ABSCIDIO

• lore
• special dragons
• goals

LOCATION

The Abscido Clan is a closed-off clan on the outskirts Crystalspine Reaches. The territory consists of a long, winding cave system buried in the side of a mountain, the long stretch of forest around it, and the lake that pours into a waterfall in a grotto higher up on the mountain. Many dragons make their home within the cave system, but others branch out into the surrounding areas.
The mouth to the cave is wide and long, covered by lichen, hanging roots and leaves of the Great Willow, and long banners. It's framed by tall, carved pillars, and guarded by two warriors at all times.

HISTORY

The two founders, Seina and Ailana, still belong to the clan as elders. They came to the territory together to start their own family, but soon started to take in other dragons.
It was when the first skirmish to determine a clan leader began that a new tradition was started. This also forced a council of five different dragons to form and judge the competitions alongside the elders of the clan.
The new tradition was a series of competitions over the course of two weeks. The dragons competing for leadership would be judged based on character and performance rather than their amount of victories. Many leaders of the clan since then died in combat with creatures or rival clans, of old age (after being elected so late in their life) or sickness.
Eventually, the famine hit.
The famine was due to a new rival clan moving in and hunting excessively, as well as a great migration of a passing clan. Many dragons died due to starvation or succumbed to illness due to the starvation-related weakness. The leader at that time died as a result of the latter.
Kahu, the current and historically youngest leader, competed against several dragons who have long since died or left (aside from one). Despite losing nearly every challenge, she was elected by the council (4/5) and elders. After being elected, she formed an alliance with several other clans impacted by the famine and chased the newer clan out, as well as helping to lay down a new route for the migrating dragons in the area.

CULTURE

The Abscido Clan is made up of all different breeds and flights. Many are miners, who mine the ores of the Crystalspine Reaches and give them to their trader to exchange with other clans nearby.
The clan is very heavily guarded; every scavenging, hunting, and mining trip is accompanied by warriors. While Kahu has lead the clan into a relatively peaceful era, mending relationships with their neighbors and maintaining them through any means necessary, they still have an underlying fear that the clan they'd chased out will return.
Many of the dragons love to swim, though it is forbidden to swim in the grotto as it remains a shrine to their first leader; with large, spiraling pillars and glowing crystal paths that lead through the area.
Hatchlings are forced to choose their path quickly, something Kahu and Pinkweed strongly reinforce to avoid having any dead weight in the clan.
Any holiday or event celebrated by the Abscido is now open for travelers to access under Kahu's rule for the first time in their history, something that only 3/5 of the council supported on the condition that the visitors aren't allowed into the cave system, as it would be a hassle to find them once they got lost.
To outsiders, the cave system could appear to be a maze. But the markings on the walls are used as a secret language for the Abscido as an attempt to get intruders lost. Every member of the clan learns this simple language of symbols as a hatchling, and is sent into the cave system to find their way out as a rite of passage.
Glowing stones and plants line the walls and ceilings of the caves, and during some celebrations many are covered with different colors of thin cloth to create a rainbow of every flight's color. This can be done to celebrate a successful hatching of the leader's offspring, the end of a war, or at the end of the year. This has become a tourist attraction for many dragons.
When a leader is elected, the crystals are covered in the color of cloth of the new leader's flight as well.

THE SAEVALERE

The Saevalere is the name of the competition in which the candidates for leadership participate in different events to display their character traits for the council and elders of the clan.
Events include (but are not limited to): Foraging, mineral identification, errand running, strategics games, battling, food identification, hunting, fishing, and various sports. They are all fairly regular tasks because the council believes that a leader should have an appreciation for the jobs other clan members do. Others are examples of things expected from leaders.
A leader is not elected by their victories in these contests, but by the traits that are shown during them. For example, Kahu, the current leader, failed nearly all of these "regular tasks" due to her lack of experience in life, but excelled in leadership challenges; all while keeping a cool head and playing honestly and seriously.
These games become a bit of a tourist attraction, and this is taken advantage of by traders and businesses.