What are the 12 Dragon Medals?

(Excerpt from Colt's Guide to the World of Dragon Metal)

What is Dragon Metal? It’s an ancient metal of mysterious origin, magic, used to forge a set of twelve medallions: the Dragon Medals.

Important note, Dragon Metal is not identifiable by any element on the periodic table.

Dragon Metal randomly appears in bits of lore from different times and places throughout history, dating back as far as the earliest recorded civilizations.

How Dragon Metal works: Think of a Dragon Metal medallion as a popsicle (just go with me here for a second). It has a core (the stick) and a coating (the ice).

When a medallion bonds with a person, the coating melts off and enters the holder’s body, while staying linked up with the core. The core remains on the outside of the body, typically attached to the chest. The core can continuously generate new coating to enter the holder’s body as needed.

Metal enhances the following:

• Agility

• Strength

• Endurance

• Stamina

• Sight

Effects: When a holder activates (ignites) the Metal inside of them, their irises glow with a signature color. Further, scales of light appear beneath their skin, typically along the temples, sides of their neck, and down their arms.

These “energy scales” can be used to strengthen skin to block attacks.

Holders can use the Metal inside of them to form weapons such as daggers and swords that slide from their palms. If a Metal weapon is separated from its holder for long (take a thrown dagger, for example) the Metal dissolves into nothingness, and the medallion core generates more coating to replace the weapon.

Each medallion has a unique, signature power set.

Use: You don’t need to be special to use Dragon Metal. There are no chosen ones, no special destinies. You just have to practice, like any weapon or sport. A holder ignites and directs their Metal by using their aura, their spirit energy. This requires focus. As such, actively using Metal for long periods of time can be exhausting.

The Twelve Dragon Medals:

• Medal of the Sun: Used by Jestin; golden hue.

• Medal of Ice: Used by Zadie; icy blue hue.

• Medal of Fire: Used by Aidan; red hue.

• Medal of Iron: Used by Everett; gray hue.

• Medal of Earth: Used by Tierra; bronze hue.

• Medal of Lightning: Used by Erika; violet hue.

• Medal of Air: Used by Alina; pink hue.

• Medal of Sight: Used by Naitee; yellow hue.

• Medal of the Moon: Used by Selene; silver hue.

• Medal of Shadow: [REDACTED]

• Eleventh Medal: [REDACTED]

• Twelfth Medal: [REDACTED]

I’ve tried to record some of the earliest appearances of each medallion, as well as an explanation of each medallion’s unique power set.

Medal of the Sun (or “Medal of Sun”)

The Medal of the Sun allows its user to generate superheated plasma, which can be channeled into energy bursts, streams of power, and shock waves. This power comes with a golden hue when visible.

Legend says the Medal of the Sun was once used by Shamash, an ancient Babylonian sun god (although it’s unclear why a god would need to use a magic Relic. Perhaps Shamash was not a true god at all, but the Dragon Metal made him appear as one to commoners?).

People worshipped Shamash as a god of justice—a hero. In one myth, for example, he saved the shepherd god Dumuzid when Gallu demons tried to drag him into the underworld.

Medal of Ice

The Medal of Ice allows its user to generate ice blasts and freeze surfaces. This power comes with an icy blue hue when visible.

According to myth, Enten, the Babylonian god of winter and fertility, held onto the Medal of Ice for safekeeping. The god tasked himself with protecting farms and livestock during the winter, and he didn’t want anyone getting their hands on the Medal of Ice and making his job any harder.

Medal of Fire

The Medal of Fire allows its user to generate streams, blasts, and shock waves of flame. This power comes with a red hue when visible.

The Medal of Fire belonged to the Babylonian god of fire, Girra, and his brother Gibil at one point in ancient history. They didn’t use the medallion but kept it in their temple and revered it for its fiery power.

Warlords raided the temple and tried to steal the medallion, and they killed Gibil during the battle.

Girra swore vengeance. He burned fields and villages to vent his anger, and he destroyed the warlords who killed his brother.

Medal of Iron

The Medal of Iron enhances strength, endurance and protection beyond any other type of Metal. In addition to forming weapons, the Medal of Iron can form spikes along knuckles, elbows, and knees.

Legend says the Medal of Iron was used by a man named Sargon of Akkad. A gardener, Sargon used the medal to take over the city of Akkad, expand his power over the Sumerian city-states, and become the first ruler of the Akkadian Empire.

Medal of Earth

The Medal of Earth allows its user to emit seismic energy blasts and shock waves and to manipulate the earth. This power comes with a bronze hue when visible.

Legend says the Medal of Earth was gifted by Sargon of Akkad to his wife, Tashlultum. Her story was lost, but according to some of the most cryptic legends, she became a warrior queen, fighting alongside her husband and training their sons in the art of warfare. Some believe the Medal of Earth and Medal of Iron were often kept together as a pair.

Medal of Lightning

The Medal of Lightning allows its user to generate lightning, thunder, and electricity. The Metal can also spark lightning and thunder from the skies, although it cannot go as far as to manipulate the weather any further than that (this may have been possible in the past and could theoretically be possible again). This power comes with a violet hue when visible.

Legend says the Medal of Lightning was once used by Iskur, the Babylonian storm god (he was likely a mortal man who was labeled as a god after using Dragon Metal). Iskur had a cult of followers called the House of Great Storms.

Medal of the Moon

The Medal of the Moon allows its user to generate “lunar” energy and “lunar” light; also grants slight gravitational power, light manipulation and healing. This power has a silver hue when visible.

Nannar, a god of the moon, wielded the Medal of the Moon in ancient Babylonia, before later traveling to South Arabia and taking the name Sayin, long before the founding of Islam. Nannar was an actual god and used Dragon Metal to enhance his abilities.

In ancient Babylonia, Nannar had two main sanctuaries: the “House of the Great Light” and the “House of Joys.” The Cult of the Moon, led by Moon Priestesses, worshipped the moon god in these sanctuaries.

Throughout ancient history, various lunar deities and gods/goddesses of the moon battled to possess the Dragon Medal of the Moon before it was lost, only to resurface in modern times.

Medal of Sight

The Medal of Sight allows its user to look into the past and present, viewing events anywhere in the world via astral projection. Cannot look into the future, as the future is not predetermined. Also grants increased stealth and partial invisibility, as well as a limited ability to see into the minds of others. This power has a yellow hue when visible.

In ancient Sumerian myth, the Medal of Sight was used by the Old Babylonian Oracle. In actuality, the Old Babylonian Oracle was not a single person, but a network of men and women who passed the medallion down from generation to generation, serving kings and gods.

Medal of Air

The Medal of Air allows its user to generate wind and manipulate air currents. This power has a pink hue when visible.

In ancient myth, a mortal woman named Ninlil used the Dragon Medal of Air to make herself worthy of mating with Enlil, the God of Air, Wind, and Breath. Ninlil called herself the Goddess of Wind and Air.

Together, Enlil and Ninlil fought a demon named Pazzuzu, king of the wind demons. Pazzuzu coveted the Dragon Medal of Air and waged war for it.

The Medal of Air was separated from Ninlil and lost through time. She died upon being parted from the medallion. Legend says Enlil banished her soul to Kur, the Mesopotamian Underworld.

END OF ENTRY