Dragonkith as PC's
No one knows exactly how many Greater or Lesser Dragonlords there are, as after their defeat by the Eloin they became reclusive, with most preferring to act through their minions than expose themselves directly. There are a few who still regularly fly the Sphere, but most of those are whimsical or mad, as likely aiding the average traveller as devouring them for food or sport. The others plot from deep, hidden valleys or well-guarded forest palaces and monstaries.
They still wield considerable power, on par with the Eloin in terms of total influence, but they do so through their Dragonkith, humanoids with Dragonlord bloodlines. There are three main spheres of power on the continents of the Wyrms.
Gilded Victus (the Lord of Steel) rules the lands of Vitalia, with his seat of power the Palace on Seven Hills. A militaristic monarchy, the dragonlord rules through his generals. There are three general classes in society: military, nobility and common. The common class is made up of thralls and slaves captured and bred over hundreds of years, and includes almost all the races of Sphere, including some that survive only due to their servitude to the dragonlord. Also, thinbloods, or dragonkin with very weak racial traits, are almost invariably commons. The military and nobility are two sides of the same coin, wielding their influence in different ways.
The nobility hold titles, lands and often votes in the Senatorum Primus, also known as the Homeland Senate. There are always 100 members of the Senatorum Primus, often referred to as the Royal Hundred. However, this number is fluid, as there is not a month goes by without an assassination or a 'reassignment' of a noble to a dangerous (or out of the way) military commission. There are also additional political offices, including Consul, Tribune, Prefect that are combination military and noble positions.
Vitalia is a place where hedonism thrives, with standard vices aplenty, and some more exotic ones as well.
Li Lin Wu (the Lord of Air) rules over the great continent of Cathay. Where Gilded Victus and his armies have destroyed or enslaved the spirits of their land, some even stealing their power and infusing it into their children, the people of Cathay live in relative peace with the spirits. Some even communicate with the spirits and call upon them for guidance and aid, or venerate them with rituals and festivals. Although ruled in name by a dynasty, the individual provinces of Cathay have almost total autonomy, although they all provide warriors for the elite Dynastic army and taxes for the support of Li Lin Wu's palace at Xanadu and the imperial estates of the Voice of Air, the Celestial's hand-picked emporer.
The last, and least, of the Greater Dragonlords is Cingatorix, ruler of the forbidding and mountainous Isie Zephyr, or Isle of Winds. Although the weakest of his brethren, his hold over a continent known for its treacherous wind currents, random cyclones, and other dangerous climate events makes conquering it a risky proposition. Entire armies have found themselves with zero visibility on the approach to Isie Zephyr (some say not entirely natural), where the natives knowledge of terrain and currents allow them to strike with near impunity and be gone again before any retaliation. The dragonkith of the Isle of Winds are barbarous and tribal, striking with fury, taking no prisoners and keeping grisly trophies of their kills. Additionally, they sometimes paint their bodies and wings with eerie glowing inks or scarlet and indigo, highlighting their bone structures so they appear almost as starved skeletons or spirits. For all its terrors, the rich natural resources of the land bring envoys from the other realms regularly. The few who are allowed to trade in the lands of Cingatorix are generally wealthy beyond compare.
It is rumored there are other Greater Dragonlords who sleep or plan from smaller strongholds, but no one knows for certain.
Dragonkith as PC's
There are several major types dragonkith.
Metadrakes, generally bred for menial tasks requiring the intelligence and dexterity lacking in true drakes, are now used by the armies of Vitalia as mobile engines of war. They possess strength far above standard dragonkith, are much larger, standing near 8' tall on average and weighing close to 400 pounds, and have many potent natural attacks, including claws, wings, bite and breath weapon, as well as thick hides to protect them. They are generally slow, clumsy flyers, and although somewhat smarter than their drake cousins, are far inferior to other dragonkith in terms of intelligence. They do not have opposible digits, and thus have a hard time thriving without a keeper or companion. While some metadrakes go feral and abandon civilization, most accept their lot as beasts of burden and war.
Arcane dragonkith are those most suited toward harnessing the powers of spirit and sphere to fuel spells and magics. They possess high intelligence and great charisma, with limited empathy and telepathy for the various drakes that roam the sphere, and they are often able to call on them for companionship or aid. Typically, an arcane dragonkith's relationship to befriended drakes is symbiotic, and they will typically provide food or treasure in exchange for any assistance rendered. All of the major factions have arcane dragonkith at their command, but each honor them differently. In Vitalia, they are seen as necessary to counter other mages, but not much else. Often, they will pursue other options than simply being another tool of war for the military; that often means being court or high mage for another country, setting up their own strongholds, or wandering and seeking to strengthen their powers. In Cathay, they are honored highly, as their magic indicates their ties to the spirit world. They are respected and expected to be leaders, whether in martial, economic, or political arenas. On Isie Zephyr they are shamans, usually 2nd in command after a strong warkith, and often specializing in the weather or concealment magics that allow them to raid and fight effectively.
War Dragonkith are the most common of full dragonkin, and they combine some of the strengths and defenses of the metadrakes with some arcane abilities. They are generally treated with respect in all draconic cultures and lands. They comprise the majority of underofficers, non-commissioned officers and subcommanders in all draconic armies, with no limits to their potential achievements.