Pterok Concept Test

In the time before the Primordial War, the Northern In the time before the Primordial War, the Northern Dragon Kings, winged reptiles called the Pterok, ruled the Dragon Kings, winged reptiles called the Pterok, ruled the skies unequivocally. They built their homes atop great moun- skies unequivocally. They built their homes atop great moun- tain peaks and flew down to the human villages below to tain peaks and flew down to the human villages below to govern the subjects the gods set them over. When the gods govern the subjects the gods set them over. When the gods warred against the Primordials, their servants decimated the warred against the Primordials, their servants decimated the Pterok. The few who survived had to share the skies with Pterok. The few who survived had to share the skies with sorcery-created flying creatures, Exalted skyships and aerial sorcery-created flying creatures, Exalted skyships and aerial chariots forever after. chariots forever after. The Pterok are decent craftsmen, and they have a deep The Pterok are decent craftsmen, and they have a deep and abiding love of beautiful things. They take great care and and abiding love of beautiful things. They take great care and pride in crafting their mountain homes and their artifacts, pride in crafting their mountain homes and their artifacts, ensuring that both exhibit the exceptionally clean, elegant ensuring that both exhibit the exceptionally clean, elegant lines that have come to be associated with Pterok work. lines that have come to be associated with Pterok work. And though they admire beauty, they do not indulge in or- And though they admire beauty, they do not indulge in or- namentation of any kind in their homes, so their dwellings’ namentation of any kind in their homes, so their dwellings’ interiors are what humans would consider spartan. In fact, interiors are what humans would consider spartan. In fact, some humans have been known to mistake Pterok homes some humans have been known to mistake Pterok homes for well-preserved ruins, devoid of decoration or earthly for well-preserved ruins, devoid of decoration or earthly treasures as they are. treasures as they are. In fact, the only treasures Pterok find of interest are In fact, the only treasures Pterok find of interest are items of the First Age and books of all kinds. Many Northern items of the First Age and books of all kinds. Many Northern Dragon Kings devote their lives to studying the artifacts and Dragon Kings devote their lives to studying the artifacts and relics of the past. They eagerly join expeditions to lost cities relics of the past. They eagerly join expeditions to lost cities and painstakingly study and preserve the items they recover and painstakingly study and preserve the items they recover from such sites. They often use their crystalline technology from such sites. They often use their crystalline technology to make found books imperishable. (Older tomes created by to make found books imperishable. (Older tomes created by the ancient Pterok are already preserved in enchanted crystal the ancient Pterok are already preserved in enchanted crystal plates, as their scholars knew they wanted their treasured plates, as their scholars knew they wanted their treasured knowledge to withstand the test of time). knowledge to withstand the test of time). One hundred or more of the most talented Pterok schol- One hundred or more of the most talented Pterok schol- ars reside in the Celestial City of Yu-Shan. These serve as ars reside in the Celestial City of Yu-Shan. These serve as scribes and personal historians to the gods. The gods often scribes and personal historians to the gods. The gods often praise their work for its meticulousness and its ornate cal- praise their work for its meticulousness and its ornate cal- ligraphy. Few calligraphers in Creation can rival the work ligraphy. Few calligraphers in Creation can rival the work of skilled Pterok. of skilled Pterok. In addition to studying the past, the Pterok are noted In addition to studying the past, the Pterok are noted occultists and magicians as well. They often spend their time occultists and magicians as well. They often spend their time seeking out spirits with which to converse, gaining secrets seeking out spirits with which to converse, gaining secrets of the past. of the past. All these scholarly pursuits might lead one to believe All these scholarly pursuits might lead one to believe the Pterok are docile creatures only interested in pursuing the Pterok are docile creatures only interested in pursuing research, but that is far from the truth. Pterok can be just research, but that is far from the truth. Pterok can be just as deadly as the other Dragon King breeds. They are still as deadly as the other Dragon King breeds. They are still predators, preferring to track their prey from above, using predators, preferring to track their prey from above, using their acute vision to spot helpless quarry, then dive upon their acute vision to spot helpless quarry, then dive upon them swiftly, using their strong, razor-sharp teeth to rend them swiftly, using their strong, razor-sharp teeth to rend their victims to shreds. The dives themselves are works of their victims to shreds. The dives themselves are works of art, and Pterok gain status for the beauty and effectiveness art, and Pterok gain status for the beauty and effectiveness of them. of them.