Naysien's Coat

Garljing's Coat Garljing's Coat, 1800 AC. Government: Draconic Theocracy Ruler: Herald Lianne Naysien Founded: 1784 AC Population: Roughly 150'000 Dominant Religion: The Ebonblooded Majority Religion: The Fireblooded Military: Disorganised; Citizen Militia

Government

Garljing's Coat is a Theocratic state, primarily run by the Ebonblooded faction of Drakanites. The government is organised into the following ranks:

• Herald - In essence the peak of both societal and governmental structure. The voice of Naysien and they who bring forth her will - Capable of making immediate changes to both sect and citystate as a whole, backed by all of The Ebonblooded.

Their voice is law.

• Dragoon - Those who have heard the voice of Naysien / Received her boons whilst acting as a black priest. Capable of speaking on behalf of The Herald and expected to carry out their voice/vision. The wings of a dragon in this structure, essentially second only to The Herald.

• Black Priests - Devote followers which make up the final tier in the upper echelons of power. Essentially well studied followers of Naysien expected to push forwards the will of their doctrine - Simply Dragoons who have not yet received a 'boon' from Naysien, thus lacking in religious sway.

• Acolyte - The bulk of the devote. Essentially the militia of it all and those who push forwards the voice of The Herald and are expected to study and follow in the teachings of Naysien.

• Lost - The bulk of society, the masses.

Society

Most within the Coat revere the upper echelons of dragon-kind as deities. Revering the dragons and following the teachings of one of the divine or elder dragons is commonplace.

• Sacrifice is necessary: While the belief behind why is often a personal one, paying homage to the dragons in the form of sacrifice is widely accepted. To try and attempt one from making living offerings to their patron dragon is viewed as blasphemous, and in some cases punishable by death.

• Dragons are respected: Residing in the Coat and refusing to respect the Dragon's is uncommon. Any whom openly disrespect the dragon race as a whole are often met with scorn and bout of violence. It isn't uncommon for those who refuse to change their views, or silence themselves, to be met with exile. Due to this, anyone who comes to the Coat and refers to themselves as Dragonslayer is likely to be marked for death.

• Challenges are commonplace: While this isn't always the case, many internal affairs are handled through challenges or honor-duels. While most handle minor dilemmas and dissidence with words alone, two drakanites failing to see eye-to-eye on matters of importance often ends in bloodshed.

Technology and Weaponry

Due to the inclination to pillage and raid, the technology and weaponry available is scattered. It's not uncommon to see a platoon of drakanites with spearmen at the front, with a line of magi-tech users stationed at the back.

Religion

The Ebonblooded primarily worship Naysien and adhere to her teachings. Unlike Garjling, Naysien places more focus on revenge as opposed to honor. Sacrificing those deemed heretical by the sect, or one whom an Ebonblood sought revenge against, is the primary means of paying homage to the Ebon Goddess. Sacrifices primarily occur within a den or pit filled with Naysien's hatchlings. It's believed that the bodies give the young dragons a taste for blood, while Naysien channels the essence of the consumed directly. There is some debate over what happens to the souls of the sacrifice, but it's believed by the majority that their souls return to the stars.

On occasion, Naysien may speak through the current Herald at the height of a sacrificial ritual, to bestow knowledge, demand a change within the sect, or give a direct order to the sect. None within the sect, not even the Herald, are allowed to ignore the whims of Naysien.

Their practices and beliefs have lead to many outsiders viewing them as a devout and dangerous cult of extremists.

The Ebonblooded practice the following tenets:

• Revenge is the path chosen by those who revere Naysien; for she is Naysien, the avenger, the dreaded daughter of Garjling, the dragon of shadow and blood.
• Sacrifice is necessary. Be it direct offerings to the dragons of this realm, the death of an enemy on the battlefield, or offering essence to Naysien's fallen children.
• Strength is to be respected, but choosing to place strength above merit is heresy. A powerful fool is still a fool. A strong coward is still a coward.
• Naysien and her children are the Ebonblooded's primary dragons of worship, and it's her teachings that the Ebonblooded adhere to. To respect another dragon is expected. To place another deities words above her own once accepting her, is heresy.
• To accept her words and later abandon the flocks is heresy. Traitors to the cloth are treated as any other heretic.
• Immortality through any means that isn't a dragon is heresy.
• Dragons are to be respected, dragon-slaying is of course, heresy.
• Defending yourself from a dragons wrath is reasonable, but picking an unnecessary fight with a dragon is heresy.

History

The Ebonblooded - 1873 AC-Present

In 1873 AC, under the direction of the new Herald of the Ebonblooded, Lianne Naysien, the sect made their first appearance in Garljing's Coat. Organising in a small temple they used as a headquarters, the Ebonblooded were disappointed at the state of the Fireblooded and current coat, and infighting quickly occured within the settlement as the Ebonblooded objected to the Fireblooded harbouring of Mirelings following the destruction of the Shadowmire. The Ebonblooded made their way across the settlement's territory, sacrificing heretics found in several villages supported by the Coat and cleaning up the messes of the previous Dragonlords. The Denfather at the time - Allium Vartuul - welcomed the Ebonblooded as a much needed change within the Coat due to the strength of their beliefs, but despite this tensions continued to rise between the two sects of Ebonblooded and Fireblooded. This tension boiled over during a ritual to Garljing, where the Ebonblooded were deeply offended by the paltry offerings made to the great Dragon, rather than a sacrifice of blood and flesh. While the Ebonblooded lost the following battle, the divide between the sects only widened.

The Ebonblooded continued their religious crusade in the immediate area of the Coat, conquering several villages and subjugating or rounding up the heretical villagers for sacrifice. During a public sacrifice in the coat, two Osronans sought to stop the ritual, sparking a skirmish that ended with the capture of the Deacon Myrine and the death of Luke Hartz. Once the skirmish became public knowledge, Queen Eisele rei Petrakis declared war upon the Ebonblooded in 1870 AC. Warlord Sigurd Cresentis attempted to parley with the Queen of Osrona, and in response was challenged for his title by Ferris Naysien, one of the Ebonblooded. This challenge was disregarded by the Warlord, who was promptly branded a traitor and exiled from the Coat. In his wake followed many of the Fireblooded's magi warriors, who were granted a brief grace period to gather their belongings and then branded too as traitors by the Ebonblooded. Shortly after, the Herald Lianne and Foster were named Dragonlords, quickly asserting their newfound power by making decrees without the counsel of the other Dragon-and-Warlords. It is considered likely the only reason these titles were accepted were to further Ebonblooded influence in advance of a full push for control over the Coat. Following the declaration of war, the constant aggression of the Ebonblooded and their devout pushing of their Dragon's ideals combined with the subjugation of surrounded villages resulted in a rapid swelling of the sect's numbers.

The first battle of the war was fought in 1871 AC, when the Osronans launched an attack on the Coat to rescue Osronan captives. This battle was a decisive Osronan victory, but the Ebonblooded were far from defeated, and indeed the war had only begun. With the promise of blood and glory on the horizon, Templars from Theria flock to the Coat to join the Ebonblooded cause, and with the retirement of Denfather Allium Vartuul in favour of Lianne Naysien, the Ebonblooded finally take full control of the Coat. All non-dragon based worship is summarily outlawed within the Coat, and plans are made to strike at Osrona's supply lines.