A Dragon Inspiration for Sk'lar
Clutching_msg
Ceayrth feels warm--warmer than warm--red hot. She wants out, now, and
stiffens, feeling the urge to feast and fly, though she's fed already
that day, and the time for flight is long past. Then, as quickly as it
had come, the urge is gone, and Another Lurid Sorgenkind Egg has
arrived, allowing her to relax.
Egg Name: Another Lurid Sorgenkind Egg
Egg Desc:
Sordid colour ensures the abrupt shapes, some oblong, neatly quartered,
roughly cut-off, brusquely sampled bits of hue and shade fervently
patchworked. Cross-hatching verdigris and impure ochre have been
securely melded into curling cimmerian dark, forming indistinct cameos:
beady eyes, a long snout, paired horns' curvature. Lush sexual scarlet
smudges ruddy marks against pearl-grey roiling clouds; here and there
appear triangular visages or hooked feathers. The strokes of color are
impressionistic, vague, and messy; the egg's diameter is scant.
Hatching_msg
A storm begins to build, feathers stirring in a whipping wind as the
shell of Another Lurid Sorgenkind Egg roils with activity from within.
Cross-hatching cracks, revealing a glimmer of light beneath, life
overcoming the stifling confines of impending birth. A bloody hint
curls to the sands, the inevitability in the fight for survival, while
long limbs burst forth, followed in the shattering of the brittle shell
by a pale bronzen head. %t has arrived.
Hatchling Name: Gallant Privateer Bronze Hatchling
Hatchling Description:
Salty shores slope into depthless seas of tarnished copper upon the
dragon's wiry length, a false horizon delineating light and dark.
Sun-woven bronze cloaks a broad snout and hoods deepset orbs hidden
beneath slimly pronounced eyeridges and headknobs, draping tapered neck
to seaworthy wingsails in cloisonne brilliancy. Russet waves lap over
graceful exility, concealing the shifting sands and shadows of his taut
underbody where verdigris-tainted treasure may be discovered in lucific
glimpses. Gunpowdered talons fuse to slight claws, out of place on
achromatized limbs that are in turn mismatched with an elongated,
rapier-thin tail; but all is unified in careful camouflage of unseen
vulnerability -- subterfuge ever the gambit in play.
Impress_msg
Gallant Privateer Bronze Hatchling is distracted by the passage of a
lovely specimen of femininity in green. He pauses in his relentless
search to croon a few sweet nothings at her. Rudely spurned, however,
he allows the insistent grumbling of his stomach to take priority once
more and returns to inspect a few of those he'd passed up. One lad
twitches beneath the scrutiny and is discarded as too squeamish.
Another pleads for Impression with teary eyes. So, too, is he passed
over. A third is overlooked for his bullish disdain. Feeling a
sudden
urgency, either that of instinct or his mother's insistence, he hurries
on to his final objective, nearly tripping over his wings in his haste.
He stops before an adolescent of mahogany hair and sepia eyes, and just
the right amount of confidence tempered with humor.
Impress_name_msg:
Whirling gaze meets sepia eyes, searing into your marrow and sweeping
you off your feet. The world darkens, moss-strung shadows closing in.
You feel an uplifting of heart, a buoyancy, as though floating in water.
The briny scent of saltwater lies buried beneath a cacophany of other
smells: spices and perfumes from a far away land. And then it speaks,
this jocular voice, one that hints at good times to come. << That
green
over there is beautiful, no? >> You don't know which green he
speaks
of, but that doesn't seem to matter. << Perhaps we shall... get a bite
to eat, and then go say hello, my fine young friend?>> He laughs,
and
the sound is instantly comforting in its confidence-you know you have
found a friend for life. << Ah, but you are wondering who I
am? I am
Kahlendroth and you are Sk'lar. >>
Dragon name: Kahlendroth
Mind Voice:
Kah's mindvoice is light, almost flippant, and ever amused. It has the
faintest hint of an accent that is difficult to pinpoint in origin.
(Lafitte was fluent in four languages - English, French, Italian and
Spanish - which made guessing what his birth area was difficult. No one
was ever /really/ sure where he and his brother were from.). Flashes of
passionate reds twine about the shadows of moss covered trees
reminiscent of the bayou. Smooth and polished, always the gentleman,
his mindvoice rarely travels beyond the gentle, lilting tenor. When
anger flares, however, his mind darkens and his voice is like a sinister
shadow slinking along through the night, smelling of gunpowder and
outlined with sparks of fire ready to ignite at any time.
Scent:
Spicy and exotic, all with the scent of the open sea beneath it. His
scent is his own, made up of all those cargos that Lafitte imported -
from spices, heady liqueurs, French oils and perfumes during peaceful
times, to gunpowder and ammunition during wartime.
Physical:
Kahlendroth is small, as you requested: all the better for stunts, "my
dear." He's long and slender, too, length making up the majority of
his
bulk, so that he's more aerodynamic and perfectly suited for
death-defying flight. He may not be able to maneuver as well as a blue
or a green, and perhaps most browns, but he's definitely one of the more
agile bronzes.
His wings are like thick canvas sails, with a heavy mast, strong and
perfect to weather any storm. Because they are so big, they might be a
little unwieldy when he's young. You'll have to make sure he doesn't
hurt himself tripping over them, or catch his claws in the sails.
They'll also probably be a spot most in need of oiling. The last
stunt-caused injury you'll have to worry about is a broken spar or a
torn sail, but you'll have to keep a good eye on them to be sure no
small tear escapes observation.
Personality:
The basis of Kahlendroth's personality is nonchalance. There are far
too many interesting things to do with one's life than to get upset. He
takes everything in stride, nothing is taken personally. He doesn't
worry. He doesn't stress. He's cool, collected, and lives for the
moment. With this comes certain traits that many would consider brash
or uncaring, if they didn't know him well-which most won't.
This isn't to say that he's cold or cruel. Cruelty is beneath him.
He's extremely compassionate, careful to not hurt others with his
flamboyant ways, yet he doesn't let it worry him, which is why some
might consider him thoughtless. He's also extremely /passionate/.
When
he does show emotion, it's emotion in the extreme, as though he's kept
it bottled up inside. If he falls in love, he falls hard. If he
becomes angry, it's a flaring red-hot anger. Sadness, the rarest
emotion of all, turns to sobbing torment These are things that, most
often, only /you/ will ever see.
Life is meant to be lived and lived /well/: fly hard, love well, and
throw caution to the wind. This is his maxim, and it is one he'll
expect you to live by as well. As such, he will be an incredible
daredevil in the skies. To quote you, he would find irresistible that
which is most dangerous to us, always trying to break any and all
bounds; daring death for the very exhilaration of living. Being small,
he can maneuver better than most other bronzes and he takes advantage of
that, throwing a bit of his own flair for the dangerous and somewhat
dramatic in every twist and turn, during 'fall and flights.
Because of his 'live by the seat of your pants' ideals, Kah doesn't do
too well beneath authority, especially of the overbearing sort. To the
stiff-backed traditionalist, he'd come across as insolent and
insufferable, because he prefers to do everything his own way,
especially if he feels that his way is the better way. To a leader who
is laid-back, and open to new ideas from his wingmates, he'd be more
likely to proffer respect and admiration.
On the flipside, he makes an excellent leader. He is the sort who
listens to others with an open mind. Yet, when he gives an order, he
expects instant obedience and will accept no insubordination. His
compassion for others, and his intense patriotic spirit towards the Weyr
(after all, it is his Weyr) will inspire admiration and obedience in
many.
At some point in his life, Kah will come to the understanding that
Telgar is /his/ Weyr-and I don't mean that in a belonging sense. He
won't claim it as such. He won't attempt to oust the current
authority. He won't even try to take it over-he knows that golds are
the ultimate rulers over the Weyr. He will just know deep down in his
heart of hearts that it is /his/, and only /you/ will know that he
believes this. As such, he will throw himself wholeheartedly into the
protection of the Weyr. Since this is only natural for his daredevil
nature, it won't seem out of place. He will probably also attempt to
steer you into positions of authority.
Kah is a ladies man to the nth degree. He's charismatic, charming,
virile, devil-may-care: all the things that seem to attract the feminine
kind in droves. What makes him different from every other ladies man is
his compassion for the females with whom he flirts. He recognizes the
beauty in each, be it physical, mental, or emotional, and plays it to
the fullest. And, while he might flirt with every female in the weyr
and then some, he makes no promises, and he tries not to break any
hearts. After all, it's all in fun, right?
If he /does/ happen to hurt someone in the midst of all his play, he'll
do everything in his power to make it right. However, he won't stress
over it. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work, time to move on.
That's where the sieve-like memory comes in: he forgets about it.
As a young dragon, Kah will be flirtatious, but it will be different
from when he is older; it won't have that sexual edge to it. Of course,
he'll likely be an early maturer, but, while he's young, his flirtation
will be innocent.
In flights, Kah's passion comes into play, as do his size and taste for
the dangerous. He will fly hard and fast, probably following every move
of the gold or green. He will fly as though his life depends upon
it-or, perhaps, as though the life of the gold or green depended on it.
If he wins, he will spend a week or two in her company, and her company
alone (i.e. he won't go looking for other females to flirt with). If he
loses, he'll shrug it off and go find something better to do.
On a quirky note, Kah /loves/ baths. It's his favorite alone-time with
you. He'll probably prefer it with no one else around. For
instance,
after Threadfall, he might make you wait until everyone else is gone, or
he might even drag you down to an empty beach somewhere. After a lost
flight, he'll ask you to bathe him as a chance for both of you to cool
down and relax. As for who bathes him, only you or those very close to
you are allowed to get that close to him.
Of course, Kah also loves water. (He's based on a pirate, he /ought/ to
love water.) Every vacation time the both of you get will be spent
somewhere on a sunny beach, or soaring out over the open ocean, if he
has anything to say about it. He'll likely try to drag a group of
ladies with him, too, for a little beach party.
In choice of weyrs, he'll probably want one high up where he can watch
the sun rise or set. If you can get him one looking out over a body of
water, even better. Either that or one looking over the most active
part of the Weyr. Any weyr you get, however, will be a place for repose
and relaxation, and quiet contemplation. Very few visits will be
accepted except by /his/ invitation.
DragonSong: "Oh, Better Far to Live and Die" by Gilbert
and Sullivan
Oh, better far to live and die
Under the brave black flag I fly
Than play a sanctimonious part
With a pirate head and a pirate heart.
Away to the cheating world go you,
Where pirates all are well-to-do;
But I'll be true to the song I sing,
And live and die a Pirate King.
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
For I am a Pirate King!
All:
You are!
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
King:
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King.
All:
It is!
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
King:
When I sally forth to seek my prey
I help myself in a princely way.
I sink a few more ships, it's true,
Than a well-bred monarch ought to do;
But many a king on a first-class throne
If he wants to call his crown his own,
Must manage somehow to get through
More dirty work than e'er /I/ do,
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
For I am a Pirate King!
All:
You are!
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
King:
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King.
All:
It is!
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
Hurrah for the Pirate King!
INSPIRATIONS
Name Inspiration:
You asked for Kahlendroth. You got Kahlendroth. I thought the name
sounded so spiff and fit rather well, that.. well why /shouldn't/ we use
it?
Theme Inspiration:
To quote the site-
He has been called "The Corsair," "The Buccaneer,"
"The King of
Barataria," "The Terror of the Gulf," "The Hero of New
Orleans". At
three separate times, U.S. presidents have condemned, exonerated and
again condemned his actions. He is known for his piracy in the Gulf of
Mexico, and lauded for his heroism in the Battle of New Orleans. Each
personae seems to balance the other. He hated being called "pirate,"
for, as he saw it, he was a "privateer" serving an economic purpose
in
an economically frugal time in a new country that needed to economize.
When he at last sailed away from American shores, he felt betrayed by a
country that didn't understand the difference.
Who was he? He was Jean Lafitte.
>From the Gulf of Mexico through a vast uncharted maze of waterways to
New Orleans, his name was legend even in his day. Entrepreneur and
astute diplomat, he took an island-full of bloodied seafarers, rovers
and fishermen and turned them into an organization of buccaneers,
smugglers and wholesalers. From the ships they plundered off the
Caribbean Coast and in the Atlantic he and his "crew of a thousand
men"
kept a constant cargo of black-marketed and very necessary provisions
(including Negro slaves, a very important "commodity" to the early
South) moving through the Mississippi Delta to help feed and clothe a
part of the nation that the government overlooked. As a result, he won
the praise of the local rich and poor alike.
But -- pirate, thief, swordsman, businessman or savior, Lafitte's legend
grows. Complex in nature, shrouded in mystery, and often painted in
splashes of color, he lives on in the role of auspicious hero.
A more in depth history of Lafitte can be found at:
http://crimelibrary.com/americana/lafitte/main.htm
You asked for a pirate. You got a pirate. I believe, when one of
the
members of SearchCo came across this particular character, your name
came to mind. And it fits so /well/. Lafitte is audacious.
He's death
defying. He's independent. He's a ladies' man to the nth degree.
Everything you asked for is in Lafitte. Naturally, we put a couple of
our own twists and turns into his personality and character, but it's
what makes him /Kahlendroth/ rather than Lafitteth.
Egg Inspiration:
Like bigger-hitting colleague Andy Warhol, painter Markus Luepertz is
often classified as mostly a representor of contemporary postmodern art;
his particular piece, "Hirte mit Vogel" (or shepherd with bird), is
dated a 1986 addition to the designated private Darmstadt collection.
http://192.41.13.240/artchive/l/luepertz/hirte_mit_vogel.jpg
Desc Inspiration:
When it came to describing Kahlendroth, we drew upon several images:
piracy and the sea, Lafitte, your specifications, and the quote you gave
us. His coloring follows the sea, from light to shadow. Above he's
sandy, wave-swept beaches and sun-touched peaks. Below, he's
brine-strung shadows, and sunken treasure waiting to be found. His
claws are covered in gunpowder. I was really inspired by the quote that
you gave us, so I decided to divide it into two parts: light and dark,
split by a 'false' horizon. His general size is due to what you asked
for, though Lafitte had something to do with it, too. You asked for a
compact, slender dragon. Lafitte, though tall, was a very slim man;
Kahlendroth has his nose as well as his length.
Dragonsong Inspiration:
I chose this song because.. well.. because the character singing it is a
Pirate King. But, moreso, it embodies the nonchalance that I believe is
the basis for Kahlendroth's personality. It's almost flippant in it's
explanation of the piratic lifestyle, which is just.. fitting.
CREDITS:
Egg Description: Rasputina
Clutch Message: Tarlin
Hatch Message: Tarlin
Dragon Description: Tarlin, Fiana
Inspiration: Tarlin, Fiana
Dragon Song: Tarlin
All Tweaks done by the Telgar Tweak Team: S'rien, Aida and Fiana