The Metaphysical and Basics of Bonds and Bonding

[Daze]

THE METAPHYSICAL →
BONDS/BONDING and MORE

Definition → Metaphysics

1. A branch of philosophy that studies the relationship between mind and matter
2. Often used to describe things that lack the "facts" to be classified as "real" or accepted
3. Related to paranormal phenomena

In the context of Caeton, the metaphysical plane is used to describe the magic, sensation, and reality of magical bonds, most commonly described in the context of dragon tamers and their dragons, who share said bond 97% of the time. No one quite understands the Metaphysical planes and the bonds and realities they bend and shape, but there are some accepted ideas and mostly proven facts that will be listed below.

BONDS → DRAGON TAMERS + DRAGONS

A metaphysical bond most commonly forms between a dragon and a tamer. A bond describes a ‘connection’ between the dragon and tamer that allows the fluid sharing of emotion, will, instinct, and, in varying degrees of rarity, thoughts and pain. Bonds connect the two from, usually in the humans case and almost always in the dragon’s, from birth. Bonds are not caused by a binding spell, like some cases between other spieces or circumstances, but rather have become so common in tamer society that is became a bodily trait of ethnic tamer blood to be able to formulate a bond with an egg, who uses the mental strengthening to be drawn from hibernation and break free of its egg.

When a dragon and a person share a bond, they are constantly aware of the others presence, location, mental-state, and are alerted of emotional, mental, or physical spikes (usually strong spikes—ei, love, grief, terror, rage—but bond strength usually depends on the two subjects and the age of the bond (maturity brings comprehension, young bonds bring sensitivity, etc)). Bonds also allow the sharing of instinct and action, effectively increasing the efficiency of fluid movement, working together as one, knowing what the other wants you to do, and warefare in general by a tenfold). Due to the tamers being a warring society, this assists immensely with warefare in general.

Bonds generally are created minutes or even moments after birth. In a dragon tamer society, most eggs are collected (without skin-contact) from their mothers, usually by the tamer bonded to said dragon (who assures a good home for the egg). The eggs are then stored and kept fertile until a child is born, who, then, minutes (or moments) after birth are placed in physical skin-to-skin contact with the egg, which allows a bond to form. Once a metaphysical connection is in place, the egg is able to ‘hatch’ with the outside stimulation stirring it awake or prompting hatching before it normally might in the wild (which can take years). The child and the newly hatched egg are bonded from that moment on until disruption, excessive stretching, or death (see the ‘breaking of bonds’). Bonded dragons and their tamers usually end up being each other’s closest companion and friend, their relationship usually quite strong as eggs won’t take to tamers who won’t be emotionally compatible (or so everyone supposes, as it’s rare to see a bonded pair who are at odds constantly and sometimes it takes multiple egg trials before a child accepts a bond).

Below is a final list of consequences and general effects/facts about bonds.
• Positive: Being able to sense the others presence nearby or down to their very coordinate (depends on pair).
• Neutral: Fluid movement of emotions/empathy. (A dragon can sense when their tamer is in distress, even if completely normal on the outside, a tamer can sense when their dragon is in pain, even from a distance, etc.)
• Positive: The dragon and their tamer almost always share a positive relationship. However, as people and dragons change as their lives go on, compatibility and general goodwill towards the other may decrease.
• Neutral: A tamer and a dragon are almost always in one another’s presence. Being apart makes most pairs nervous and distractible, though the reasons for other than distance making it difficult to ‘sense’ or ‘hear’ the other as it increases are really unknown. This explains why many tamers are rarely seen without their dragon, and most areas inside clans are built for dragon sized groups. Of course, larger Earthen or Eastern dragons have less of a strong need to be with their bonded, and Seadragons and their tamers are infamous for their ‘stretched’ bonds. However, as size decreases with the dragon, the urge for companionship increases. Faerie dragons are almost never seen without their tamer, and forcibly separating them can cause quite a panic and commotion (also seen in Western Dragons as well).
• Negative: Very rarely, dragons and their tamers share pain. It is not a desired trait. While not completely devastating to have, (it usually just indicates an unusually strong bond, which is a revered trait, if anything) most tamers who find they and their dragon share this trait tend to choose a clan class that doesn’t see battle often.
• Negative: Touch is a very important part of a bonded relationship, as it was the very action that bonded them in the first place. Partially tied into the distance factor, not being able to even touch your bonded is very upsetting for a tamer and often very distracting and emotionally distressing for both of them. Usually, in strong bonds, two weeks is the longest a tamer can really ignore the distress before honestly not being able to hold it together (with the noteable exceptions of Nords and Ocea Clanners, see ‘the stretching of bonds’). Most tamers have no issue with this their entire life, and even prisoners of war are often granted access to their dragon, being some of the most ultimate of cruelties to deprive bonded of each other. Tamers sometimes even say that sleeping ontop of (or in faerie dragon cases, their dragons sleeping ontop of them) their dragons have been some of their most peaceful sleeps of their lives.
• Neutral: The strength of bonds is not determined by the quality of a tamer’s relationship with their dragon—which is a common misconception, even to some tamers themselves. What determines the bond strength between a bonded pair is very difficult to determine. Sometimes they loath each other and yet feel every distress and prick of pain the other does, and sometimes they are the best of friends and have bonds stretched so thin only massive spikes of emotion of thought can provoke an alert. The strength of bonds, like most things that are of the metaphysical, can only really be navigated by guesswork and shots in the dark.

For more on bonds and bonding- mainly the circumstances and consequences of breaking and stretching bonds, click here.