There was a man above men, a man who dedicated his life to the codes of chivalry and his country. He also gave his fidelity and life to his Lady Queen, a woman who was said to have both beauty and intelligence in a land of male-oriented kingdoms and monarchs.
For years, he dedicated his life to the safety of his country, a true knight in every sense. Men praised him, woman adored him, and children admired him for the ideals he gave them...

But that is where this fairy tale would end.. and the true story would begin.

For, you see, time is an enemy to man; it makes them aged and weak, and ultimately forgotten. All too soon, the man found the world around him had changed, chivalry was but a fable and loyalty was forgotten. He was getting older.. and many things were not as they were. All seemed to have changed, except for his Lady Queen. She still sat on her throne, proud and beautiful, and still his fidelity to her remained strong, despite what time had brought.

When time goes on, people's ambitions grow. Greed takes seed in even the less ambitious man. So came a time when the kingdom was under siege, Warlords pushed for surrender of the rich plunder the Queen held. No Quarter was given, and as before, the Queen turned to her most loyal subject; the aged knight.

"Will you help us, My Knight?" she simply asked.

"Aye My Queen, I will defy time and magic if only you wish it." came the humble but confident reply, something not even the lines around his mouth would change.

So from his Queen he did venture, away from the battles and cries for mercy. To outsiders, he was simply an old man, journeying like the rest to flee the war ravaged countryside. In sheer disgust, he watched as able men fled, unwilling to fight for the country and lands they had grown on, for their own families or their Queen. His journey took him far, into the rising mountains of the eastern countryside, where time was finally going to catch up with him.

Wonders exist in our imaginations.. and who knows what things were conjured in the old man's mind as he walked through creeping shadowed forests and majestic mountains of ice and rock. But perhaps it was not so much a trick of the light, or the faintest of sounds that drew him to that cave by the waterfall. Perhaps it was simply fate, or a destiny even time could not deny.

Behind the waterfall, rising pillars of limestone rose and fell, creating another world within the large caverns. He took himself deeper, bearing his torch with confidence and careful step, determined that what his Queen needed was here.

As he drew more to the heart of the cavern, his torch fell upon a gleaming white surface.. but it could not be stone! It seemed to breath and pulse.. as if alive!
Just as these thoughts went through his mind, the surface shifted, grew and formed a shape.

"Who comes here?" the great white dragon spoke, nearly 50 feet into the air he rose, his length undetermined as the man's torchlight did not reach that far.

For long moments, silenced reigned, as the man took in what was before him. Dragons were to be feared.. great beasts with wisdom and age beyond any mortal imagination. They alone could defy time and magic, not a mortal man such as he.

"I am but a man.. looking to save my Queen and Country from War." he stated. his tone low, but certain.

The Dragon brought his head down, studying him. "You are but an old man.. your clothes are tattered and torn. You are no longer strong, and your reflexes would make a snail laugh. So tell me, what can you do to save your kingdom?" his tone implied simple curiosity.

"I am but a man, loyal to my Lady Queen and country. I may be old, but I will carry out my promise until the last breath is drawn from me," he stated simply, letting his chin hitch a notch as he stared back into the lurking obsidian of the dragons eyes.

The dragon paused, looking at him as if contemplating a great puzzle.

"I have never known loyalty such as yours.. and my kind have looked for that, one of the simpler principles to living." Bowing his head, the dragon studied the ground, then addressed him again.

"Would you want my help, Old Man?" it asked. "Aye, I would Dragon," the man replied.

"What would you offer me in return?" it asked again.

"All that I can give, my loyalty, my fidelity I would give lands if I so possessed," he answered back with vehemence. "Then so be it." it nodded emphatically, breathing a faint blue smoke across the man.
The knight choked, breathing the fumes of the strange gas in before falling into unconsciousness.

When he woke, he was on the back of the dragon, only a few miles away from where the battles were in full rage. He would learn that in exchange for his loyalty to the Dragon, not only would it help him , but they would share an unbreakable bond. Defying the laws of time itself, this bond would carry them into adventure after adventure, rising each time to defend the country the man had pledged fidelity so long ago.

Now, nearly five hundred years later, they say he still rides with the great white dragon. Rising to the call of battle to defend his country, still pledging his faith to his long lost Lady Queen. His descendants also too share his legacy, each one in turn bonding with a dragon, for every one in loyalty and in life. Each dedicated to the traditions of chivalry, knighthood and truth, to the preservation of the old ways and the safety of their people.

Today's factions of Dragon Riders consist of three groups, each dedicated to a certain field or job within the organization. Because they do number few, they are distinct for their white hair and often jewel-colored eyes, said to be a trait handed down from their founder.

The three factions are :

• Sovereign Knight - The highest rank a Dragon Rider can have, they serve as ambassadors and leaders to the Order. Both Rider and Dragon have time and time again proven themselves to their country and Queen. Their loyalty and rarity is what made this Order such a legend to many. In times of distress, it is the Sovereign Knights who lead the armed troops into battle and glory.
  
• Full Knight - A Full Knight is the arm of the Dragon Rider Order. They are the lieutenants and captains, the patrolmen and guards. They have achieved this rank through vigorous training, countless hours with both Rider and Mount exercising and building their bodies and minds. They are also the trainers of the Cadets, the watchful eyes and ears of Her Majesty, and the face of the Order.
  
• Cadet - Most often seen -and heard- are the Cadets and their Adolescent mounts. They are the next generation of Dragon Riders, though still untrained and young. Cadets are chosen at youthful ages for their distinguishing markers and ability to bond with the dragon kind. Then, taken from their homes to join their new family in the mountains of Meridia, they are put through years of training and exercises, often vigorous and hard. Once a Cadet has reached maturity, they venture alone into the Dragon Teeth Mountains, where they will find, and bond with a like-minded and spirited adolescent dragon. Cadets comprise the backbone of the Order, and take care they remain fit and ready for when they take on the title of Full Knight.

When pondering if you may be fit to be a Dragon Rider, take careful consideration of the life you would lead. To be on constant alert to trouble in the country, and now, with the Resistance and Emperor Vyras' attempts to conquer Meridia, their presence is needed now more than ever. Think wisely.. and carefully.. for time can be held off for only so long.

Send your storyline, character, application, etc. to The Creator of the Dragon Riders for consideration and review.

Dragon Rider characters must meet several requirements:
White hair and jeweled tone eyes.

Skills must include magic comprehension (though not casting comprehension), survival, instinct & reflex and ranged weapons.

Character background must coincide with Dragon Rider history, and must be well thought out, that means 2-3 lines of background won't cut it.

Equipment: One Ranged Weapon, One Bladed Weapon, Saddle & Saddle Blanket, Net or Entanglement, Equipment to properly take care of your mount.