Author's Note:
This is the story I've been working on for one of my lore clans over on Flight Rising with some of the worldbuilding I've done over the years. This story is an AU retelling of my original clan when I started playing back in 2013.
If you want more regular updates and are willing to read snippets, feel free to check out the story as I post it on the Flight Rising forums.
Please note: While this story is generally rated PG-13 there will be darker themes at play, nothing is written graphically (or I wouldn't be able to post it to the FR forums). Violence and injuries are part of the story. Cross-posted on AO3.
Thanks for stopping by!
- Mask, #5984
About:
This clan is set in the Early to Mid 4th Age, at a time when the ancient breeds have retreated to the farthest corners of the world and the flights have just started to see new types of dragons in their midst. The Wars of the First Ones between Gaoler and Banescale have left a lasting impression — Fire flight will gain no foothold here.
The will to survive has created a tentative bond between those of Ice, Plague, and Nature. Dragons from Earth and Water are seen as keepers of tradition and prophecy, but they are still viewed with reserved judgment. All others are regarded with suspicion.
Those of the Bitter Sap Clan are more accepting than others, seeing as their majority of clan members are non-native Ice breeds. Luckystone would have it no other way, having been through similar experiences in his youth.
Location:
The territory of the Bitter Sap clan is located at the northern region of the Southern Icefields in a dense pine forest at the southern base of the mountain range that hugs the coast. Even this far north, the land is still quite cold and uninviting. This close to the mountains made it easier for the trees to grow unbent from the wind. And while they may not be the tallest trees in the world, they were much taller than anything found on the open tundra nearby where the constant wind and permafrost made it difficult for plants to grow very big. Most of the pines wouldn't reach heights taller than Guardians or Ridgebacks, even with the mountains blocking much of the wind. To say it was an easy place to live would be a lie — for it is not — but that didn't stop Luckystone and Lightfoot from claiming it as their new home. After all, what was an Iceborn dragon if not sturdy and resilient to their harsh surroundings?
Across the mountains to the north lies the narrow ocean between the Southern Icefields and the Windswept Plateau, the distant coast a thin line on the horizon. Further north lies the never-ending storm of the Twisting Crescendo, with the billowing ash clouds of the Ashfall Wastes to the northeast .
The clan itself resides in a narrow valley near the base of the mountain. Smaller rocks and larger boulders litter sections of the ground further up the mountain side. The valley is divided down the middle by a shallow river, which splits into several creeks and empties into the tundra south of the forest.