Hiulgran’s Question on Draconic Rankings
January 4th, 2012 | Published in Dragon Wars, Dragon Wars Background | 1 Comment
Yep, I know I’m way behind on these. I’m going to try and catch up in reverse order I’m afraid.
Hiulgran asks:
Lyrrekka, you seem most suited to awnser this question:
How does the draconic hierarchy work and (the honorifics) translate in human terms?
Lyrrekka replies:
Hmm, well, the higher honorifics don’t really have easy translations but the way the hierarchy works is quite simple. Each honorific except miria or mirian is rough indicator of strength.
The Eliri are the weakest – Eliri is also the draconic word for child because you never find a dragon, kithreia or human resonant who remains at this level after maturity. Most Eliri mature to Kedri, a few borderline cases may be at the weaker end of Alrari.
The Kedri are lowest levels of adult and indeed Kedri means adult, even though as an honorific it applied to children of appropriate strength. Children who are Kedri usually mature to be Alrari, very rarely they’ll hit the lower end of Idri – but almost never. Around two thirds of all dragons and kithreia are kedri but human resonants are more likely to be stronger – this appears to be connected to having a heart friend. It’s a rare warrior who doesn’t mature to Alari level.
The Alrari make up the rest of the born dragons and kithreia since they cannot safely reach Idri level. If a dragon or Kithreia is Alari level in childhood they are watched ver carefully because if they mature to Idri level they are prone to madness. Fortunately most mature to the borderline and not beyond, and the condition is treatable. Human Alrari often mature to Idri though not always. Sal, Jason, my son Kyle and Hannah all seem to be borderline. But Matt, Sonia and I are all idri as are Matt and Sonia’s kids.
The Idri are the strongest of us. No child is ever this level, they couldn’t take it physically.
The Miriri are all Idri. Theoretically they are the strongest Idri of their colour – or more accurately the strongest one capable of doing the job – but usually as long as they aren’t messing up badly no one will challenge the current encumbant. There’s are lot of ritual surrounding challenging for the position because they don’t want some idiot bruiser getting the role even if they are the strongest. There are thirteen Miriri – twelve of them are currently dragons and the thirteenth – Andarian-mirian – is Kithreian.
There are actually different honorifics for non-resonant humans, but they see little use these days for obvious reasons.
Hope this answers you question.
thanks it awnsers a lot of smaller questions I had as well.