Aellas – character deep-dive
over 1 year ago – Mon, Apr 03, 2023 at 01:19:50 PM

Hi Dragonbonded, 

I can't believe the campaign ends this week, the time has really flown! We would absolutely love to get to the next stretch goal before the campaign ends so please help us by sharing the campaign with anyone that you think might enjoy the comic. 

Today we are taking a deep dive into one of the main characters in the comic, and my favourite - Aellas. 

Aellas is a half-elf, half Tyverian prince, the son of the Dragonbonded Elyse of Allaria and Adreal of Tyveria.

As a young child, Aellas was taken by the Fai as the result of a terrible pact and was subsequently raised in the Dream by the Fai. 

Now, as an adult, he has been returned to the physical realm to serve as an anchor, of sorts, for the Dream. 

The Fai believe that, by sending Aellas out into Valerna, he will ensure that the Dream has a firm hold in the world and will better enable the Fell to hold onto their form and presence as physical entities. 

As a consequence of his strange upbringing, Aellas is prone to whimsy and struggles to recognise truth from fantasy. 

He sees himself as a walker between worlds, a child of both the Dream and Valerna, and makes much use of the abilities granted to him by his affinity with the Dream—the conjuring of Fai entities, Dream walking and other strange magic.

At the same time, Aellas seeks reconciliation with his parents and is working hard to understand the ‘real’ world and its politicking. 

It is a journey that he is only just beginning.

Tomorrow we take a closer look at Madranna and understand why she is seen as a pariah amongst many of the Tyverian elite…  

Exploring Nahuac and Itza's home city of Angdáin
over 1 year ago – Wed, Mar 29, 2023 at 10:54:19 AM

Greetings, Dragonbonded!

As you probably know by now, most of the action in The Rise of Itza issue 1 takes place in Angdáin, Itza’s home city.

Angdáin itself is part of Nahuac, a vast coalition of free states, and for this update we thought we’d fish out our fedoras and head deep into the oldest realm in the continent of Valerna for a quick look around.

Nahuac is a land rich in diversity, with hills, mountains, thick forests, misty jungles, plains, roaring rivers, and arid deserts, all harboring a staggering array of life. Its northern border is marked by the Snaking Sea—the largest ocean strait in Valerna.

The people of Nahuac, known as the Náhuinn, believe in upholding their proud traditions, and they observe a philosophy of cooperation, working in harmony with each other and the forces of nature that surround them.

Sustaining themselves by hunting, foraging, fishing, and farming the people of Nahuac never take from the land more than it can afford to give. Even Nahuac’s cities are carefully constructed to be one with the land, growing almost organically out of the hills and jungles, their stepped pyramids rising majestically above lush gardens and winding rivers. 

Nahu Általid

Nahuac’s scattered peoples are distributed between four great nations, named Nahu Általid (the Four Quadrants), each with its own strong identity and culture. They are ruled by their own mahau (monarchs), who all have a voice in the fate of Nahuac.

The Four Quarters are:

•  Mígtal, the North Quarter
•  Ad’tal, the South Quarter
•  Tlátal, the East Quarter
•  Iltal, the West Quarter

And it is within the east quarter of Tlátal that Angdáin is located, with the sea of Nahuac to the west and the Upper and Lower Primalian mountain ranges to the east.

The largest and most powerful region of Nahuac, Tlátal is the domain of the Kaabac, so-called Source-gifted humans, whose attunement to Vaala enables them to take the form of beasts…

Among Tlátal’s states are the four Ocelinn Lordships, which oversee the lands of the jaguar people, plus the free states of the munkisuut (bat-kin), maame (deer-kin), and cuhinn peoples (wolf-kin).

Angdáin

The ‘second brother’ in the unofficial triad of Ocelinn states that preside the Nahuac Coalition, Angdáin is the home of obsidian jaguar-kin, the oldest ocelinn breed in the Realm.

Angdáin is known for its cultural scene, and its many distinct tlahuílid classes, from bards and musicians to thespians and painters. Some of Nahuac’s greatest creators come from the artistic movements and schools of Angdáin.

The city also has nine observatories, where Makaab wizards study numbers, symbolism and the Source; the greatest of these, the Four Stars Academy, houses the legendary Stone of Times, a carved monolith rumored to contain the whole story of the world from its creation to its end in the far future.

Given all of that, it’s easy to see why Itza felt the overwhelming need to protect her home and its people when Ran Kore and Reganna attacked the city with a rogue Allarian army!

I’m loving learning more about the Dragonbond universe as I settle into my new role with Drakha Press. If you want to know more about Valerna, download our gorgeous free ebook ‘Valerna: An Introduction’.

And tell us, what do you love most about Dragonbond and Valerna? Which realm is your favourite?

Print it, paint it, post it. WIN!!
over 1 year ago – Wed, Mar 22, 2023 at 07:56:26 AM

Greetings, Dragonbonded!

Which of the sharp-eyed among you have spotted what is reflected in the dragon eye on the cover of the hardback special edition…? 🤔

We absolutely LOVE this cover, and think the special edition really does live up to its name. So, how do you fancy winning a copy for yourself?

Well, if you’re handy with a paintbrush and have access to a 3D printer, then you could do just that – but you need to be quick!

We’re running a painting competition, and giving you the STL file of Itza for free! Print it, paint it and then post photos of your finished model to be in with a chance of winning! Download yours now!

When you’re done, take a photo of your beautiful creation and post it on Facebook, Instagram, or Discord using the hashtag #ItzaPainted and tag @dracostudios.

We’ve extended the deadline for entries until 11 pm (GMT), Sunday 2nd April 2023. Project for the weekend?

Download your free STL here (make sure you're logged in before downloading).

Full Rules

• All entries submitted via Facebook, Instagram, and Discord before 11 pm (GMT), Sunday 2nd April 2023, will be judged by us, with the winner chosen the week commencing 3rd April 2023.
• No digital painting/editing is allowed.
• You may submit as many entries as you want, but only 1 per contestant will be eligible to be placed.
• Submitted photographs must be at least 512×512 pixels in resolution to be considered. There are no restrictions in terms of aspect ratio.
• Once they’re painted up, head over to Facebook, Instagram, or Discord, post your pictures with the hashtag #ItzaPainted, and we’ll marvel at your creations. Make sure you tag @dracostudios in your post too!

Another Great Campaign to Check Out While You’re Here:

BOSTON METAPHYSICAL SOCIETY: MYSTERY AT PIKES PEAK #1-2

Based on the ongoing series about an ex-Pinkerton detective, a spirit photographer, and a genius scientist, Boston Metaphysical Society: Mystery at Pikes Peak follows the team as they flee to Tesla's Experimental Station to avoid arrest in Boston. 

There they meet Tesla’s most unlikely partner, Meihui Zhou, a scientist from the Great House Zhou in California. 

Life gets more complicated when an attempt is made on Tesla’s life and Caitlin’s psychic abilities take a dangerous turn. Now, they must figure out who is trying to kill Tesla and what Caitlin’s visions are trying to tell her before anyone else dies.

Check the lovely campaign out HERE.

Thank you, everyone, for backing The Rise of Itza – we’re all super grateful.

What is a weeping mother?
over 1 year ago – Mon, Mar 20, 2023 at 08:04:59 AM

I’m sure you’ve all read the first issue of the comic by now. What did you think? I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to the ancient civilisations of central and south America, and although I’m new to the Dragonbond universe, I’m pretty sure I’ve already found my home in Nahuac! 

The whole aesthetic that is so beautifully bought to life in The Rise of Itza by Mariano and Carlos really immerses me in the cool story George has written. What a great first project to work on! If this is your first time in the Dragonbond universe, say hello in the comments and we can be newbies together. 

Now, as I’m sure you’re aware, the Gamer’s and Collector’s tiers in our campaign feature the RPG adventure book The Weeping Mother. (It’s also available as a separate add-on.) So, if like me you’re keen to delve a little deeper into Nahuac, to wander the alleys of Angdáin and to discover its secrets, then read on…

So, what exactly is a weeping mother?

It’s a good question. And, in this instance, it has nothing to do with diapers. 

Weeping mothers are a type of cihuen spirit, once a living being, but now transformed by immense pain. While most common near the rivers of the Westwoods, weeping mothers can be found across Valerna where the Source flows strong.

Clad in flowing gowns of white petals, faces covered by ceremonial headdresses, they drift eerily through the outskirts of Nahuac settlements, leaving trails of cinders in their wake. 

The presence of a weeping mother in any given community can take years to reveal itself, but it is said that those tormented by its anguished cries can be driven to madness, or struck deaf.

A weeping mother retains little of its mortal appearance, and yet its curse can be broken only by finding recognition from its former loved ones. As the years pass, the lament of the weeping mother grows. The spirit loses all sense of self, its cries haunting first its former neighbours, and then their descendants, until the curse can be broken.

Spooky, right?

So spooky we felt it deserved its own RPG adventure book! Plugging directly into the events that took place in The Rise of Itza, The Weeping Mother is a 96-page, 5e compatible, urban mystery designed for four 12th-level players. Berno, who wrote the book, says:

…it's an excellent way to experience the Nahuac Coalition and get an in-person look at the way the realms of Valerna impact one another.

Want to know more? Then check out our blog post where Berno reveals all…

The Weeping Mother is available as an add-on for only £15 – and for that, you get both a physical softback copy as well as a digital pdf version.

P.S. Please let us know what you think to the first issue of The Rise of Itza – and if you’re a Dragonbond-newbie, say hello below! 

Another stretch goal unlocked!
over 1 year ago – Thu, Mar 16, 2023 at 06:37:48 PM

Hi Dragonbonded! 

We are truly honoured with how the campaign is going and your love for Dragonbond. Personally, this universe has been a big rollercoaster with changes to make the world what we had imagined, but the result has been worth it. Seeing how well the universe is being received by you all and making the story yours is what makes the job fulfilling... look at you hitting another stretch goal! 

Up next, let's hit 20K pounds for you to get an extra free month in our tribes! Can you ever have enough minis? We know the answer is no (I can't fit in my own apartment with Will's dragons and monsters, and maybe some Funkos of mine). 

Remember that our tribes is 100% focus to Dragonbond and we work with seasons, every season lasts 3 months, here some of the models available this month! Season 7 just started and ends on May. 

Let's keep those stretch goals going and let me know your thoughts about the Dragonbond universe! What would you like to see in the next update? More art? Stories from our team? Let us know! 

Capítulo 1 disponible también en español!

Sabemos que muchas veces nuestros productos solo están disponibles en inglés, sin embargo, en aquellos donde está en nuestras manos las traducciones, queremos mantener nuestras raíces latentes y es por eso que la parte #1 también ya está disponible gratis! 

Descargalo aquí