The Feathered Forowa Dragon is a rare and elusive species of lesser Fae dragon native to the Faewyld, now scattered across the furthest fringes of the Prime Plane following the Conjunction of the Realms. Though diminutive compared to their scaled draconic kin, they are the swiftest among dragonkind—capable of aerial speeds that defy the eye and overwhelm the senses. Draped in radiant feathers that shimmer like glass in the sun and moonlight, these dragons are as dazzling in beauty as they are lethal in motion.
Avoidant of civilization and notoriously difficult to approach, the Forowa are creatures of grace and melody—gliding upon mountain updrafts, singing in the night, and vanishing before blade or predator can find them. But to those they trust, they are steadfast guardians, willing to fight—and die—alongside their companions.
Origins & History
The Feathered Forowa Dragons hail originally from the verdant glades and mist-veiled peaks of the Faewyld, where they nested within sky-bastioned ridges and hidden groves. There, they lived largely untouched by the politics of Archfey courts, serving as sacred omens to the Archfey and symbols of seasonal change.
During The Wild Hunt declared by the Court of Wither, many broods were hunted, driven from their ancestral roosts. One such massacre ended with the death of an entire clutch's parents, until the Talon-Inquisitor Solandir intervened. Rescuing their unhatched eggs, he brought them through a rift and founded a small brood in the Hidden Valley surrounding Unknown. That single act of mercy is now regarded as the genesis of the Forowa’s existence on the Prime Plane.
With more of their kind seeking safety in the years following the Conjunction, the brood grew into a colony—now among the few known havens for this species across Osira and Tolria.
Physiology & Abilities
Forowa Dragons are small by dragon standards—roughly 20 to 25 feet in wingspan when fully grown, with sinuous bodies and elongated limbs adapted for acrobatic flight. Unlike most dragons, they are feathered rather than scaled. These feathers range in color from deep violet and sapphire to sunset gold and glacial white, their tones shifting in the light like oil upon water.
Their flight speed, estimated between 200–250 feet per second, makes them the fastest recorded lesser dragon species in Tolria, rivaled only by the Unknown and storms themselves. They use this speed in a combination of evasive maneuvers, dive-blitz hunting, and ritual displays.
Unique among dragonkind, Forowa possess tornado breath—a devastating exhalation of cyclonic wind capable of uprooting trees, flinging foes, and creating localized storm bursts. Some older specimens are also known to produce haunting melodic songs, believed to be magical in nature. These songs are used for courtship, communication across great distances, and even calming wounded creatures.
They do not eat birds or avian creatures—a trait whose origin is unknown, but believed to be a relic of some long-lost Faewyld pact.
Behavior & Culture
Feathered Forowa Dragons are highly intelligent but profoundly reclusive. They live in broods—tight-knit familial collectives that inhabit hard-to-reach mountain valleys, cliffside caves, or sky-bridged mesas. These broods raise their young communally, with both elder males and females guarding the hatching nests until flight can be taught.
Male Forowa perform elaborate aerial dances during mating season, flaring their feathers in radiant displays under sunlight or moonlight. These displays are not only meant to attract mates but also serve to disorient would-be predators or rival dragons.
Though shy toward outsiders, the Forowa form life-long bonds with any being that earns their trust—whether it be a parent, hatchling, peer, or rescuer. It is said a bonded Forowa would rather perish than allow harm to befall one of their kin.
Due to their instinctual isolationism, Forowa avoid major settlements, worldly affairs, and especially bloodshed unless driven by necessity or loyalty. Attempts to domesticate or tame them have ended poorly, but bonds formed organically—particularly with druids, Sylvarin, or fae-blooded mortals—have been recorded in rare cases.
The Empyrean Brood
The most notable colony of Feathered Forowa Dragons exists within the Hidden Valley surrounding the Archives of Empyrean. This brood traces its roots to a rescued clutch of eggs brought back from the Faewyld by Solandir, after the Court of Wither enacted the Wild Hunt upon Forowa nesting peaks. Protected by both the geography of the Tani Mountains and the magical wards emplaced by the Talons of the Timeless Tome, these dragons have lived in relative peace for nearly three decades.
Occasionally, one may be seen weaving through the clouds above the Tani Mountains or gliding alongside the alpine rivers that run down the cliffs. Many scholars believe the harmony between the Forowa and the Archives is no accident—and that the dragons act as both protectors and omens to those who heed the old magic.
Legacy
Though still rare and fiercely independent, the Feathered Forowa Dragon is no longer an enigma. Scholars, bards, and beastmasters alike speak of their songs, their speed, and their loyalty. They are remembered not for their beauty, freedom, and the bonds they forge when all seems lost.
In a world still reeling from the rift-torn aftershocks of the Conjunction, they are living echoes of the Faewyld’s lost innocence—windswept, radiant, and loyal to the end.