Romance and Courting Among the Dragonese
Hello, Iâm here to first give you on a vocab lesson before we can actually get into what todayâs post is really about. The term âDragoneseâ, can be used as a blanket statement for the entirety of the culture/religion that hailed from the planet; Dragonair, all those thousands of years ago, but more often than not, it is used to refer to the demidragons specifically as unlike the other species, the demidragons are considered a joint effort on the part of the Beings because of their fore-bearers; the clan dragons.
So anyhow, the actual post! Courtship between demidragons depends drastically on what clan or lack thereof the parties are from and what kind of relationship theyâre seeking. Most demidragons who are seeking one-night-stands or non-committed pairings are more likely to put less effort into actually presenting gifts or composing whatever craft their clan favors to get the point across. In PoisonClan for example, many couplings occur after a particularly difficult sparring match when the two warriors are sexually interested in one another and then they go off out of the camp to do whatever it is they want to do.
Actual courting on the other hand, can be incredibly simple or complex. In FireClan, courting is where you prove to your potential mate that you are dedicated to having a family with them, whether that family is composed of a tight knit group of friends, yourselves or actually having kits. Thus, the behaviors are to prove how committed you are. Many warriors will hunt for their intendeds, collect the best bedding to build a comfortable nest, cover them in battles, etc. To prove someone is actually being serious about their courtship, many warriors will create a den for the pair to share with each other and their family. This tradition arose from the many clanless demidragons who joined and became warriors.
Because the clanless do not live in large, communal dens, they had to work out ways of creating burrows, treehouses and various other forms of dens to house themselves and their young. Depending on the location, different techniques are used. Because of this though, the act of building a den to share with your intended(s) is seen as incredibly special because you arenât just suggesting a temporary relationship, youâre in it for the long haul.
In clans like LightningClan and IceClan where there is a semi-distinct class system, courting is much more difficult and complex. Those who are lower ranking than their intended are usually barred from courting them directly and instead, have to hint at it until the higher ranking warrior makes the first move. Elaborate gifts are presented to each other, both functional and beautiful.
In LightningClan, many who court will take an interest in what god(s) their intended is currently worshiping and will attempt to present them with offerings they can leave to gain better favor. Most serious romancers take a flight with their beloved and go into a dive together (like bald eagles) to see whether or not they will be a good match. If both of them stick together, even when the ground is close and break apart together, then this means the relationship is a good one. If not, then itâs considered a sign from the gods and the pair splits up immediately to avoid further bad luck.
In IceClan, serious romancers must present a specific song to those they wish to be bonded to for life. If the opposite party begins to sing the other lines, they accept this âproposalâ. They do a small, traditional dance and are officially declared mates in the eyes of the clan. The only one who has free reign to court whom they please with no issues is those who are First Mark, also known as the Royal Family.
So as you can tell, courting varies greatly from clan to clan. Actual romance is less varied.
When I say âromanceâ, Iâm referring to whom they are attracted to, how many partners they have, etc. As far as sexualities/romances they can have, demidragons are generally very relaxed with homosexual pairings. They donât really care about that stuff. Those who have lived in a clan for a long time donât even use a label because to the Dragonese, love doesnât need such specifications. As for how many partners, demidragons tend to have one, but polyamorus relationships are not uncommon or even frowned upon, especially in FireClan, where to have more than one lover is just another person to help keep track of any kits that may be born.
The last thing I want to touch on are Marks.
Marks are bite scars on the necks of mated demidragons who intend to be with each other long-term. The more practical viewpoint is that demidragons like to literally sink their teeth into what they think is their own. A scar is a lot more permanent than any token and fades much less easily. Others claim that once a demidragon has been Marked, they gain insight into how their partners is feeling, occasionally glimpses of their thoughts if the two are close. The more realistic exception is that the Mark is a good place to stimulate each other while mating. But no one really discredits the emotional bond between a Marked mated pairs.
Some people do not Mark each other very deeply to allow a person to either remake a Mark or leave a relationship. Others Mark so it can never be fully healed. All in all, Marks are the closest thing demidragons get to marriage.
I hope you enjoyed this post and others that will come eventually! I donât know how many Iâll make yet or even what Iâll talk about but itâll hopefully serve as a good read for if youâre on the toilet.