Leadership in Gust Island
The Tempest
The GustWings call their queen the Tempest; it is a title that she earns upon ascending to the throne. It is not a role limited by gender, however male heirs are not allowed to try for the throne if a female heir exists. Because of this, there was only one male Tempest in all of GustWing history.
Leadership is passed on through violence. The heir must challenge and kill their parent for the role. Once they have done this, they leave behind their birth name and are simply known as 'the Tempest'. Family members may continue to use their real name, but is it considered extremely disrespectful to do so without permission or in public.
The Tempest has absolute power over the Island and is worshiped as, essentially, a living god.
Leadership is passed on through violence. The heir must challenge and kill their parent for the role. Once they have done this, they leave behind their birth name and are simply known as 'the Tempest'. Family members may continue to use their real name, but is it considered extremely disrespectful to do so without permission or in public.
The Tempest has absolute power over the Island and is worshiped as, essentially, a living god.
Barons
Gust Island is divided into three Baronies; Bitterpeak, Roseglade, and the Crater. The Tempest acts as baron(ess) of Bitterpeak, while the other two Baronies are ruled by the Roseglade and Blackwater families. The title of Baron(ess) is passed on from the current holder of that ittle to their eldest dragonet upon their death.
Barons are responsible for enforcing laws, collecting taxes, addressing the greivances of their subjects, and raising an army for the Tempest during wartime. In return, they may promote dragons to nobility, collect money for themselves, are allowed to have a personal Guard of a few hundred dragons, and aside from obeying the Tempest's orders, have almost complete freedom to act as they please.
Barons are responsible for enforcing laws, collecting taxes, addressing the greivances of their subjects, and raising an army for the Tempest during wartime. In return, they may promote dragons to nobility, collect money for themselves, are allowed to have a personal Guard of a few hundred dragons, and aside from obeying the Tempest's orders, have almost complete freedom to act as they please.
Roseglade Barony, once Roseglade Kingdom, is ruled over by the Roseglade family. Before the end of the Era of the Three Kingdoms, they possessed one of the most formidable fighting forces on the Island. Ever since being conquered by the Tempest, however, the Barony has been known as a place of farmers and healers, not warriors, and GustWings scoff at the idea of Roseglade as any sort of military threat.
The Roseglade family is close-knit and known for being fair to their subjects; Roseglade is by far the best place on the Island for peasants. |
The Blackwater family rules over the Barony of the Crater, and, like the Roseglade family, were once kings and queens of their own kingdom. They were conquered by the fourth Tempest during the Era of the Three Kingdoms, and helped her take over Roseglade as well.
Members of the Blackwater family are known for having sharp minds and silver tongues, making the Crater one of the wealthiest Baronies on the Island. |
Nobility
The nobility of Gust Island are either relatives of the Tempest, members of the Roseglade/Blackwater family, or dragons elevated to nobility by the Barons or the Tempest as a reward for great services. They act as local leaders, running villages, overseeing towns, and holding high positions in the military.
Nobility do not, actually, seek each other out for mating (it's viewed as a little gross), and rather join in (disguised, of course) the yearly gatherings in a location as far away from where they were hatched as possible. This is done to keep the bloodlines healthy and diverse; there are no defining features of the family because of this, and even closely related dragons like cousins or siblings can look wildly different.
Nobility do not, actually, seek each other out for mating (it's viewed as a little gross), and rather join in (disguised, of course) the yearly gatherings in a location as far away from where they were hatched as possible. This is done to keep the bloodlines healthy and diverse; there are no defining features of the family because of this, and even closely related dragons like cousins or siblings can look wildly different.