(Pronounced Zuh-Maj-Ite) are a race of bipedal humanoid dragons that roam the Shards. They receive many of their characteristics from their dragon ancestors, including their scaly skin and protruding spines. Many also have wings, horns, clawed hands, and tails though some are born without these additional features.
Shards of Orn verison 4.0 Information
| Costuming | Zmajite | Zmajite must wear a draconic mask; or have scales on all areas of exposed skin on the face, back of hands, and forearms; and a visual or protruding prosthetic spine. Tails are optional. |
| Passive Effect | Immune Fear (Party) |
A Party ability affects you normally and can also be shared with other characters. You may give the ability to any number of characters any time except during content or combat and the benefit applies whenever they are within sight of you. Characters may only benefit from one Party ability at a time, regardless of how many you or other characters have, though you may grant different abilities to different characters at the same time. You may revoke a Party ability at any time if you so choose. You are Immune to Fear Effects. |
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Combat Effect
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Self, Withstand |
You do not need to do anything special to trigger a Self ability. When you use it, it affects you. You counter a single non-Typed Damage Type (Hits or Pierce). |
| Narrative Effect | Explore |
You gain information about a nearby location, such as the next room in a dungeon. |
Zmajite characters must have scales around their eyes and a visual or protruding prosthetic spine.
Every Zmajite, no matter their bloodline, aspires for greatness. They seek to excel in their chosen fields. As a result of these aspirations, many of this race can be arrogant or vain and most value their self-image above all else.
With this mentality, many are elitists looking down upon those whom they deem lesser than themselves. Zmajite will never accept an insult to their honor from someone they believe is beneath them. Once someone has proven their worth, they are honored by the Zmajite, and if a Zmajite is convinced of their inferiority to another being, they will venerate the "greater being" until said person is usurped.
Zmajite are abandoned by their parents at birth out of fear that the child will outshine their parents. They mature fast, being able to walk within the first few hours of life and reaching adolescence within the first day. After the first day, their growth curtails to a slightly slower rate than humans.
Zmajite live in broods, clan-like society structures that are the eventual goal of all of their kind. Zmajite tend to dislike one another upon initially meeting, and will never accept the company of one from an opposing brood.
They create a brood through a bonding ceremony, called Krodina (Crow-Dee-Nah), with those the Zmajite has deemed strong or worthy. Those that have been added to the brood will receive the Zmajite's undying loyalty and are expected to give the same.
Zmajite treasure loyalty above all other aspects of society and once betrayed they will never fully trust the offender again. Additionally, if a Zmajite betrays their brood's loyalty, they zealously attempt to make amends sometimes self-imposing exile from their brood.
The Zmajite were born from the fighting of the two great dragons, Thrinik and Maledreck, who are the two heads of the ageless one, Drathenix. The legends tells that as the two dragons fought their blood fell upon the Shards blessing those it touched with their might.
These first Zmajite were referred to as "the blood-touched" before the Shattering. They were a race of conquerors who claimed land from many other races. During the Shattering, they became split into broods causing the first of the Blood Wars.
The first Blood War was more of a massacre, with each Zmajite out for dominance over the others. The first Blood War is sometimes referred to as the Great Massacre or the Blood Massacre. With the end of the first Blood War came the start of the second Blood War.
The end of the first Blood War was brought about by the creation of two broods in the Zmajite people. The first claiming their origin from Thrinik and the second claiming Maledreck. The creation of these two opposing broods quickly became the catalyst for the second Blood War. Both sides waged war with the thought of bloodline purification and the result was a great decline of the Zmajite population.
The third Blood War is each Zmajite's current and ongoing quest to form a brood with whoever and whatever help they can find in order to attack and "purify" their race's bloodline. Any can join a Zmajite's brood if deemed worthy, but with it comes induction into a seemingly endless and centuries-old feud.
The two broods developed into two bloodlines the Cest (Seh-St) and the Sila (Si-Lah).
The Cest Brood follows their origin back to Thrinik believing that one should use one's abilities to better their surroundings, and to create a noble community with the brood at the center. They believe that the greatest goal of each Zmajite should be to find the place that makes them the happiest and healthiest.
The Sila Brood traces their bloodline back to Maledreck, believing Maledreck to have greater power. They prize power over all else and believe that the only way to better the world is to be in charge. Many Sila Broods will use their power to gang-press powerful members into their brood or enslave those they deem lesser.
Instead of having traditional families Zmajite organize themselves into broods with other races in hopes of increasing influence in areas of the Shards. The Brood also serves as a Zmajite's surrogate family. If a member of a brood attempts to join another brood, it will be considered an act of betrayal.
Broods of the same origin, Cest or Sila, are unlikely to fight and will instead use competition as a sign of dominance. Opposing broods will often engage in skirmishes to prove dominance over one another.
It is rare that a brood contains more than one Zmajite, and it is even more rare for two Zmajite from different origins to be a part of the same brood.
Many of the Zmajite traditions were lost during the Shattering and the Blood Wars. Because of this Zmajite are fairly fluid when it comes to culture; they will often take on many of the cultural traditions of their brood. The few surviving traditions are the Krodina (Crow-Dee-Nah)- the initiation of brood members- and Krorez (Crow-Reh-Z)- the ceremonial removing of members of a brood. Through these rituals Zmajite are able to tell who their brood members are by manifesting the connection and stimulating one of the brood members senses.
A Krodina can only be preformed at sunrise or sunset. The Zmajite will mix their blood into the candidate as a sign of respecting them as equals and the candidate will give the Zmajite a token with equal meaning. This ritual is used to add new members to a Zmajite Brood.
A Krorez can be preformed at anytime that the Zmajite feels necessary either as punishment or if the member wishes to leave the brood for any reason. Each Krorez is different but many include a public announcement decreeing the reason and a ceremonial cutting of ties with the person.
Zmajite physiology is unique as they can mate with any other child birthing race with a 50/50 chance of a Zmajite being born. The Zmajite parent will leave the child if it is Zmajite. Two Zmajite will rarely ever mate due to their natural dislike of one another.
They find good company with Angori, Dwarves, Ixifar, other races with strong racial ties, and any other strong-willed persons. They tend to dislike the races and persons that are ambiguous or have proven themselves disloyal in the past.
Drathenix: Zmajite recognize one of the two halves of the great dragon as the immortals true self. Drathenix is seen as the patron immortal of the Zmajite race. Many will build small shrines in honor of the immortal in places of great importance to the Zmajite.
Arimir/Githal: Many Zmajite warriors will give recognition to the immortals of war and battle fields in hopes that in return they will receive a long fruitful carer.
Arkrist: The status of the legendary champion is what ever Zmajite yearns to attain, a being of legend. Many are know for honoring Arkrist as the unobtainable status and the ultimate goal.
Tenaebrus: Worship of Tenaebrus is often considered an insult to one's own honor. Both the immortal of rogues and his followers are looked down upon by many Zmajite for cowardice in the face of battle.
Zmajite have also been known to venerate the immortals who are patrons of their chosen path in life. For example, Loreyza for those who deal with nature.
The Cest tend to venerate those immortals that have a noble or righteous message, while the Sila will venerate those darker immortals. Both bloodlines dislike the opposing bloodlines' chosen immortals.
Hoping to find their place in the world, Zmajite travel near and far to find their brood. They will often pick a skill set early on in life and attempt to master their chosen skill set. Commonly they will be front-line warrior, healers, or mages, as they often thrive on the battlefield.
Zmajite will stray away from thievery and roguish skills, as they are seen as dishonorable.
"Kal" A term of belittlement for any the Zmajite deems to be weaker or lesser than themselves.
"Great True One" The half of the Immortal Drathenix that the Zmajite recognizes. It is consider Taboo to speak the names of either half of Drathenix.
"Broodling" A term used for the most recent member of the Zmajite's brood.
"Blood for Blood" Shouted when a Zmajite is attempting to get retribution for an insult to their honor from a "Kal"
Zmajite will commonly refer to dragons as Father or Mother.