Draconic Mysticism
The Waltzing and Hunting Bands introduced a series of rituals and
activities that were capable of slowly teaching mortal beings secrets
and insights of the Great Dragon, aka the Unknowable Secret, and also
methods to survive them. The bliss of the participants was very
attractive to the troubled peoples of Dragon Pass.
Traditional leaders?indeed most common people?complained that these
dancers were ?irresponsible and selfish, contributing nothing to
society and taking more than they have earned.? Nonetheless, the
movement grew and developed several simultaneous branches of practice.
The Waltzing and Dancing Bands became known as the Untroubled Bands,
or more commonly by outsiders: the Arrogantines, because they were
?arrogant and selfish.? Popular belief says they did nothing but
practice orgies in the countryside, fed by slave dragonewts spirits.
The Complacentines were people who went about their daily life, aware
they would not attain their draconic ideals in this lifetime, but
content to keep their daily responsibilities of family and clan. They
felt they could be ?more draconic,? and in a later life be born free
of their obligations. They were held in contempt because they were
complacent, and generally did not volunteer for any additional duty
like leadership or priesthood, nor seek wealth and power as normal
people did. Both these groups, often with other labels or titles,
continued through much of the EWF period.
Finally, the more serious branch was the Introvertines, also known as
the Cult of the Inner Dragon. The most famous individual of this group
was Obduran the Flyer. He lived the deepest ideals and principles,
lived the practices and meditation lifestyle, and he fulfilled the
methodologies to become a True Dragon in his lifetime. Importantly,
Obduran revealed his Orlanth Dragonfriend revelation which interprets
the draconic experience to one understandable by humans. It is the
experience of Arangorf, the Inner Dragon. People continued to practice
what Obduran did and taught, and it other individuals attained the
same end that he did, even though they are not as well remembered today.
Others, impatient or with more limited objectives or insight,
developed other paths to dragonhood.
Draconic Religious Development
Two main lines of development can be discerned, though within each of
them there were many paths. These two main paths can be called the
?short cuts,? and the other the ?common worship.? Both of these were
religions, with a hierarchy of leaders separated from the followers,
and a short term objective. Those terms were never used by the
members, observers or participants. Nonetheless, they are useful
collective terms and will be used here, in quotes.
The ?short cuts? were purportedly ways to attain dragonhood, like
Obduran achieved, but with slightly different methods. The most
popular one of these began as the Ten Step Program, and became the
Path of Immanent Mastery. This method declared that one could become a
True Dragon the same way that dragons did: by starting small and
becoming greater. Some individuals achieved tremendous power this way,
being virtually indiscernible from Great Dragons. However, none ever
became a True Dragon, or more.
The Right Left-hand Path, of which Isgangdrang is the best known
member, was the powerful of the ?short cut? methods.
?Common Worship? developed from the Complacentine practices. People
began to want something in exchange for their attention, as they got
from normal worship of Orlanth and Ernalda. The first sacrifices that
were made obtained nothing, but then some great leaders heroquested
and set up paths for worship. In general, these leaders became the
?pathway to power,? and were in effect theistic dragon heroes who were
worshipped and gave magic. Several of these cults became popular.
Among those are the Cult of Draconic Love and the Cult of Ingolf. The
Golden Dragon Society that eventually took over Dara Happa was another
one of these. The Way of the Dragon was one that was Orlanthi-like in
social structure and understanding, but different in its source of
magic.
Later Religion
In 889 ST the EWF underwent a major change when the rulers, called the
Eternal Dragon Ring, Ring of Decision or the Ruling Ring, attempted to
accelerate their personal development. They set up a priestly
hierarchy that took command of all draconic worship in the land. This
worked like a Chain of Worship for the monotheist religions and
channeled worship ?energy? to the ring. There were nine members of
this ring (Note that this was a diminishment of the original 12
members of the Ruling Ring.)
The members of the Ring of Decision each headed a regional council,
each with roughly equivalent populations. Within those populations
were many different types of draconic groups, including the ?short
cuts? and the ?common worship? types. The heads of these organizations
(or sometimes, an appointee by those heads) reported to a Translator
to the Infinite, who was a person appointed to be the channel for
worship from the groups. They reported to their local Speaker to the
Dragon. The Speakers to the Dragon were the only individuals allowed
to directly address the members of the ring. They took a tithe of the
power and passed the rest to the members of the Ring, who used it for
their own development.
This quickly propelled Isgangdrang to become worshipped as Drang the
Diamond Storm Dragon.
Many protested this, pointing out that it tied the Ring of Decision
into the world. ?How can you transcend as a True Dragon when you are
receiving theistic sacrifices?? asked Ferenstar, a highly revered
mystical hermit.
The names of the original members of the Ring were lost to later
times. The only ones whose local names were remembered in the Third
Age were Isgangdrang, Lord Great Burin, Lorenkartargan the Mile,
Hurarbargartan the Great Consumer.
Certainly some of the great destroyers of the later draconic army were
among the Ring as well, but we know only their identifications as
named by their victims in Carmania, Rinliddi and among the God
Learners. These include: Red Hellfire, the Giant Wasp, Felzerbane,
Keren?s Destroyer, Lord of Hovarmand, the Evil Black Dragon, the
Defender of Fer, Blackwing Death, Crusher of Cities. It is likely that
one dragon was addressed by more than one of these titles.
All of these individuals, whether human or dragon, were destroyed in
Dragonkill.
None of the members of the Eternal Dragon Ring ever achieved the
transcendence that they claimed to be seeking. The Inhuman King, when
he answers questions about it, says that they all failed because their
objectives were impure.
Issaries, Inc.
c/o Greg Stafford
1942 Channing Ave, #204
Berkeley, CA 94704 USA
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