dragons-of-glass

[dragons-of-glass]

DoG Worldbuilding

Funerals

Flameskies view funerals as a way to honor a dragon for the service they have done for the kingdom. If a dragon was a respected general, a ruler or a war hero, they will usually be given a large and elaborate funeral where their body is cremated and cast off a cliff in front of a large crowd. The entire kingdom will have a day of mourning and their red banners will be replaced with black. For a less influential dragon, funerals are small affairs. Their troop will cremate the body themselves and scatter the ashes to the wind in a place that the dragon enjoyed being.

Moonstone funerals are a much less somber affair. When a Moonstone dragon finds they are nearing the end of their life, they will host a pre-funeral where all of their friends and family can show up and take their inheritance early and avoid the humdrum of legal battles. These pre-funerals are usually very flashy and extravegant, since it is supposed to be a celebration of the dragon's life and no Moonstone sees their life as anything less than a spectacle. If a dragon doesn't have a pre-funeral before they die, their family will still use this as an excuse to throw a big celebration, trying to match the party to the recently departed's personal taste. Every funeral, whether before or after the dragon's death, is covered in as many paintings and portrayals of the dragon as possible.

Icestorm funerals are not flashy. When an Icestorm dies, their family will throw them into the sea and spend the entire week in a state of mourning where they cannot speak, dance or listen to music.

Seavapor funerals are a big deal for families. When a Seavapor dies, the entire family travels to a trench on the edge of the kingdom and drops the body into the trench. The body is elaborately dressed in things they wore during life and gifts from their loved ones.

Earthtrees don't really see the point in funerals as the other kingdoms have them. Once a dragon dies, they just bury the body without much thought about who it used to be. But when someone close to an Earthtree does die, they will write down everything they remember about that dragon and ask others who knew them to do the same. They hate the idea of being forgotten, so they want every dragon's story to be immortalized.

Rich Solarsands will have elaborate funerals and place their dead in large, richly decorated tombs. They will hire mourners, caterers, and music to make the entire thing very high class. However, the average Solarsand doesn't have the gold to spare for that and will usually just cremate their loved ones and hold a silent vigil for them at night.

#worldbuilding #death mention

[dragons-of-glass]

A fun poll to test the popularity of the kingdoms so far. I'm going to re-release this every time I get a sudden increase in followers to this blog.

[dragons-of-glass]

DoG Worldbuilding

4: Toys

Flamesky. Flamesky toys focus a lot on teaching strategy and patriotism. Figuringes of Flamesky soldiers are common, along with figurines of the other kingdoms that provide an enemy to fight. Strategy games similar to chess and checkers are sold, including a very popular one called 'Don't Clip Your Wings' for young hatchlings that outlines the danger of flying too close to cliffs and buildings in a fun and educational way.

Moonstone. The Moonstones love toys, even as adults. In fact, collectable figurines targeted towards grown dragons sell much better than those targeted to wyrmlings. Plushes and dolls are very popular, especially if they have outfits and accesories. Their are trendy toys made to look like glitter covered birds that school-age wyrmlings will play with and keep as 'pets'. More popular brands are Sparkle Rocks, Gem Excavation Game (now with a REAL geode inside!) Bell Piano (piano with bells inside) and Mosaic Maker.

Icestorm. Icestorm toys are utilitarian and function to teach vital skills to young dragons. Practice spears, digging kits and gold refineries (that do not use real gold) are often sold. There is also a popular line of toys around a fictional character called Icecave the Miner. Working in the mines is fun and rewarding for Icecave, who also fights evil mine monsters and steals their gold to help his kingdom. Icecave is a hero to young Icestorms and adults as well, who use him as a symbol for a hardworking nature and great rewards as they work in the cold, dangerous mines. Yes, there are hatchlings called Icecave after the character.

Seavapor. Toys that can survive underwater are difficult to come by, but usually commercial toys aren't even sold in the Seavapor kingdom at all. Each family usually makes their own toys for their young. These toys usually serve to teach them skills they will need to know in the future.

Earthtree. Earthtrees love toys. They give wyrmlings a chance to be imaginative and come up with great stories. Dolls and figurines are very popular, since they look the most alive, but plant growing and bug hatching kits are also popular. The most popular toy in the Earthtree kingdom is a very articulated and detailed dragon puppet. These are 'instant friends' and wyrmlings will create detailed stories and scenarios for their dolls to act out.

Solarsand. Toys are not high priority for the Solarsands, since wyrmlings grow up fast and have to spend most of their time working for food and water. But during the period of time when the sun is too hot to work in, dragons will rest under shade. Most will sleep, but the restless enjoy small, engaging toys. Handheld puzzles (like those annoying maze ones) are popular and as an attempt to educate and stimulate the mostly illiterate Solarsand population, puzzle books with logic questions, riddles, jokes, mazes, stories, word finds and basically any activity that doesn't require a pen to complete. (Since most Solarsands don't carry writing utensils with them, but will happily carry a small book)

#worldbuilding #story #writblr

[dragons-of-glass]

Current Map.

This map is not very detailed or artistic, since I am much more focused on just laying out the kingdoms in relation to each other. I can imagine this in the more illustrative style that most fantasy maps have and I think it would look really good. I just need to get cities, geographical features and other important locations logged down.

I am going to release posts about the six kingdoms soon, as well as the mysterious Glass Academy. I also have some character art that I am excited to share, even though at this point I'm not yet sure if I am going to stick with the characters that I have now.

[dragons-of-glass]

I finally finished my Dragons of Glass dragon generator (something I made for fun to create side characters) It creates a character with a physical description, backstory, friends and family as well as individual skills and strange quirks.

So if anyone would like a randomly assigned dragon-sona, send an ask! You can even use the character in your own work (although plz change them to belong in a world that isn't mine, or credit me for creation of the world obv)

You don't have to be a follower to get a dragon-sona!

[dragons-of-glass]

DoG Worldbuilding

3: Rules of Marriage

Flamesky. A dragon must either marry a dragon from their troop, or marry a dragon who has no troop, which would add them to the group. Loyalty to one's troop is important, so a relationship can't span two troops. (Unless the two decide to merge, which is voted on by the members)

Moonstone. Status is very important to the Moonstones, so it is seen as taboo to marry a dragon of a lesser status than you. In fact, nobles are forbidden to marry common dragons. If they choose to take a commoner in marriage, their future spouse must go through a dark and painful ceremony which is supposed to give them royal blood.

Icestorm. Two dragons must get approval from the Ice storm government before they are allowed to marry. Dragons with weak genes (dark scales, sparse fur, small stature) will typically be forbidden from marrying and producing young. This selective process may actually be hindering the Icestorm's genetic luck.

Seavapor. If there are any unrelated dragons in a family group (or even somewhat distant cousins) their parents will arrange for them to marry, but in the case that there are no options within the clan, they will send their young single dragons out to find partners that would be willing to leave their own families and join thiers. Lone dragons without families are coveted partners, since they are usually very willing to drop their current life and join a new family. Orphans are also quickly adopted to easily add fresh blood to the line.

Earthtree. Earthtrees have loose veiws on relationships and can be a bit... Frivalous. A lot of Earthtrees never marry and instead live with their friends, rather than a partner.

Solarsand. Solarsands don't really have marriage laws either, but each Oasis varries. Some are very strict while others let anything happen without caring. Oasis masters, especially the males, will usually take many spouses. A lot of Solarsands don't bother with the concept of marriage as a legal thing and typically just do what they want with whoever they want to do it with. There are bigger problems to deal with in the desert.

#worldbuilding #random facts

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Hey, if you guys wanna know which fabulous dragon kingdom you hail from, check out this Dragons of Glass quiz I made!

[dragons-of-glass]

The Six Kingdoms: What do they look like?

Lore and culture is fun, but one thing that everyone MUST know about a dragon species is: what does it look like?

So, here are the six kingdoms and thier appearances!

Earthtree

Earthtrees are long and serpent-like with short legs and bright feathers. They are not the only dragon species with pointed snouts, but they are the only one with a fully-formed beak. They do not have teeth, but their beaks are sharp and powerful. It is not uncommon for Earthtrees to have plants growing on and inside their bodies and they seem to be able to survive this without any problems. Some have been recorded to have wings and legs made of wood. Physically, Earthtrees may be more, well, earth and tree than dragon.

Flamesky

Flameskies are probably the most basic looking dragon type. They have ridged skulls, sharp spines, huge wings and pointed tails. Their legs are longer than any other species and their snouts are pointed. Similarly to the Earthtrees, some Flameskies are more storm and fire than dragon. Lava has been recorded rather than blood in some cases. To have wings or tails made of fire is an uncommon, but not unexpected, mutation among this species.

Icestorm

It's so FLUFFY! Icestorms are the only dragon to have fur. The thickness and coverage of the fur depends on the dragon, but generally, the more fur, the cooler you look by Icestorm standards. They have long necks, but short bodies, with thick, strong limbs. Their tails are short and furry, often mocked by the other kingdoms. Jokes on them, a long and scaled tail would end up frostbitten and fallen off in this environment. Some Icestorms have bodies made partially or fully of ice or, as you can guess, storms. We're getting redundant here, but the idea is that every dragon's elements can heavily impact their physiology, leading to dragons that aren't even flesh and blood in some cases.

Moonstone

Moonstone dragons are stockier than some, with a wider and more stable build. They tend to be a bit rotund, in fact, but that is more due to their lavish kingdom than their genetic makeup. They, like the Earthtrees, have feathers, but theirs are more widely spread across their body. The internal fluids of a Moonstone glow, painting their mouth and blood in a bright color, usually yellow or blue. This trait is occasionally found in the other species' and when it does it is called 'The Moonstone Gene', although actual Moonstone genetics do not need to be involved for it to manifest. Moonstones can be born with reflective or glittery scales, or even with glowing freckles across their body. They can also be born with the opposite effect, having pitch black scales or feathers, sometimes with a black ink that drips from their mouths. Another mutation is jewels or rocks replacing their scales or growing from their body.

Seavapor

Seavapors are fish dragons, basically. They have a tall dorsal fin that travels from the base of the head to the tip of the tail. They have fan-like ears, long whiskers (amounts vary) webbed feet and fins on their legs. Like the other kingdoms, Seavapors can be 'too close' to their element, having bodies that are fully or partially formed from living water.

Solarsand

These dragons are like lizard-snake hybrids, with long necks, short legs, stocky bodies and massive frills on their necks that can be displayed at will. Their bodies are usually covered in intricate patterns that can easily identify a dragons entire lineage. Their most deadly feature is the scorpion tail that has different potency depending on the dragon. Sometimes the poison causes mild pain and rashes, sometimes paralysis, but some can instantly kill. This venom is also found in their teeth. Solarsands are immune to any venom that is less potent than their own. They are sometimes made of stone or sand, or even precious gems and metals.

[dragons-of-glass]

I finally finished my Dragons of Glass dragon generator (something I made for fun to create side characters) It creates a character with a physical description, backstory, friends and family as well as individual skills and strange quirks.

So if anyone would like a randomly assigned dragon-sona, send an ask! You can even use the character in your own work (although plz change them to belong in a world that isn't mine, or credit me for creation of the world obv)

You don't have to be a follower to get a dragon-sona!

[dragons-of-glass]

Kingdom Bio: Earthtree

The forest is a beautiful place, made more so by these strange and artistic dragons. The Earthtrees are close to nature and value life above all else. Or more specifically, they value the experience of being alive.

Geography:

Earthtrees are tucked away in a lush and beautiful forest. Many dragons from other kingdoms wish to visit or move to the less dangerous parts of the forest and in the past the Earthtrees welcomed all with open wings, but in recent years as war wages on there are now outposts to keep fugitives, immigrants and refugees from overcrowding the jungle and imposing their ways on the kingdom. Now only a select few get to see the kingdom's beauty.

Culture:

Earthtrees value experiences. Music, dancing, physical touch, stories and other forms of expression are great gifts for a dragon to have. In fact, that is what they use as currency and payment. It seems needlessly complicated to other kingdoms, but they enjoy saving their gold with Earthtree traders.

Merchants will travel to the other kingdoms selling goods in exchange for stories and then come home to repeat the tales they were told.

Appearance:

Earthtrees are long and snake-like, perfect for maneuvering through the thick jungle. They have bright feathers and beaks, like birds and their bodies will sometimes have spots and stripes like a wildcat.

Life of an Earthtree:

Earthtrees are laid in clutches of one to nine, with six being average. Due to the large number of eggs and how difficult protecting a young hatchling is in a deadly jungle, parents will often give some of their eggs to dragons with none. If there is no available dragon to take unwanted eggs, the parents will give them to a communal nesting ground, where the eggs are protected and the hatchlings are raised by the community. Eggs are marked with their parent's name so that if the wyrmling decides, they can reach out to their parents in the future.

The Earthtree kingdom is a hub for education and learning, as they are all hungry for more experiences. Wyrmlings and dragons are able to choose what they want to study and there is no educational structure. Just a lot of books and teachers who are willing to answer any questions a dragon may have. This means that most Earthtrees are masters of very specific knowledge and skill-sets, but absolute trash at anything else.

#dragon #original species #original story #writblr #worldbuilding

[dragons-of-glass]

A fun poll to test the popularity of the kingdoms so far. I'm going to re-release this every time I get a sudden increase in followers to this blog.

[dragons-of-glass]

DoG Worldbuilding

2. What Purfume/Cologne is Made of/Smells Like

Because of course this is important information. Don't question.

Flamesky. The Flameskies appreciate a rich, smoky smell and many dragons can replecate that themselves, with their firebreath, but for those who can't, there are nice smoky perfumes available, with specific smells like: Smoked Pork, Burning Herbs, Charcoal and Firewood. They also enjoy the smell of Ginger, Carnation, Daphne and Columbine. (They also love tobacco, but they aren't using that in their perfume, if you know what I mean)

Moonstone. Moonstones love luxury items, so they have many exotic purfumes imported to their country and purfume companies are very prosperous. Popular names would be Twisted Phlox, Heliotrope Passion, Astringent Jonquil, Scent of Night, Naked Dragoness and Pennyroyal's Night-Blooming Jasmine Wonderland.

Icestorm. Icestorms generally do not indulge in purfume. However, for formal occasions, Scent of Pine is always a good choice. If an Icestorm is more on the lavish side and wants to show off or stand out, they may spring for a saltwater scent or dried flowers.

Seavapor. Purfume isn't really a thing there, since it would wash off in water.

Earthtree. Are you ready to be punched in the face by smells? Fruits, flowers and herbs are used in a wide range of scents. Their perfume exports would be one of the most profitable in the kingdoms if they actually charged gold for it.

Solarsand. The average Solarsand does not have time or money for purfume, but the wealthy ones enjoy the scents of Rosemary, Lavender, Mint, Jasmine, Lily and Hyacinth.

Also, I don't actually know things about perfume and what can be put in perfume. I hope this makes sense.

#worldbuilding #writblr #question

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Kingdom Bio: Icestorm

Icestorm dragons are closed off and melancholy. A hundred years ago, a powerful Icestorm betrayed the kingdoms and cost them the help of the Muses. For this crime, the Icestorms must repay the other kingdoms and even after all this time, the debt has not been filled.

Geography

To the east of the Moonstones and the west of the Seavapors, in the farthest north corner of the map lies the Icestorm kingdom. Snowy mountains and icy tundras keep the other kingdoms away. It is a harsh environment that only an Icestorm could survive.

In the mountains is a high amount of gold, which is mined and given to the other kingdoms as payment. There is a tree hidden in the Icestorm territory that represents the debt owed. Once it's last leaf falls, the kingdom will be free. In ten years not a single leaf has fallen and there are still twenty left.

Culture

Icestorms are utilitarian and waste nothing. They use every piece of any animal they kill and the plants they manage to harvest. This means that bone tools and ornaments are common. Their culture once was rich and elegant, but they gave away all of their historical artifacts and decorative items to help pay the debt. Most of their songs, stories and artwork portray Icestorms working hard to give the future generations a better life and responsibility is hammered into the mind of even the youngest hatchling.

Appearance

Icestorms are an oddity in that they are the only dragon species born with fur. Depending on the dragon, this can be sparse and simple or long and covering the entire body. Generally, more fur is seen as being strong and prepared. They usually come in white, which is tinted in either blue, yellow or pink, but pale gray is possible and black is very rare and seen as a defect, which usually results in the dark-scaled hatchling being cast out.

Life of an Icestorm

It is a hard life indeed. When an Icestorm hatches, they are cared for and taught by their parents until they become adults at the age of ten. Then, they usually start working in the mines until they are unable to do so any longer.

[dragons-of-glass]

DoG Worldbuilding

1. How is war declared in the six kingdoms?

Flamesky. When the Flamesky ruler wishes to declare war, they will sound a horn on the top of the tallest mountain which can be heard anywhere in the kingdom. This gives all citizens the chance to prepare in case they are going to be drafted. Of course, then the Flameskies will send a formal declaration of war via a letter to the enemy.

Moonstone. The Moonstone rulers will host a large party before an official declaration of war. During this party, the kingdom they will be fighting as well as things such as allies will be announced as if it is a rewards show.

Icestorm. To declare war, the ruler of the Icestorm must consult their ancestors in a mysterious ritual that some say is faked. They may not declare war without the blessing of the dead.

Seavapor. Once the ruling family has decided that war is necessary, they will send the youngest adult in the family to lead a team into the other kingdom's territory and directly declare war to their ruler. Depending on the political situation, this can end in tragedy.

Earthtree. Earthtrees choose not to opperate by the same standards of the other kingdoms. They do not declare war. If they decide that a kingdom needs to be fought, they will send an army with no forewarning of any kind. Another reason why nobody really likes the Earthtrees.

Solarsand. The Solarsand ruler will declare war by filling a vial with their venom and sending it to the enemy kingdom. If the other ruler should choose to drink it, the war will be stopped. However, it is likely that ingesting that much venom will kill the ruler, meaning that the Solarsands 'won' and the dispute will be settled in their favor. If the ruler survives, the Solarsands will settle to their benefit. This is why information on the potency of the Solarsand ruler is usually a well-kept secret.

#worldbuilding #question #writing #dragon #writblr

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Kingdom Bio: Seavapor

Under the sea, these hardworking and cheerful dragons live, safe in a world that the other kingdoms cannot touch. Family is important to the Seavapors and each family unit has a different proffesion or craft that is passed through generations. Tradition is important to a Seavapor.

Geography

Seavapors live around a large collection of islands to the east of the Icestorms and the North of the Earthtrees. They have both sunny beaches as well as dangerous rock islands. Many Seavapors live on these islands, but the majority lives underneath the waves in beautiful cities of coral. In fact, they have two capital cities, one underwater where the ruling family lives and important duties are carried out and one on an island that provides visiting officials a place to stay and carry out negotiations.

Culture:

Seavapors have unique family traditions, where no dragon pursues a craft other than the one their parents also practiced. Of course, dragons can marry into a different family and take on a different job, but it is heavily frowned down upon for a Seavapor to set off on their own for any reason aside from love. Some families have intense rivalries with others, especially if they are competing businesses. In this case the head of a family (usually called the patriarch or matriarch) will forbid any member of their house to interact with the rivals. When a family gets too big, the oldest members will usually split off, taking their partner and offspring with them. This also tends to happen if there is infighting within the family. Families are named for their founding patriarch/matriarch.

Appearance:

Seavapors are stocky, firm looking dragons with bodies capable of withstanding the incredible pressure of the ocean floor. They have long dorsal fins down their backs and webbed feet. They come in many colors such as blue, green, teal, yellow, orange, white and purple. Whiskers grow on the faces of both male and female Seavapors, but older males tend to have the longest and the most whiskers.

Life of a Seavapor:

Seavapors lay nests of one to six eggs, with three being the average. They begin to familiarize the hatchlings with the family business almost as soon as they hatch. (In fact, some parents say that to ensure natural talent in the craft, to carry the egg around with you and explain the process to the chick inside) There are no schools, since any skill a dragon would need to know for their future can be taught to them by their parents. However, there are officials (usually members of the vast regal family) that will routinely inspect the young of all families and ensure that they are receiving a well-rounded education. When a wyrmling comes of age, they will join their family in the business.

#worldbuilding #original species #original story #writblr #dragon

[dragons-of-glass]

Kingdom Bio: Moonstone

Moonstone dragons are known for their powerful magic and nocturnal nature. In the past, they were powerful and frightening magicians, however now they simply use their magic to make life more comfortable. The ideal life of a Moonstone is to sleep all day and party all night, celebrating the greatness that once was.

Geography:

The Moonstone kingdom is located to the north of the Flameskies and the west of the Icestorm kingdom. The terrain is mountainous with harsh winters, but fairly mild and comfortable summers. The earth below this kingdom is filled with precious gems, making the Moonstones the most wealthy kingdom.

Culture:

A Moonstone city is a modern and glowing hotspot of activity. Harnessing magic like electricity, they abound in many comforts and conveniences that the other kingdoms only have in small amounts. To install a neon light in the Seavapor kingdom, hundreds of gold coins would be spent just procuring the energy to power it, but for the Moonstones, such things are trivial.

Magic has become a menial task for the most part, however it can also be used in arts and performances, which the Moonstones find fascinating. To become a famous magical performer is the dream of any Moonstone. The end goal for this kingdom is to be the shiniest thing in the world. The cities glow so bright that the moon which the kingdom was named for is blocked from sight.

Appearance:

Moonstone dragons have shiny, reflective scales that sometimes have glowing freckles or glittery texture. They can be born in dark shades black, purple, blue and gray as well as a rare white variety. They have feathers on their heads, wings and tails that can also have reflective and glittery properties. In fact, even their internal fluids glow in a bright color, usually yellow or teal, which shows in their tears and their tongues, which end up dyed by the glowing saliva.

Life of a Moonstone:

Moonstone dragons lay nests of one to two eggs, with a rare chance of laying a third. Hatchlings are coddled and pampered, with many parents veiwing their children as a fun toy to dress up and take places. This would be a serious problem if Moonstones didn't adore being dressed up and taken places. When the parents don't feel like taking care of their young, they will hire a governess. (In fact, having servants is a symbol of status for them, so they usually hire one regardless of if they need them) Young wyrmlings are enrolled in schools that teach various subjects, but with a focus on the arts. Moonstones have the highest legal adult age, with wyrmlings graduating school at eighteen. They then will take a job, usually getting into their parent's business if they can't find anywhere else. The Moonstone will then live the rest of their life trying to stand out more than their neighbor.

[dragons-of-glass]

I am actually making playlists for each of the kingdoms to make sure I nail down the Vibes™ so if any songs come to mind when you think of a kingdom, please suggest them.