awakeneddragon
12-08-2005, 03:44 AM
How many elemental castes are there?
We can safely count the four major/traditional ones (Air, Earth, Fire, Water--though Water is a bit hangdog at the moment). And we have Ice, now, first, and obviously. But who else? In Genesis there is mention of splinter castes and other elements..."new Castes emerged, splinter factions that proclaimed allegiance with primal forces other than the primary elements" (from p57, 3rd paragraph)
Does it stand to reason then, that as the Dragyri unification, such as it was for the golden years under the Great Arbiter, fell apart, there would have been before--and certainly, most especially after--Clans of different Castes living immersed in environments most suited to their new affinities? The book mentions "areas that they find suitable for their chosen element, such as volcanoes, icy peaks and underground lakes..." (from p59, 6th paragraph on the right--well, it should have been the 6th...)
It would further validate the statement "...skin color varies dramatically between clan and Caste and their size also varies depending on which particular element they worship..." (from p59, 6th paragraph on the left)
So, could there be, say, a Clan of elemental Poison in their giant mushroom kingdom, their clan having always been against unification, the first to wander the overworld not in search of food, but for rare plants in the swamps? Could there be a Clan of elemental Storm, or similar, who believed that the path towards unification was the melding of primary elements? Could there be the Clan of elemental Pain, who punish themselves eternally in the deepest dark, their flesh twisted and warped, the clan formed on the dementia of one rogue Arbiter?
I guess the question truly is--how does a Dragyri up and make their own clan? And for what reason? Madness? Ability? The great nations of the primary elements, united by a certain focus set seems... too stable? For a tempermental, highly ritualized society, it seems that they would most resemble dispirate warlords--the introduction of focus into their society would certainly have lead to certain foci that aren't part of the known and accepted set...
Writing minds want to know... (^_ -)
We can safely count the four major/traditional ones (Air, Earth, Fire, Water--though Water is a bit hangdog at the moment). And we have Ice, now, first, and obviously. But who else? In Genesis there is mention of splinter castes and other elements..."new Castes emerged, splinter factions that proclaimed allegiance with primal forces other than the primary elements" (from p57, 3rd paragraph)
Does it stand to reason then, that as the Dragyri unification, such as it was for the golden years under the Great Arbiter, fell apart, there would have been before--and certainly, most especially after--Clans of different Castes living immersed in environments most suited to their new affinities? The book mentions "areas that they find suitable for their chosen element, such as volcanoes, icy peaks and underground lakes..." (from p59, 6th paragraph on the right--well, it should have been the 6th...)
It would further validate the statement "...skin color varies dramatically between clan and Caste and their size also varies depending on which particular element they worship..." (from p59, 6th paragraph on the left)
So, could there be, say, a Clan of elemental Poison in their giant mushroom kingdom, their clan having always been against unification, the first to wander the overworld not in search of food, but for rare plants in the swamps? Could there be a Clan of elemental Storm, or similar, who believed that the path towards unification was the melding of primary elements? Could there be the Clan of elemental Pain, who punish themselves eternally in the deepest dark, their flesh twisted and warped, the clan formed on the dementia of one rogue Arbiter?
I guess the question truly is--how does a Dragyri up and make their own clan? And for what reason? Madness? Ability? The great nations of the primary elements, united by a certain focus set seems... too stable? For a tempermental, highly ritualized society, it seems that they would most resemble dispirate warlords--the introduction of focus into their society would certainly have lead to certain foci that aren't part of the known and accepted set...
Writing minds want to know... (^_ -)