What's the difference between dragon level and Star Rank in Dragonfire?

Two systems, easy to confuse:

• Level (Reign Level) — ⚠️ it resets every reign (the 8-week season). Raised by fighting (XP from enemy troops killed) or by feeding Meat. It sets your maximum army size and your 4 stats, and it's capped by your campaign stage.
• Star Rank — permanent, kept from one reign to the next. Raised with relics. Gives stats and unlocks habits.

Golden rule: what's permanent — stars, habits, relics, keys — is your real capital, so invest there. Level gets re-ground every season; it's disposable. At the start of a reign, push the level back up fast through combat or Meat.