Editing Phaethon (section)

==3e Fluff==
{{NotFunny Sourcebook}}
A phaethon resembles a [[half-elf]], with deep brown eyes and red-blonde to dark coppery brown hair. Their most stunning feature is, of course, their brilliant fiery wings, which vanish and reappear as willed; because they view their wings as a sacred gift from their divine ancestors, they are loathe to use them unless necessary. The typical phaethon's personality is best summed up with three words: fiery, aloof, and introverted. Phaethon culture is based on hundreds, even thousands of years of orally-recorded divine tradition, which preaches the phaethons need only look to the example of those who came before them and that the outside world has nothing to teach them - there is no need to investigate the philosophy of other races, nor acquire enlightenment from association with outsiders.

Obviously, this makes them seem pretty damn distant, if not outright arrogant, but not all phaethons are so closed-minded.

A phaethon is disciplined and organized, with simple and elegant solutions to most daily problems. Her activities are carried out in accordance with how her people have always done things, although a creative and novel approach is never dismissed. Rather, such innovations are regarded as the uncovering of lost and hidden truths. In battle, she is reluctant to fight unless the situation is dire or her homestead is threatened with destruction. When this occurs, her fury is focused and determined.

Phaethons inherited much from their elven kindred, including a fondness for nature and a close relationship with animals and forests. However, their forced isolationism and self-reliance has given rise to a distinctly ordered and austere community that embraces honesty, truth, and simple traditions. They lead rustic lives in high mountain areas where sheltered valleys provide some measure of agricultural resources and seclusion.

Traditionally, phaethons live in the Khalkist Mountains, but the Chaos War sees their homeland destroyed by incursions of Fire Dragons. As a result, the phaethons of the Age of Mortals are mostly found in the Desolation, where they forged a pact with Malystryx the Red Dragon Overlord that saw them being given permission to settle in "her" mountains in exchange for serving as border scouts and occasional agents. Small communities can also be found in high and isolated mountain regions throughout Ansalon.

In the wake of Malys’ death and the conclusion of the War of Souls, the phaethons are now forced to deal with treasure hunters, [[adventurer]]s, rogue [[dragonspawn]], and other threats to their peaceful existence. This being the case, younger phaethons are drawn to the outside world, eager to better understand the danger to their kindred. A phaethon who chooses to leave his community is an exceptional individual, willing to relinquish some part of himself to embrace the life of a traveler. Many phaethon try to leave their race behind them, but ultimately return unfulfilled.

Phaethons don’t typically get along with most other races, simply as a result of their isolated past. The people of Krynn thought of them as a myth until recently. However, their preference would be toward other trustworthy folk, such as dwarves, or to sylvan people, such as the Kagonesti, who while barbaric and wild are still more honest than other elves.

Phaethons have a strange relationship with red dragons. The mighty reds know the phaethons to be immune to their flames, and they managed to broker a compact with Malystryx—no easy feat. Even after her death in the War of Souls, most of Ansalon’s red dragons will spare a phaethon, either out of respect for the compact or because they consider them touched by the gods and not worth the trouble to harass.

A phaethon community consists of a mountain village or town built above the treeline, often chosen for magical or mystical qualities. Given they have fiery wings coming out of their backs, for obvious reasons, they eschew wood as a building material; rocky outcroppings and natural caves are used extensively where possible, but the phaethons put in plenty of hard work and magic to shape the rugged landscape to their needs. Being immune to fire, they find active volcanoes a perfectly hospitable home, and in fact prefer such terrain - being immune to fire lets them harvest the molten metal and stone from its guts, which are far easier to shape.

Leadership of a phaethon community is handled by a council of elders, which for phaethons designates members of their race who have undergone a physical and spiritual metamorphosis into a more powerful form (handled in 3e as a racial prestige class). Aside from the basic fact that the elders handle all things relating to laws, judgment or the future of the community - elders often undertake rituals of [[elemental]] communion and omen-based divination to locate sites to found new settlements, for example - phaethons are basically egalitarian, with none of the traditions of leadership or aristocracy seen amongst their [[elf]] relatives.

The phaethons are deeply spiritual people, although they take it to an ascetic level rather than expressing it outwardly. They do not typically adorn themselves with religious or holy icons, nor do they set aside buildings as temples or shrines. Instead, each phaethon is expected to come to an understanding, or agreement, with one of the Great Patrons alone; most simply choose a god and live a life in accordance with that credo, although others take this to another level.

The Great Patrons are [[Habbakuk]], [[Sirrion]], and [[Sargonnas]], as each are associated with fire. A minor rite of ascension, sharing elements of that which leads to the transformation of an elder, is undertook by a phaethon who seeks to embrace the life of a devotee. Phaeran the Firebird (Habbakuk) is the foremost of the Patrons, and his followers, some of whom are paladins, are known as the Phaenar. Their fiery wings become blue once they have completed their holy rites. Sirithos the Flame (Sirrion) is patron to an order of monks who, quite at odds with phaethon and monastic culture, abstain from discipline and law for the apparent randomness and spontaneity of inner wisdom. Kinthalos the Scar (Sargonnas) is usually invoked to calm a volcanic fire or in an oath of vengeance, but he has some evil followers who practice dark rites of scarification, sacrifice, and murder. Clerics of Kinthalos do not live openly for obvious reasons, although their deep blood-red flames are difficult to conceal.

A fair number of [[mystic]]s arose among the phaethon communities of the Age of Mortals. Most are fire mystics, practicing the same rites and keeping to the same traditions as their [[cleric]]al brothers. Typically, a community will have [[mystic]]s or [[cleric]]s, but rarely both. No animosity is held toward the other, but a schism may exist if the mystics do not return to their faith eventually.