The Dragoons are elite men and woman who have braved the infamous 'Drake Trials' and were able to create a deep bond with their chosen rune drake, while also living to tell the tale. There are many humans across the realm that travel to Alabaster City for just this occasion and to participate in the annual trials held there, however, only a select few actually survive the ordeal and come out as one of the fabled Dragoon Knights of Alabaster. Such a profession is dreamt of by many, which is why so many glory seekers flock to the Northern Kingdom in hopes of power, prestige, and a chance at a better life as one of the elite riders that fly freely across the four human kingdoms.

The Drake Trials are open to all, no matter one's rank or standing. This is a rule that all Dragoons have held to heart since their inception centuries ago. Those who join their small, skilled group can be either paupers or kings, thieves or aristocrats, men or women. To the Dragoons, your previous life matters very little since the drake you will have to confront in the trials cares not if you are a royal or a peasant. To them, you are simply what you make yourself out to be right then and there. The Dragoons teach that a rune drake will never cast its flames upon you in battle if you stand your ground; only those who cower and run are met with disgrace and fire. However, those who present themselves as a worthy adversary and stand their ground are graced with the chance to fight with honor-- an offer the drake gives out of courtesy to their opponent's foolhardy bravery, which could still ultimately end in death.

In the end, however, if you are victorious in the trial, you have the chance to bond with one of the most fearsome and respected creatures in all the realm. All Dragoon Knights of Alabaster state proudly that they would never trade this experience for all the baubles in the land. Such a bond is treasured by these individuals. A knight can never fully explain the sensation of freedom they felt the first time they and their drake first took flight as one...

Though such a momentous occasion brings many spectators into the white city from all corners of Eldemore, it is also a time where many great, up and coming young men and women lose their lives, that is, if the beast decides they are an unworthy rider. To take the chance and plunge into the Drake's den can offer an individual a chance at a bond that is envied by all, but trying to earn the wings of a drake can also lead to the participant being severely mauled or simply never seen again. It is a risk that many young souls take, and one that must be respected and weighed with great thought before committing to. Those who do choose to endure this trial are at least hailed in a grand spectacle beforehand, dubbed the 'Ceremony of Fire', which is a joy-filled event that takes place the night before. On the other hand, it serves as a funeral which is meant to prepare and cleanse the living in case they do not make it in the end. This is a time that Alabaster is quite well-known for, and when the city itself is bathed in blue flames to commemorate the trials.

Despite the prospect of losing everything, the trials always turn out a few brave and extremely lucky individuals each year that end up joining the ranks of Alabaster's Dragoons, and who also earn the right to fly freely in the skies with their bonded rune drake. This special union is one that the other races of the realm believe to be too chaotic and untamed-- it is a symbol of the human race as a whole, a declaration that clearly states that both mankind and drake can defy any odds despite the trials which are placed before them, and become one of the fabled Dragoons. They are the living, breathing image of this deeply held belief, to which all humans hold dear.

The very title seems to instill fear or disgust to those who do not understand what it truly means to venerate the dead and learn from its teachings. After all, it is only instinct that causes people to become deterred from their fear of mortality. Yet, a Necromancer is someone who pushes past such primal fears to comprehend and touch the edges of old magic of which few have dared to tread.

A Necromancer is a magically gifted human who follows the old teachings of mankind, back when they were first brought under the guiding wings of Oblivion and welcomed within his fatherly embrace, back when all the world simply wished for them to disappear into the ash from whence they came. They have not forgotten their father-like deity as most humans have nowadays, and still practice the knowledge and magic he taught them so long ago with patience and understanding. Necromancers use the teachings of Oblivion by manipulating the absence of magic into a solid form, reanimating corpses to fight by their side in terrifying displays of power, while also understanding its great cost as well. They are individuals who are unafraid to delve into the deeper studies of arcane knowledge, immersing themselves within its darker depths, as opposed to the witches and wizards who merely cast ripples upon the surface with their more restrained studies.

In essence, few understand death and the potential loneliness or peace it can bring than the Necromancers. They do not fear its passing and remember the deceased where most have all but forgotten them. They are in tune with the old, forgotten magic of this realm, and are able to commune with restless or vengeful spirits and calm their rage, and are also known to help guide lost souls who are unable to pass on by leading them to eternal rest in the embrace of Oblivion. Necromancers are individuals who uphold peace in a sense, yet, they are also able to instill great fear in their foes by calling forth the empty husks left behind from the past to fight by their side. Because they speak with the dead and rarely find solitude with those of the living, many necromancers become distant to current world affairs as they see and interact with the realms of in between. They are rarely sociable beings, nor do they care for much beyond their own studies and that of the deceased. Because of this, quite a few of this profession keep to themselves and are rarely seen within populated settlements.

Unfortunately, more remember their terrifying abilities than the subtle good they do. It is because of their practice of such dark taboo that many reject their presence and become blind to what they have to offer Eldemore. To practice the old magic means you do not uphold any good or evil, only balance. Necromancers only wish for such, they are the silent roamers of these lands, praying over scarred battlegrounds long forgotten to keep the lost spirits at peace, or reciting old verses and rights to abandoned graveyards no longer tended to by the living. They live by Oblivion's teachings and always recite his wisdom, such as 'May you find peace in Oblivion's embrace' or 'Under Oblivion's wings, you shall never be forgotten.'

Though their only wish is to guide the lost and deceased, Necromancers can be a powerful force to reckon with since they do command great skill with such dark and foreboding magic. A rogue Necromancer can decimate a Dragoon platoon by simply turning your fallen comrades' corpses against you, and since Oblivion's ties were severed from humanity when he was sealed away, many have lost their connection to him, and seek to pervert such potential magic to their own gain. Only a few Necromancers now remain faithful to the old traditions, while many now turn to the dark arts as a means to raise themselves to power and instill fear as a way to bend both the dead and living to their will.

The most universal of professions, Rune Bearers are often travelers or explorers who are accompanied by a Rune Dragon, and sometimes a small entourage of other creatures. They are essentially the "jack of all trades" profession, not usually being experts at any one particular thing, but always willing to try everything at least once. Rune Bearers tend to be pilgrims of sorts, venturing out into the unknown to discover themselves and the world around them, always with a faithful rune dragon by their side to help lead the way. Many human youths favor such a lifestyle to get a feel for what it is they truly desire to do once they are grown, or simply to set out and forge their own paths.

Various human kingdoms offer sanctuary to these travelers if they state that they are Rune Bearers. Often times they welcome you, favoring any stories you tell in exchange for a hot meal or a place to stay. Rune Bearers will even sometimes form groups with other pilgrims of their kind to share in their many adventures, telling of the strange and wonderful creatures that inhabit the realm. However, this nomadic lifestyle is not for everyone. Only the truly curious and adventurous seem to prevail at this, so it is not uncommon for most to settle down somewhere to be an herbalist or soldier for a place they happened across and favored most during their time traveling. To be a Bearer is the starting point to the many paths that lay before you. The Runes you befriend often lead you along the path you are meant to take, one that is filled with fond memories shared and experienced across the realm until you find what it is you were searching for all along.