The Dragon and those who are of it's Blood

[shadowclasper]

This rare treatis was only recently discovered in deep China, a translation of an ancient Tibetan text that itself was a translation of an ancient Indian, or possibly Leng based text. It describes a mythical Ven House, the House of the Dragon. This text describes, from what we can tell, the nature of the Dragon within Ven society, culture, mythology, and politics, as well as a few of it's literary uses.

More precise looks into the text find that it is actually an analysis of Ven mythology and operatic tradition. There is no records of a 'House of the Dragon' in any of the official law excerpts we can find, and incredibly few of the Pillow Books even suggest of it's existence, almost always the Dragon is described as an event, something sublime and overpowering in it's perfect beauty, that moment of wonder. Very occasionally, a pillow book mentions someone as being "Blood of the Dragon".

There is never a mention of the House of the Dragon in any direct sense, but some scholars have come to believe that because there is mention of the "Blood of the Dragon" there must be a "House of the Dragon".

This is a fallacy. The "Blood of the Dragon" is a character or figure occasionally found within Ven literature, it represents someone who is innocent, someone who is untouched by anything except the wonder of the world. They have no concept of Shanri as "The Great Enemy" instead seeing boundless wonder in creation. While normally such a figure would be seen as naieve and a vulnerable, even inviting, target within Ven culture, one who is "Blood of the Dragon" is marked by the fact that they inspire wonder in all around them in the Opera, they are a figure representing untouched innocence and wonder. They are a treasured figure to be protected. Usually, throughout the course of the work, they bring a kind of temporary redemption to the rest of the characters in the Opera. As the opera goes on, the "Blood of the Dragon" will slowly appear to be working towards, or acting as a catalyst for, the eventual redemption and absolvement of all figures within the Opera, leading to a happy ending.

This is inevitably cut short. Something, whether a tragic accident, madness, or the jealousy of someone who is beyond redemption, ends the life of the "Blood of the Dragon" and so dooms everyone involved to a torturous and unfulfilling death.

The Blood of the Dragon, as a character, is rarely someone who is outside of their Spring Season, one example has them as a Winter aged Ven, but that work is so unclear on the circumstances that it is hard to see how the character functioned within the narrative.

From what we can tell. Someone who is "Blood of the Dragon" was purely a symbolic and literary figure, with no actual presence within actual Ven society. A nearly messianic figure within the narrative, a figure who embodied the wonder that "The Moment of the Dragon" was supposed to bring, whose life is inevitably cut short to further damn and doom the rest of the cast within the opera.

==Crunch==
WARNING! The Dragon's Virtue of Wonder and the 'Blood of the Dragon' Trait is never to be used by a player. Ever. It is a literary device for a very specific kind of character.

Wonder is a virtue that may be taken, and stacks with Beauty for the purposes of storing style. Further, it can be used in place of any action or to supplement any action. It may even be used to roll for a weakness. However, Wonder is rolled AGAINST the Blood of the Dragon NPC in the following circumstances:
-If a figure driven to madness or possessing the color yellow attacks them.
-If a natural disaster can bring about the end of their life
-If another figure has become jealous of them and seeks to end their life.

Still working on a trait "Blood of the Dragon"

[wunderworks]

Oh I like this idea a LOT. Although I think it'd be fun to have a character playable with specific options and if they ever act in a certain way they lose the Aspect.

[shadowclasper]

Sounds like that might work.

Blooded of the Dragon
Invoke: +5 for any action that is to inspire wonder, and for any action to gain the trust and friendship of others who are not mad or jealous of them. In addition, tagging any other aspect of this character costs an additional style point for the remainder of the scene (this stacks)
Tag: Can be tagged for +10 by any mad or jealous character against them for any reason, likewise can be tagged by natural disasters (even if they normally wouldn't be able to tag a thing), including orcs.
Compel: Character can be compelled to preform naieve and trusting actions.

This trait is automatically lost if the character ever displays any tendencies that suggest they find the world less than a wonderful mystery to be explored, or that people aren't at their cores basically good folks who can be redeemed no matter what crimes they have committed. They must be trusting, forgiving, and naive to the point of suicidalness in ven culture.

Trying to figure out a way to make it detrimental for anyone not in one of the above categories (jealous, insane, or a natural force) to tag anything against this character if it would result in the Blooded of the Dragon coming to harm. The idea is that this character is untouchable by any ven who is not throughly the villain, and that the character brings the hope of redemption to the game, even though the character WILL die before redemption can be delivered.

[shadowclasper]

Updated both the tag and compel.

On balance, this could probably be a character trait. The compel is absolutely crippling, and 'inspiring wonder' can be interpretted so many ways. Making a wonderful set of art, making new friends, all sorts of wonderful, inspiring things. Wouldn't it be horrible if someone grew jealous of such talent and allies? Saw the naieve, foolish little tit gaining so much influence through his work and his connections... might even drive someone to madness.