Bahamut's Dragonborn


 * Note: Bahamut's Dragonborn and Dragonborn are used synonymously in this article.

History
Gods wage war through mortal pawns, and draconic deities are no different. Tiamat creates all sorts of dragonlike beings to manifest her power in the world, breeding warped creatures from her eggs. These evil entities act as the Chromatic Dragon's agents. Of the other draconic gods, only Bahamut stands between Tiamat and her evil goals. The conflict between them has raged for centuries. Those who know of this conflict refer to it as the Dragonfall War.

The Platinum Dragon forswore breeding creatures to oppose Tiamat's spawn, instead accepting humanoid volunteers to his righteous cause. He only takes those truly dedicated to supporting his ideals and working against vile draconic creatures. A potential recruit's past actions matter little; all that counts is present and future devotion to opposing Tiamat and her spawn. Some wrongdoers have found redemption and purpose in becoming Bahamut's servants.

Those willing to give themselves into Bahamut's care and act as his emissaries in the mortal realms become his daughters and sons. Such humanoids give up all their former racial identity and are born anew. They become dragonborn.

Personality
Dragonborn are powerful, majestic creatures that resemble their adoptive father. They fight ceaselessly against the spawn of Tiamat, gaining allies in the Dragonfall War along the way. Dragonborn are great leaders with clear purpose. They are often the motivating nexus of an adventuring party.

The Call of Bahamut
The dragonborn children of Bahamut are a unique race in that they are not born; they are reborn. Each one enters the world as a Halfling, an Elf, a Human, or a member of some other humanoid race with all that race's propensities and traits. Bahamut beckons to his would-be followers, and those few who might choose to serve him.

Most of those who hear the Platinum Dragon's call discover it early, before they reach adolescence. A few heed it after reaching adulthood and beginning their careers. Not all who are called answer.

The call is a strange event that one must experience to understand. It takes the form of a courteous mental question, asking if one's heart and soul are able and willing to undertake dedication to a noble and arduous purpose -- protecting the world from the spawn of Tiamat.

Bahamut's call asks the chosen one if she is willing to give herself over entirely to this cause, giving up all that she was before to transform into one of Bahamut's children. This choice is never easy. The chosen one is made aware of the many sacrifices she must make, from her racial identity to her family and friends, even her whole way of life. The only reward for those forfeitures is service to the Platinum Dragon and his abiding love.

Languages
After their rebirth, a Dragonborn automatically knows the language of Draconic. They also retain the knowledge of any language they had previously known.

Lands
For the most part, Dragonborn are nomadic beings, seeking out evil draconic beings in order to smite them.

Appearance and Physiology
Noble. Draconic. Nearly every description of a dragonborn includes those two words. So thoroughly has a dragonborn physically transformed that only the framework of her former appearance remains. Dragonborn are always slightly bigger than most other members of their original race.

These servants of Bahamut epitomize devotion to righteousness. Their very appearance gives an impression of virtuous purpose. Dragonborn carry themselves with good deportment, seeing themselves as humanoid representations of noble dragonkind.

When a dragonborn walks into an inn, patrons' heads turn and eyes stare. What they see is well worth a second glance. In every aspect of their presence, dragonborn consciously act as emissaries of their adoptive father, Bahamut.

The Rite of Rebirth

 * Main article: The Rite of Rebirth

The Rite of Rebirth transforms a character into a dedicated draconic servant of Bahamut known as a dragonborn.

Becoming a dragonborn isn't undertaken lightly. It is a long process full of self-reflection and commitment. Those supplicants raised in the ways of their original race must carefully consider what they're giving up. While a human might be content to give up her natural versatility, it's rare for someone heavily invested in her racial identity to forfeit that race's abilities.

When the rite begins, the supplicant lays aside all her equipment and possessions for the duration of the ceremony. Dressed in a loose, linen shift, she spends a full day and night fasting and meditating upon her choice. Her mind fills with all the things she is giving up, reminding her she must forgo much of herself to become a dragonborn.

When dawn comes, the prospective dragonborn crawls inside an egg-shaped structure that she has built in order to sleep for the last time in her original form. This symbolic act represents her acceptance of the transformation. When the next dawn arrives, she is transformed into a dragonborn. After awakening inside the sealed egg, she breaks out of it as a glorious, draconic child of Bahamut.

Draconic Aspects
Upon becoming a dragonborn, the individual can choose one of three aspects they want to embody, each giving them a different ability.

Heart
A dragonborn who chooses heart as her draconic aspect gains a breath weapon. The breath weapon is a bright, shining line that coruscates with every metallic color. The breath weapon can take on the properties of acid, cold, electricity, or fire, changing on each use as the dragonborn chooses.

Mind
A dragonborn who selects the mind aspect sharpens her senses, gaining immunity to paralysis and magic sleep effects. They also gain the ability of Darkvision and low-light vision.

Wings
A dragonborn who selects the wings aspect hatches sporting fully formed wings. Dragonborn can use these wings to aid their jumps and to glide, initially. Once they have properly learned how to use their wings, they gain the ability to fly. If a dragonborn becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, her wings naturally unfurl, and powerful ligaments stiffen them.The dragonborn descends slowly in a tight corkscrew.