Dragonborn are generally similar to their regular D&D counterparts as found in the Player's Handbook.
On Abmarah, Dragonborn were created not by gods but by powerful dragon sorcerers in the primordial era. Infusing their own powers into humanoid form, they created a servant race to do their bidding and be their soldiers against the giants, not dissimilar to the creation of the goliaths. Eventually, the dragonborn revolted against their dragon creators and gained their freedom, although some still venerate greater dragons to this day.
Dragonborn resembled the dragons that their bloodline descended from, such as Brass or Green. Standing on average more than 6 feet tall, dragonborn were impressively tall with a heavy weight to match, commonly possessing a weight of 100 to 150 kilograms. Dragonborn feet ended with three strong talon-like claws with a fourth claw in the back, while their hands were similar with three claws with a thumb replacing the rear claw. A dragonborn's head featured a blunt snout, a strong brow, and reptilian frills on the cheeks and ears. On the back of the head, a crest of hornlike scales formed what resembled a mess of ropy hair. Most Dragonborn also possessed tails, but some were born without it. A rare few Dragonborn are born with true wings, but most of them can only learn to summon magical spectral wings.
Dragonborn exhibited many draconic features, including a scaly hide, a large muscular body, the capacity to use a breath weapon, and resistance to the same elemental energy they can breathe, thanks to their draconic heritage. Because of thousands of years of interbreeding, the scales of a dragonborn's hide were usually scarlet, gold, rust, ochre, bronze, or brown in hue, though a few dragonborn with an stronger draconic heritage had scales resembling those of true dragons. Like dragons, dragonborn were in fact warm-blooded. In fact, the internal body temperature of the dragonborn was warmer than that of most similar races, being so hot as to seem feverish to the human touch. While this might seem disadvantageous, the lack of hair and large mouth allowed the dragonborn to displace body heat at an effective rate, meaning dragonborn were comfortable in cold climates while remaining no more vulnerable to heat than humans.
Young dragonborn, who hatched from eggs like their draconic relatives, grew at an impressively rapid rate, much faster than most other races, reaching the equivalent maturity of a human child of 10 by age 3. Their rate of maturation slowed dramatically within a few short years and they were not considered physically mature until the age of 15, when their bodies reached their adult height and appearance. Not all dragonborn developed a breath weapon but those that did usually obtained it during these years of growth.
Dragonborn had a well-known dedication to honor, but how deeply rooted this trait was remains debatable. However, all dragonborn tended to view all living things, even hated enemies, as deserving of courtesy and respect. To dragonborn, honor was more than a word and was often considered more important than life itself. Cowardice was not simply undesirable among dragonborn, it was considered outright repulsive. Part of the roots of this honorable attitude lay in the dragonborn's drive for self-improvement. The draconic nature of dragonborn gave them a strong self-consciousness and a tendency for strong emotions. Both of these combined to make dragonborn particularly wanting for the approval of others. Dragonborn placed great value on the skill of an individual, including themselves.
With their origin as a slave race to true dragons, the Dragonborn of Abmarah tend to dislike and hate true dragons conceptually. However, some clans and tribes have often come under the control and servitude of greater dragons in the thousands of years since their freedom. While every type of dragonborn is found on all continents, its said that most Metallic Dragonborn hail from the Km'mala Peaks of Eqos, most Chromatic Dragonborn hail from the Kosmosi Mountains of Aurial, and most Gem Dragonborn and "Eastern" Dragonborn hail from the Kun-Xu Range of Eteru. Eastern Dragonborn are not a true subrace, and refer more to a certain culture deeply rooted in the Xoenni Peninsula. In Eqos, most of them live within the Km’mala Peaks, but many brass and blue dragonborn can be found living within the Kav’orra Desert as well. Some of these desert-faring clans live out in the dunes around oases, while others assimilate into cities.
The Dragonborn venerate the dragon gods Theratis, Tidāhi, and Tiamat much like true dragons. Even the dragonborn who grow up in other cultures and embrace other religions still maintain favorable views for the draconic gods. Despite their well-known hatred for true dragons, a lot of true dragons shapeshift into dragonborn humanoid forms to blend into society.
They have many subraces seen across the world of Abmarah, divided generally into three categories:
Metallic Dragonborn. Dragonborn with metallic ancestry lay claim to the tenacity of metallic dragons—brass, bronze, copper, gold, and silver—whose hues glint in their scales. Theirs is the fire of hearth and forge, the cold of high mountain air, the spark of inspiration, and the scouring touch of acid that purifies.
Chromatic Dragonborn. Dragonborn with chromatic ancestry claim the raw elemental power of chromatic dragons. The vibrant colors of black, blue, green, red, and white dragons gleam in those dragonborn's scaled skin and in the deadly energy of their breath weapons. Theirs is the raw elemental fury of the volcano, of biting arctic winds, and of raging lightning storms, as well as the subtle whisper of swamp and forest, toxic and corrosive.
Gem Dragonborn. Gem dragonborn partake of the heritage of gem dragons, who claim to be heirs of Theratis, the Obsidian Dragon. The colors and mysterious psionic powers of gem dragons—amethyst, crystal, emerald, sapphire, and topaz—gleam in these dragonborn's scaled skin and course through their veins. Theirs are the wonders of the mind, the force of will, the brilliant light of insight, and the resounding echo of discovery—but also the desiccation of despair.