Heart of the Desert (NE male ancient fire (red) dragon)

Ateshah, Lord of Gizmiri Province, holds numerous titles, including Padashah of the Flaming City, Morza of the East, Heart of the Desert, and Khan of the Province of Gizmiri. His dominion, the Burning Sands, is a deadly wasteland shaped by his fiery presence. Ateshah embodies the essence of fire like few other dragons, creating the desert around him and carrying it with him wherever he goes.

Ateshah resides in the holy temple of Al-Ajach in the city of Sarkland. Only dragonkin, efreet, and other fiery creatures can endure his burning presence. He has not left the temple for decades, but the Mharoti live in fear of the prophesied day when he will emerge.

Ateshah's ultimate ambition is to transform all of Midgard into an extension of his realm. Instead of risking himself in wars, he seeks ancient knowledge to expand the reach of his presence over the known world.

Master of the Fields and Clouds, Wisest of Lords, the Lord of Chains, Morza of Wisdom, Khan of Betik (N adult male gold dragon)

Parsis the Hidden, Ruler of Betik, holds numerous titles, including Master of the Fields and Clouds, Wisest of Lords, Lord of Chains, Morza of Wisdom, and Khan of Betik. As one of only two golden wind dragons in the empire, Parsis is an exotic creature even among the morza. He works extremely well within the empire’s structure and delegates far less of his province’s rule than the other morzas. Parsis retains a tight-knit council called the Golden Circle to conduct the everyday work of Betik. These circle members know his affinity for shapeshifting and disguising his identity. Parsis often wanders Betik’s cities disguised as a dragonkin or even one of the non-scaly folk, taking on roles such as a lawyer, scholar, alchemist, or other academic. He loves learning and sharing wisdom, as well as the sound of his own voice.

Parsis is also a military genius in tactics and strategy, holding the hinge province that controls much of the empire. Equally important is his political and diplomatic skill. He maintains the Mharoti spy network with the Kah-Vizier Zeki Hasan Al-Eski. The Golden Circle is known for its fairness, but recently it has been dogged by rumors of corruption and betrayal, as some of Parsis’s most valued councilors have been murdered by the sultan’s assassins.

Some believe that Parsis has many hidden children, pretending to be humble jambuka but truly dragon-blooded. This rumor gives the other morza further cause to distrust Parsis.

Scribe of the Pact, Eldest Morza, the Gold-Cloaked, Khan of Mezar

Ibbalan the Illustrious, Ruler of Mezar, is known by many titles, including Scribe of the Pact, Eldest Morza, The Gold-Cloaked, and Khan of Mezar. His empire is his brood, and the world is his hoard. After forging the pacts that founded the empire, he left the old lands of Mharot, his primary rival, and led his armies to victory under his benevolent wings. As the eldest Dragon Lord, Ibbalan was the first to die of old age. Unlike others, he was prepared for his demise. The empire’s guide and guardian in life, through Lord Baal’s power, Ibbalan sacrificed both his living flesh and eternal rest to complete his draconic designs upon the mortal world.

Ibbalan wears his hoard as a golden hide of gem-studded scales over his ancient bones. With glorious regalia, including a crown of orichalcum horns and a gilded death mask, he bears an uncanny resemblance to his living form. Yet, in his ashen heart, Ibbalan realizes his current existence is a poor facsimile of his former life. He has grown reclusive, directing policy through envoys. Audiences with him consist of executions of criminals, war prisoners, and seditionists, their essences fuel for his immortal soul-fire.

The jambuka of Mezar are terrified of Ibbalan and speak of him as the worst sort of devil. The dragonkin, however, revere him as the soul of wealth and duty, loyal beyond death.

Resides in Mezar – The province nearest to the border with Nuria Natal is a
place of burial and raids, since there is no peace between the River Kings and the Mharoti. Ruled by Ibbalan the Illustrious and guarded by legions living and dead, the Mezar province stands ready for a Nurian invasion and constantly prepares for the empire’s next attempt to annex Nuria and Per Bastet.