren’t a true Dragon
after all.
Archetype: Rogue Agent
Qualities: One Step Ahead, Mystic Arsenal,
Slippery, Stable
Flairs: Sidestep
Drive: Live easy through violence
Primary Pool (9): Lightning Fast Speed, Serpent’s
Strike
Secondary Pool (7): Artistry, Appraisals
Desperation Pool: 5
Health: 3
Armor: 3
Defense: 3
Initiative: 6
Extras: +2 Enhancement for Stunts other than Inflict
Damage. Ruling Serpents often have their own
Hoard which gives them access to a single Dragon
Magic.
201
T he deep history of The World has led to many draconic
creations separate and apart from the mixing of mortal
human blood with that of dragons. Whether birthed in the
burning bowels of the earth, hatched in gleaming clutches amidst
dew-speckled primordial fields, or transformed from animals
and simpler creatures, these creatures existed in a time when
Dragons ruled The World. They call themselves the Children of
Dragons, though the truth of that moniker is lost to time. Many
of them died long ago, but just as other supernatural Denizens
of The World receded into shadows with humanity’s rise, so
too did the Children of Dragons. However, many still flourish
in Terra Incognita, secluded corners of The World, and beyond,
remembering their old creators and watching the shadows that
ancient draconic plans cast across the world.
GENERAL RULES
L ike most Denizens from god-spawned lineages and other
preternatural children, the creatures presented here have
Persistent Conditions that reflect their inherently inhuman
nature. These conditions never permanently resolve, forcing
these characters to deal with their inhuman characteristics
and gain the corresponding Momentum on a regular basis.
They also treat their inhuman nature as both a Role Path
and a Calling. If a Denizen is an Heir or Scion, this replaces
one of their normal Callings, but cannot replace the Calling
an Heir shares with their Flight or a Scion shares with their
source of divinity.
CHILDREN OF
DRAGONS AS HEROES
The Legendary Creatures presented here are
intended for use in games of Scion: Dragon
as allies or potential player characters.
When playing one as an Heir, the Denizen’s
supernatural nature replaces one of the Heir’s
Callings, the Knacks presented here are on par
with other Knacks available to Heirs. If you
wish to use one of these Legendary Creatures
to make a Scion Hero, then you may do so,
using the same rules and Knacks. All the Knacks
presented here are considered Heroic Knacks
for that purpose.
202 APPENDIX: LEGENDARY CREATURES
Additionally, while these Legendary Creatures can
learn Draconic Knacks, they cannot transform those Knacks
or take on a Draconic Form unless they are also a draconic
Heir. A Legendary Creature’s Persistent Condition pre-
cludes her from purchasing the Draconic Knack, Modest
Human Disguise.
SCOURGES
H umanity has never understood your kind, even when
they feared it. They told stories of devoured children
and emptied cities, of glittering treasures guarded by coils
and scales and poison. There are places they would not travel,
where they would not dare send their armies, where they
swore there was poisoned wasteland, wrapped in coils and
watched with slit serpentine eyes. And why correct them?
Do not feel guilty for taking from the unworthy, for
stealing children away from exposure, for hiding treasures
away from conquering despoilers. Your ancestors wel-
comed those the Theoi and other gods cursed with twisted
forms, and those Titan children who could no longer bear
a war against the bright Olympians and their kin. The un-
deserving and destructive fill the world, and your people
collect treasures, misunderstood and mistreated, whatever
form they may take, dispensing such horded gifts only rare-
ly. You may continue this work in the modern day, taking
from the wicked and the stray or seeing to the careful al-
lowance of wonders to the worthy.
Should the works of your people serve those Dragons
who claim they created you when the world was young,
perhaps that is fine. Or perhaps you see to a future where
even they understand that nothing in the world may be
taken for granted as long as your kind watches, waits, and
coils.
Example Calling Keywords: avenger, deceitful, lurk-
ing, guardian, venomous, thief
Path Asset Skills: Subterfuge, Survival
Path Contacts: treasure hunters, river dwellers, foster
children, social workers, museum curators
Persistent Condition: Serpentine Body
A large portion of your body is serpentine instead of
human. Many ophidians have the upper body of a human
and the legless and scaled lower body of a snake, but some
have more inhuman features, such as scales and snake hide
across their entire body, a serpent’s head and fangs in place
of a human face, or even a human head atop the coils of a
fully snakelike body. Barring extraordinary effort on your
part, you can’t pass for human. You gain Momentum when-
ever being a slithering person in a legged World causes you
trouble, such as when your particular arrangement of limbs
is a serious inconvenience, or when your obviously snake-
like nature causes dangerously antipathic reactions.

SCOURGE KNACKS
City Swallowing Wastes: You may spirit away things,
people, or places, carrying them with you as easily and
unobtrusively as an egg. Make a Knack Skill roll and spend
successes on a one for one basis to increase the size Scale of
an item, person, or place you wish to take with you. The de-
fault with no successes is that you may take a single person
or small object. With one success you can take an item the
size of a motorcycle, two successes, a family, car, or shack,
and three successes or more enables you to spirit away en-
tire buildings and congregations. Sentient creatures must
give their consent or be somehow incapacitated for you to
carry them away in this manner.
Mighty Coils: You gain +2 Enhancement to all Grapple
Stunts, and gain the Soft Armored 1 tag against opponents
who are Grappling or Grappled by you.
Ophidian Avenger: You may declare someone unwor-
thy of a person, place, or thing. If they voluntarily and truly
relinquish all claim over them or it, this power has no more
effect. If they do not, as long as you share a scene with them,
they suffer a +2 Miasma Complication outside of combat,
and your attacks gain the Aggravated tag against them in
combat. This Knack may affect only one character at a time.
This Knack does not function on entities of a higher Tier
than you.
Poison and Miasma: You have the following Defensive
Stunt available.
Miasma (Variable Successes): You inflict the
Miasma Complication equal to successes spent (up to +5
Complication) for any enemies who attack you from the
Range Band you are in.
Venom of the Pit: When you fight unarmed, spend
Momentum to add the Lethal tag to one attack, which also
inflicts the Poisoned condition if it inflicts damage.

MIASMA
If an enemy does not resolve the Miasma
Complication, they gain the Poisoned condition
at the value of the unresolved Complication.
Trivial characters affected instead collapsed,
incapacitated, if they suffer from the Miasma
Complication.

Scourges 203
 Warm Scent of the Unworthy: You always know if
an object, person, or place is harmed or unappreciated by
those that consider it theirs, and gain +2 Enhancement to
any rolls involving stealing them or it away to safety. This
always applies against conscious attempts by the erstwhile
owner to stop you, but not unrelated rolls against them.
Wasteland’s Polestar: Mundane snakes and naturally
poisonous or venomous animals never trouble you unless
you attack them directly; supernatural creatures of roughly
animal intelligence behavior similarly, unless supernat-
urally compelled. During Chases, you have the following
Stunt available:
Why’d It Have to be Snakes?! (Variable Successes): You
create the Covered in Snakes Complication for the target’s
Chase actions. This creates Complication equal to the value
of the Stunt. If not bought off, the Condition resolves and
the target suffers a -1 Injury Condition and the Poisoned
condition at the value of the unresolved Complication.
Otherwise, it resolves at the end of the scene, or if they
spend an action getting all these snakes off themselves.
Wrapped in the Coils of Night: When you hide your-
self, someone else, or something you’ve stolen away from
those who would seek it, those searching find only darkness
and dust. Until the person or object reenters society or the
larger world, they’re nearly impossible to find. Attempts
by lower Tier opponents to find anyone or anything you’ve
hidden away simply fail. If an effect benefits from supernat-
ural aid or is made by an opponent of equal or higher Tier,
make a Clash of Wills roll as the defender.
RULING SERPENTS REPTILIAN
Y DESTROYERS
our halls glitter with bejeweled subterranean glory. Your
lands’ waters are heady, primal wine flowing through the
depths of the earth. Their air is perfume, their storehouses
stocked with every needful thing and every desirable one in
equal measure. Your kind have moved beneath The World
since long ago, loving and warring with one another, the Gods,
Titans, and even the occasional extraordinary mortal; not
only to protect these otherworldly treasures, but to increase
them, to exalt the worthy and wondrous and protect them
even as the years march onward.
Perhaps the great Dragons created your kind to serve
them when The World was young, and perhaps they
benefit from the great treasures collected and guarded in
Underworlds, Overworlds, and even in The World. But
such origins are now immaterial: The Ruling Serpents
guard what is worthy, whether mortal, draconic, divine, or
other.
The ages have filled your home with treasures, greatly
beloved and far away. But now you find yourself in The
World again, confronted with a new age of wonders to see,
heroes to befriend or test, mortals to cultivate and lead, and
treasures to protect.
Example Calling Keywords: bejeweled, bountiful,
companion, monarch, protector, steward
204 APPENDIX: LEGENDARY CREATURES
Path Asset Skills: Culture, Leadership
Path Contacts: artists, diplomats, former subjects,
unusually brave spelunkers
Persistent Condition: Serpentine Body
RULING SERPENT KNACKS
Mighty Coils, Poison and Miasma, Venom of the Pit
Gifts from Below: Once per scene, you may spend a
point of Momentum to have otherworldly treasures of sur-
passing quality, if transitory usefulness, on hand. Given as
gifts, they grant you +2 Enhancement on social rolls with
the recipient of the gift for the scene, even if they would
otherwise despise you. Given as useful tools, they grant +2
Enhancement to the user for the purpose they were given
for the scene, before becoming merely high-quality imple-
ments. You cannot gift weapons in this manner.
Hooded Assertion of Protection: When you pur-
posefully reveal your lineage and supernatural form
to protect someone else you consider worthy, you can
spend Momentum to allow them to ignore penalties from
–1 Bruised or –2 Injured Conditions on the turn those
Conditions are suffered.
Living Doors of Infinite Vaults: Your Social and
Force actions gain +1 Scale to prevent theft, destruction, or
misappropriation of things in your possession or individ-
uals under your protection. Individuals must require this
protection to grant you this bonus; your friend the Reptilian
Destroyer, for example, would not qualify.
Echidna’s Brood and Other Terrors from Darkness
They say your egg was a rock, heated by lightless fire
in a dark place. They say your mother was a monster, rag-
ing against the World with a brood of monstrous children.
They say your cousins are crocodiles and lizards and snakes
all crawling in the deep, dragging the unfortunate beneath
The World. They say your kind stalked the darkness out-
side of mead hall, hill fort, and village circle, waiting to
strike and let the darkness in. They usually fail to mention
that your kind were, from the first, paid well for it.
God and demon, Dragon father and Titan mother paid
your ancestors in plunder and meat. These days, your kind
works for more contemporary compensation for more
modern mayhem. There’s little call for daring the halls of
warriors anymore, but destroying a rival’s temple, business,
or car is still worth hard currency (or untraceable bearer
bonds) in this day and age. Mortals rarely know what to
make of your kind these days, leaving scraps of reputation
in all sorts of strange places. Swamp beasts, the lizardman
in the hills, the crocodile eating the homeless of the sewer;
all totally off-base, but half-remembered mortal terrors
that keep your kind in living memory.
 Perhaps you fight against the ancient and awful repu-
tation of the reptilian destroyer, the monster in the night,
the murderer of river and shallow. Perhaps you revel in it.
Either way, you can’t deny the reality of a body like a scaled
wrecking ball, and as much as it might like to, The World
can’t either.
Example Calling Keywords: brutish, calamity, de-
stroyer, devourer, mighty, unbreakable
Path Asset Skills: Athletics, Close Combat
Path Contacts: big game hunters, gang leaders, mer-
cenaries, park rangers
Persistent Condition: Scaled Destroyer
You are a mass of reptilian muscle, an echo of beasts
who roamed before the mastery of fire and the banishment
of night. You’re obviously not human barring extraordinary
efforts to hide your appearance, and you gain Momentum
whenever your stature and proclivity to break the works of
humanity causes you trouble. You are Scale 1 for the pur-
poses of destroying objects or places.
REPTILIAN
DESTROYER KNACKS
Hearth Destroying Horror: Whenever you threaten
or intimidate by displaying destructive force or violence,
Reptilian Destroyers
you may choose to drive lesser Tier foes insensate with fear
and mewling with terror. Those such affected will flee if
able, and go catatonic with terror if they can’t. Foes of the
same Tier or higher may resist this effect with an appropri-
ate roll, but suffer +2 Difficulty on rolls against you for the
scene if they fail.
Mother’s Child: Intelligent supernatural creatures
of monstrous form, Titanspawn of all stripes, and similar
beasts always treat their initial Attitudes to you as 0 if
they would have a Negative Attitude toward you. Those of
animal or lesser intelligence will never attack you unless
attacked first and will treat you as a friendly creature in
most circumstances.
The Old Destroyer: Spend a Momentum to double
the number of successes rolled on an unarmed attack ac-
tion before applying Enhancement.
Render: Spend Momentum. For the scene, your un-
armed attacks gain the Lethal, Messy, and Piercing tags.
Sword Blunting Hide: You have the Armored: Hard
(1) tag which does not stack with other forms of armor that
grand the Hard tag.
Wall Breaker: Make a Knack Skill roll. Apply success-
es as Enhancement to your next action for the purpose of
damaging buildings and inanimate objects.
205
 Academics: Medicine:
Athletics: Occult:
Close Combat: Persuasion:
Culture: Pilot:
Empathy: Science:
Firearms: Subterfu e:
Inte rity: Survival:
Leadership: Technolo y:

MENTAL PHYSICAL SOCIAL

Intellect Mi ht Presence
Cunnin Dexterity Manipulation
Resolve Stamina Composure

Worldly Short
Worldly Lon
Draconic

Deed Name:

Bruised +1
Bruised +1
+2
+2

+4


Movement Dice:

Defense Roll:
 You have been chosen by a Dragon, gifted with magic
and the incredible ability to shape shift into one of their
terrible and awesome forms. In a World of myth, yours
has been rewritten time and again, and yet Dragons
remember all truths. You are an agent in an ancient war,
working behind the lines and preparing for a battle for
the fate of The World.
Discover the Truth. Find yourself. Make your own
destiny.
Scion: Dragon details the stories of Heirs, those
chosen by Dragons to act within The World as their
agents. It is the story of discovering history, subverting
enemies, and espionage. Your Draconic patron seeks to
embroil you in millennia old plots and ancient grudges
as shadowy manipulators. All the while, you must learn
their secrets, and either embrace the Dragon’s goals for
you or make your own.
The Scion: Dragon is a standalone game in the
World of Scion
Scion,, and is meant for use with Scion:
Origin. Inside, you will find:
• Character creation system for Heirs; those chosen by
Dragons to enact their plots in The World.
• Knacks, Spells, and all the draconic magic wielded
by Heirs, powered by the Storypath System.
• Six Flights: Draq, Joka, Lindwurm, Long,
Naga, and Serpent Dragons, all suitable for
patronage of your Heirs.
• Information about The World from the Dragon’s
perspective, complete with plots and hooks to get
your characters deep into draconic intrigue.

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