Dragonborn, called strixiki in Draconic, were a rare lineage of Ancientkin Mortalkind in Somnum. They were tall and imposing, standing well over six feet and averaging close to 250 pounds, with blunt snouts and reptilian frills. They attained the size and development of a ten-year-old Human by the age of three, and reached adulthood by around fifteen years of age, though lived no longer than eighty. Many scholars speculated that these folk were descended from the true Dragons who occupied Somnum in the Age of Giants, though no connection was ever directly proven. They were hairless and had scales that concentrated on their extremities, with a fine leather skin over the rest of their body. Dragonborn scales varied depending on their heritage, with either Metallic or Chromatic colouring, and lacked the wings or tails of true dragons. Their round eyes also tended toward vivid draconic tones, and their feet ended in three strong talon-like claws with a fourth claw in the back; their hands were the same, but ended in a thumb.
Dragonborn were born from the union of male and female parents, hatching from eggs after a two-to-three-month warming period. Their culture valued self-sufficiency, personal honor, and the building of strong reputations; tradition emphasized that each dragonborn carried the responsibility of bringing honor to their family name through personal deeds. Cowardice and dishonor were deeply scorned, as was the hiding of emotions; dragonborn were encouraged to feel anger and joy in equal measure. Some would push themselves to an unhealthy extreme of effort to avoid failure, and this sense of honor compelled most dragonborn to seek honorable deaths. Dying in battle or community service was considered preferably than suffering the infirmities of old age.
Their communities were organized around clans with rigid expectations and traditions, and leadership was often chosen from those whose deeds best embodied the values of the clan. Perhaps paradoxically, dragonborn were taught to have a strong sense of independence, with the belief that great individuals would make a greater clan. In the broader societies of Somnum, dragonborn were often regarded with a mixture of respect and awe, their appearance and bearing evoking the fearsome legacy of dragons themselves. However, they were also sometimes considered proud or rude, as they lacked decorum and disdained ambivalence.
In addition to their sheer size and weight, dragonborn possessed natural abilities tied to their draconic blood. Each carried within them the breath weapon of their heritage, able to unleash destructive energy such as fire, lightning, or frost depending on their lineage. They also bore a natural resistance to the element tied to their draconic ancestry, making them hardier against dangers that others could not easily withstand. Their charismatic strength marked them as both formidable warriors and commanding leaders, though their heaviness and bluntness tended to make them less effective in slippery situations.
In language, dragonborn spoke the standard tongue of their homelands and alsodraconic, the ancient language of dragons. The latter was one of the oldest tongues in Somnum, noted for its harsh consonants and weighty silibants, and carried cultural significance as a mark of heritage and tradition among dragonborn clans. The dragonborn method of speaking draconic resembled a true dragon's more than other smallfolk learners, thanks to their snouts and tongue shape, but still sounded shrill to a dragon's ears.
Naming conventions among dragonborn reflected their strong clan structure. A given personal name was typically preceded by the individual’s clan name, which carried great weight in society. Examples of personal names included Balasar, Arjhan, or Shedinnr, while clan names included Clethtinthiallor, Myastan, or Prexijandilin. Each also carried a name given from their family during childhood, typically employed as a term of endearment by clutch mates; examples could be Climber, Pious, or Shieldbiter.
Though dragonborn were rare, they often became adventurers, as their culture encouraged deeds of renown and the pursuit of personal greatness. They typically followed Adventuring Classes that utilized their size, such as Paladin, Fighter, or Barbarian, though many also became Sorcerers when draconic magic stirred within them. Others followed different classes when circumstances or personal choice demanded it, but regardless of their path, dragonborn adventurers always carried the expectation of upholding their clan’s honor through their actions.