Sky Dragon (Young)

When the imperial dragons first arrived in the Universe, each was well-attuned to the elemental planes they hailed from. As the war between the Elemental Lords raged on and the benevolent lords fell one by one, the Planes of Metal and Wood sealed themselves away. For the dragons who originated from the Corroded Core, their very existence was now at stake. These dragons flew from mountaintop to mountaintop, seeking refuge from the then-perilous Tian Xia overrun by warring yaoguai. Finally, upon the mountain peaks of Chenlun, Gossamer, Kelsang, Kimu, Kullan, Kyojin, and the Wall of Heaven, celestial beings answered the dragons' cries for help. What the dragons no longer had in elemental metal, these celestials provided through divine blessings and essence. With their nature changed, the dragons as a species survived. In time, their proximity to the sky and the deities they serve became their namesake. Their past as elemental metal dragons became but a faded memory and creation myth for all but the sky dragons themselves to remember.

The sky dragons proved their gratitude with eternal service. Some became infused with the planar energies of the gods they served, becoming massive and powerful; many were among the progenitors of the modern empyreal dragon. Others stayed in the Universe, practicing their faith and perfecting the divine arts over life and spirit. Rare indeed are sky dragons who strike out on their own, wielding non-divine powers on missions unrelated to a greater will. The few who do retain much of their reclusive and contemplative nature, at least during their younger years.

With the recent return of the Plane of Metal, there have been careful inquiries about sky dragons' connection to that plane. Some wonder if they might find surviving distant relations. These inquiries are not out of curiosity, but need. While being empowered by celestial beings gave the sky dragons the power to defend themselves, it didn't solve the issue of elemental deficiency. Worse, the deficiency continues despite the Corroded Core's return. Sky dragon hatchlings, from eggs or live birth, are born vulnerable, with only patches of scales or none at all. Even with exposure to large deposits of mineral or salt veins (which serve as magnets and reservoirs for elemental metal energy), it can take decades before a hatchling's scales toughen to the point that they have adequate protection to leave the lair. If the Plane of Metal has an answer to this issue—either locations that might serve as a safe birthing or hatching grounds or a way to restore the dragon's ability to absorb ambient elemental energy—it's of utmost importance that all sky dragons learn of the method and opportunity.