City of Curses: Salaro Dragonblut and etc.

#Crux, City of Curses, is a dark fantasy setting of intrigues, early industry and more than a little horror. Here's some random thoughts on a human tribe with associations with dragons and fezes, the Salaro...

Dragonblut

Among the Salaro, there are many tales of liaisons with Dragons.  Centuries of Salaro Dragon cults and associations with draconic entities led to the term Dragonblut, the idea that a few Salaro were descended from dragons.  Salaro have a number of fables and tales on Dragonblut.  But the most common are to explain exclusively Salaro physical traits.

A few Salaro are born with strange mutations.  Skin of a unnatural pigment- blue or crimson or bright gold.  Scales on a one's hand.  Heterochromia- two eyes of differing colors, one of which being a color not often seen in humans like purple.

Dragonblut are not Tieflings, but Salaro Tieflings can also be of Dragonblut.  The two are often mistaken for one or the other.

The only way to truly identify a dragonblut is the nature of their blood itself.  Dragonblut blood can alter the color of fire it burns in.  It isn't uncommon for Salaro Tieflings to try to fake being Dragonblut, if their physical deformities allow them to.

Salaro attribute a variety of magical abilities to Dragonblut, but there is little to no actual evidence of it outside those stories.  Dragonblut seems to endear and charm dragons.  Dragons seem to find such Salaro alluring.  This isn't always a plus, as some dragons devour dragonblut as often as become friends with them.

Perhaps the best benefit Dragonblut find is that their blood is prized as a trade good among Dragons, Demons, Devils and Fae.

Arcane inclined Salaro will always offer their blood as trade for services.  Something about the substance is viewed as valuable, even if it lacks a inherent magical effect of its own.

Salaro Adages

Here's how to sound like a Salaro!

Thinks they have longer locks.  Referring to the length of one's hair- as Salaro never cut their hair, a reference to overestimating one's own wisdom.
Only Dragons should die for gold.  A warning against dying while doing something that has no risk; Dragons squat on their gold, dying for one's own gold is less desired than dying for something more risky.
One enemy is too many, and a hundred friends are not enough.