Post by tarra on Nov 23, 2009 10:35:55 GMT -5
Killed In the Wasteland Invasion
Name: S'kor
Age: 25 turns [b. May 2989]
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Rank: Wingsecond
Wing: Centurio
Appearance
An apprentice beastcrafter in his youth, S'kor bears a rangy 6' build from his formative years spent working the herdbeasts and runners. His body has a dancer's frame - light but not lacking in muscle, with hardly an ounce of extra fat on him. A very slight unevenness in his right calf shows where he broke his leg as a eleven-turn old after falling from an out-of-control runner. His shoulders are broad and rough like those who have done work since their childhood, and his palms are rough with the calluses of someone long accustomed to doing everything with his own hands. But the toils of a dragonrider's life have marked him too - small nicks scar his arms and legs, and a long white scar runs from the middle of his back down across his left thigh to end at the top of the knee. All tributes to the the viciousness of dragon battles and the merciless nature of Threadfall.
Yet the roughness of his body contrasts the quiet gentleness in his features. Both his brows and hair are a dark brown shade that match his fair complexion and accentuate his mild but finely-set facial features. His skin tone is a medium tan, a by-product of the active working lifestyle of a rider and former apprentice beastcrafter. S'kor's eyes are a pale hazy brown set beneath well-defined brows, and the hue of his pupils tend to light out from beneath the darker shade of his hair. He has always worn the hair messily short as part of his working life in his youth, and it has become so customary to do so that he keeps it so even as a rider. A few sparse bangs add character to his features, accentuating his eyes. The set of his jaw is square and firm, but with enough curve in it to give him a milder appearance than some men.
S'kor is not particular about his clothing. As a youth, he had been happy to take up with just about anything functional, and at special events it was his mother or sister who would plan his outfit so he would not embarress all of them and turn up smelling or looking like a herdbeast. Ever since being Searched and then Impressed he has learnt to take more interest in his dressing, but plain and neat remains his motto. Simple tunics, breeches or jodhpurs and ankle-high boots are his staple fare in choice of clothes, though he prefers knee-high boots and a leather jerkin when on Morreliath for any length of time. In terms of color, he tends towards muted hues of green, cream-beige or gray, with the occasional flare of wine-red or orange at the Gathers. As a man accustomed to doing everything with his own hands, S'kor is also very much capable of adding embroidery or buttons to his clothes for a more interesting touch if he wishes; but as a rule he usually does these things only for very important events.
Personality
Born and bred a nurturer of herdbeasts, raised to be a warrior and dragonrider, S'kor's personality carries elements of his dual heritage. He is in general a very pleasent fellow, cordial and easygoing; an easy conversationist with a good sense of humour and a solid sense of responsibility. His early turns with the beastcrafters have given him a deep patience that often make him seem older than he is (and to his dismay, makes him rather popular with children). Ever the steady one, he is often a calm and dutiful worker, the rock of stability in times of need. Perhaps unusually for a bronzerider, his innate capacity is in serving and guiding those put under his care. He believes strongly in protecting and caring for others; his core belief is in service, and if needed he will sacrifice all as well for those he loves.
Yet beneath the cool demeanour, S'kor is a concise and methodical thinker. He is adept at considering things carefully from every angle before reaching a conclusion based on logic and factual analysis. The bronzerider also has a strong mind and clear opinions about what he wants and how things should be. This trait gives others the impression he is a natural leader; though to those who know him well he is simply a man of strong ideals and stubborn will. Forcing or blindly ordering S'kor to do anything is one of the fastest methods of earning his ire. His resistance, when he chooses to resist, is passive: he simply does what he thinks ought to be done rather than argue. But if one is willing to talk to him and give sound rationale for a decision, he'll listen and obey. He is highly loyal to those he respects and loves, and despite his reticence he is kind in his own way, gentle in his own fashion. So long as he is asked rather than forced, he puts all his heart and energy into the thing requested of him.
Despite his fearless and steadfast manner however, S'kor loves and fears like any other human being. His natural empathy for all things living has also created a deep love and respect for Morreliath; and as such he also fears above all else what might happen to his beloved mindmate should the dangerous and politics-filled life of a dragonrider ever throw a dead-end turn at them. He is violent as needed, but never forgets that violence can likewise be dealt back to him in full. He protects what he loves knowing that he might have to crush others who are doing the same; and the tensions of such decisions tear at his soul. Not that he would mention it, of course - intensely personal in nature, S'kor dislikes sharing his true feelings with others around him and prefers to retain working relationships only, despite his easy conversational style. He's adept at putting up a mask, hiding behind his work and his sense of humour. It's his way of protecting himself - don't get too close, or you might lose what you love, or come to hate what you once yearned for.
1. Apprentice Beastcrafter
S'kor was born as Tsarkor, the third of four children at Selenitas Hold, with an older brother and sister before him, and a younger sister after. His father is Tarkir, a Beastcrafter, and his mother is Reina, a Healer. From birth it was clear that the lad had a mind of his own, always eager to explore and rarely obedient to his mother's wishes. She soon learnt that reasoning and carefully thought out arguments got her furthest with the child Tsarkor, as they did with his father.
Exposed early to the herdbeasts and runners by his father, the youngster developed a strong love of the Beastcraft, and as soon as he was old enough he was apprenticed. His older brother had become a Smith, and his older sister a Harper, and so Tarkir was well-relieved when his third child chose to be a Beastcrafter like him.
The joy, however, was short-lived. Those who knew Tsarkor said he took after his father, and as both were strong-willed people who were not tolerant of having their views ousted, Tsarkor clashed almost constantly with his father. Often the clashes would end with a whipping from Tarkir, which only served to make the boy more reticent, closed-up and passively resistent. In the 2 turns before Tsarkor was Searched, father and son nearly came to blows several times, and had to be hastily separated by family members or nearby friends. Though Tsarkor was undeniably gifted and passionate at his work and a good friend and a responsible child by all respects, he could hardly stay in the same room with his father for an hour without something exploding.
Then came the day when he was Searched by a bluerider of Selenitas Weyr at a Gather. Tensions ran high when the searchrider made his dragon's decisions known. People led relatively peaceful lives in Selenitas Hold, and to enter a Weyr was to choose a life of fear and uncertainty; to become a dragonrider was to face death daily, or madness and slavary at the loss of your mindmate to the wars on Selenitas's borders. But though he was afraid and reluctant to leave the craft he loved, the boy refused to pass up a chance to take the mantle of dragonrider - to be above his famly and their squabbles forever. So he made his choice despite his father's outrage and his mother's tears, and went to Selenitas to find a new life.
2. Candidacy and Weyrlinghood
Tsarkor had but a week to settle in before the Hatching was due, and he did his best to learn everything he might about Weyr rules and boundaries before he could Stand. He had little chance to get to know the other candidates, but that did not stop him from noticing a few. One girl, who went by the name Tiramnet, particularly gained his respect when he observed her skilled handling of an injured green firelizard during a flit hatching.
The Hatching was soon after. Standing for the first time in his life, Tsarkor was horrified when the first bronze of the clutch, a huge creature by all standards, knocked down and started climbing over Tiramnet. The incident brought to mind his small cousin being trampled by runners several turns ago. Galvanised, the boy charged the dragon in an attempt to push it off the girl. Not the smartest move, no doubt, but the only thing a boy used to handling herdbeasts could conceive off in that heated moment. But Tsarkor's attempts were rebuked by the very person he tried to help - Tiramnet turned on him with a scalding tongue that might have curdled his face if his respect had not also been won by it. He had nothing but admiration for the girl's courage and her strength. But just at that moment the bronze himself suddenly turned, locked eyes with him, and to his amazement, spoke . To the newly named S'kor, Morreliath immediately became the most magnificent creature ever to walk the earth. And to the just-Impressed Morreliath, S'kor was nothing less than the bravest and most worthy candidate on the Sands where he had Hatched.
The ongoing rivalry between Morreliath and Nikeath gave much heartache to S'kor's weyrling days . He was often hard-pressed to explain to his disgruntled dragonet why he felt the way he did for Tiramnet, when she was so clearly "unworthy". While there was nothing Nikeath could do to truly harm the larger bronze dragonet, her continued "accidents" with her quick-lashing tail only gave more fuel to Morreliath's dislike for her. The young S'kor, always more articulate with his actions than his words, could only watch in frustration as the growing gap between Morreliath and Nikeath mirrored the widening divide between Tiramnet and himself.
And the green weyrling was not the only thing he had to worry of. Being strong personalities both, S'kor and Morreliath could clash over the simplest of things. A simple oiling could become a battlefield of wits, and arguments on whether Morreliath was over-eating were a staple of their early days. As weyrlinghood progressed, however, mutual respect and understanding eventually developed (or to use Morreliath's own words, "like rough stones being smoothed from much rubbing"). S'kor earned a reputation for being stubborn and reticent, even though the Weyrlingmaster often praised his quiet, humble patience with his weyrling-mates and the patient care he lavished on his dragonet. Morreliath, not surprisingly, excelled at everything that required stamina, and was soon as known for his sharp intelligence as his refusals to help or associate with the chromatic weyrlings unless absolutely neccessary.
Away from his family for the first time in his life, the easy-going S'kor also began to become more self-conscious, more sensitive to his dressing and personal hygiene as caring for Morreliath opened up new dimensions within the boy. Life as a weyrling was a shadow of what dragonriders would face, but the glimpses he saw were enough to tell S'kor that it would be a harsh and demanding life, and he took his lessons seriously in preparation for it. His bronze, too, demanded a certain standard of care and respect from his weyrling, and from him the young man learned about carriage and dignity - the marks of a bronzerider and leader.
3. Dragon wars, Family fights
On graduation, S'kor and Morreliath tapped into a Wing without much difficulty. As the Tenth Pass of Thread began they were assigned to fly the lower-altitudes due to their junior position in the ranks. This annoyed proud Morreliath a great deal - until their third Threadfall ended with his stubbornness sending them into a huge swath of Thread. They were saved by the quick-witted Wingleader, who proceeded to give them a tongue-lashing that curled even the bronze's tail-tip with its harshness. That event jolted them into realizing they had to rely on their wingmates as much on themselves in any Fall - pride and composure, no matter how regally impressive, were useless when dicing with death in the skies. They improved rapidly after that revelation, and by their sixth turn were keen in their abilities at sweeping Thread from the skies.
Sadly, however, becoming a dragonrider did little for S'kor's relationship with his family. If anything, his distance from home only made things worse. He had no choice in that matter - Benden from the North was taking an especial interest in Selenitas, and C'leon was out to wreck havoc wherever he could. But these things mattered little to the bronzerider's family - they were in Selenitas Hold, not Weyr, and its affairs were to them a distant thing. Though he had left the Hold to escape its squabbles, S'kor still loved his family as any hold-bred man might, and he went to great lengths to regain their favour. Paticularly that of his father. He spent more time than any other bronzerider at his birth-Hold, attending little events and making small surprise visits with gifts to his parents and siblings.
The struggle to balance these visits with Weyr life was costly for S'kor's status as a dragonrider - he missed several pivotal events, not least of all a Goldflight, the High Reaches kidnap of Selenitas weyrlings and the attempted murders of Shmee and Kaegan by fire. The situation put tremendous stress on his relationship with Morreliath. The bronze could see no reason why his rider should put so much into a family who, though well-meaning, clearly did not understand the demands of a rider's life. There was more for both of them in Selenitas Weyr, and he told his rider so with a bluntness and consistency that soon had S'kor snapping back at him. He believed in what his family meant to him; he believed that one day he would have his father's respect and love, having earned it rightfully.
But it was not meant to be. Even as tragedy struck Selenitas with Paryal and Aezanth's deaths and later Asmee's poisoning; even as Kaegan fought to maintain order as temporary Senior Weyrwoman, Tarkir and S'kor continued to clash whenever they met at the occasional Gather or birthingday celebration. Coupled with his mindmate's constant badgering, the bronzerider began to lose hope and drift back into Weyr-life at large. It was later in S'kor's eighth turn as a rider that he finally made the leap - and ceased visiting his family in Selenitas Hold at all.
But if S'kor had felt crushed by his loss of the strong bond that had once held him to his kin, he had little time to mourn it. The following turn brought the Seige of Selenitas, and every able-bodied dragon of the Weyr flew to meet it. Violence was a fact of life and the bronze pair had faced it many times in the tumultous seasons of dragonrider life, but the Seige was their first true taste of meeting both dragons and their riders in brutal head-on combat. And mass melee combat too, for that matter. The war had come right into their home in a major way, and even as S'kor and Morreliath rose to meet it the psychological impact on the bronzerider was tremendous. He would spend sleepless nights afterward drowning in the screams of men and dragons who had died at the talons of his bronze and his sword. The nurturer in him took a severe beating; the warrior wakened in a way he had never known himself as. Ever.
For Morreliath, things were rather different. He was a bronze dragon, a predator by nature and a leader by the color of his hide. The killing strengthened his resolve and cemented his belief in his abilities as both. For once he and his rider were united - no diverging concerns forced them to portion their lives into Weyr and Hold, and no family squabbles divided them. He came into his own during the Seige, becoming more confident, arrogant, aloof, and ready to take the lead. And his newfound strength would prove vital to his rider in the days to come.
4. Days to come
The nightmares passed soon enough, but S'kor was forever a changed man. If he had been quiet before, he was now introverted; and he took care never to form lasting relationships as far as possible. He might have sunk into depression in the turn that came, as plague swept the South and yet another Selenitas Weyrleader was lost to the ravages of sickness and war; but Morreliath would have none of it. He knew who he had chosen, and he would not have his rider be anything less than strong, perfect if possible. Rallying himself under his dragon's unwavering belief, S'kor pulled himself together and found his way back to purpose with the advent of Millieth's Flight. They lost, of course, but simply participating in something so primal, so vital, brought the bronzerider back into himself once more. Though the days to come are as grim as ever, faced with the brutal realities of a dragonrider, S'kor and Morreliath will rise to meet them - wiser and stronger than they have ever been before.
Name: Morreliath
Pronunciation: MOR rel AYE ahth
Color: Bronze (A2993A)
Age: 11 turns [b. January 3004]
Physical Description: From the wide, impressive spread of his wings to the long spread of his tail and the slender arch of his neck, Morreliath is a large bronze. Even at hatching he was the second largest dragon in his clutch, and considerably more bulky than the rest. He is built strong and muscular, for stamina and strength rather than speed and agility, and it shows with every movement. Learning the quick twists and turns that come naturally to smaller dragons was difficult for him, but in the sky Morreliath's stamina is unmatched; he is one of the longest lasting threadfighters that Selenitas has ever seen. His great size is something of a hindrance and can cause him to work more than others, but there is no questioning his authority - even as a hatchling he had been intimidating to look at in size, especially considering the air of authority he holds himself with.
His color is almost as impressive as his size. He possesses a rich, fine bronze hue, with almost olive highlights. Light bronze would be the best color description of him and someone who was not completely familiar with the difference might mistake him for a strangely colored gold. His coloring is rich, pure and perfectly balanced, as though some invisible force rolled him in bronze paint from snout to tail, covering his entire hide evenly. An elegant metallic sheen shows whenever light dances across his body, lighting up thin scars over his neck, shoulders and flanks - the marks of his life as a warrior of the sky.
Personality: The first thing most people would notice about Morreliath is his aloof, detached manner. He possesses an almost unnatural calm, like the eye of the storm, and a lack of interest in the things happening around him based entirely on his somewhat arrogant outlook. He is superior to all save a very select few, and why should he even bother with those who are beneath him? However, this arrogance is not completely unfounded. For a dragon, Morreliath has an exceptional memory, and he is extraordinarily intelligent. Making quick decisions, particularly under pressure, is one of his specialties. He is a natural leader as all of his color are, but unlike some, Morreliath has the composure and intellect to be a good leader; while he will never be as social as many dragons (though this will not stop him from likely talking his rider's ear off, metaphorically speaking, as he is not above voicing his opinions privately to the one person who has always been his equal), he will definitely be remembered by the few he deigns to talk to.
Unfortunately, Morreliath is a judgmental dragon, and this often works to his detriment. S'kor is not always able to convince him that not everything is as it seems, and learning to give others a chance may be to his benefit. He also possesses a stubborn I am always right streak which can make him impossible to deal with at times. He does, however, respect people who have earned it (his rider falls under this category by default) and will make an active effort to try to listen. He simply finds it harder to change his opinion once his mind is made up than most dragons do, as he usually remembers what it is that caused him to make such harsh judgments in the first place. He's also surprisingly adept at noticing the truth about people very quickly, even those who are good at hiding emotions. For better or worse, Morreliath is very observant. Life with him is never be a bore.
Name: Sky
Color: Blue (339BFF)
Age: 1 turn [b. February 3014]
Physical Description: This Salamandyr isn’t funny looking. Of course he’s not. He’s just a little…imperfect, that’s all. Let nobody suggest that he looks funny. But he does, in the end. This blue is small, small to the point that the green Salamandyrs in his clutch all dwarf him. The most noticeable thing about him, easily, though, is the fact that his frill is tiny. Absolutely, ridiculously miniscule in proportion to the rest of him – meaning that even a white would cringe to be its owner. It doesn’t help that his wings are enormously oversized, too, emphasizing just how small his frill really is; said wings will easily carry him through shorter glides if the desire strikes him. His body, however, is just another set of oddities. Extremely short, rather chubby legs have been applied to a serpentine body. His tail is long, but there are ridges that run down its length – ridges that are choppy, irregular, make it look just slightly off. His head, too, is not entirely appealing, with bulging ‘bug’ eyes and a slightly squished-looking snout, as if he’d run face-first into a wall one too many times. He’s not quite cross-eyed, fortunately…
His color, however, makes up for this; it’s quite attractive. A rather bright blue, it’s not quite light enough to be considered sky blue, but certainly that is the closest a description can get. Very cheerful (unlike its owner), the blue doesn’t gleam or sparkle, but it has its own appeal – and its own uniqueness. Unlike most Salamandyrs that have spots down their back, this Salamandyr doesn’t – instead, he has stripes. Three long, dark blue stripes run from the back of his frill to the tip of his tail, setting off his hide nicely. They’re quite thin, each about half a finger’s width, but their length makes this blue look even longer than he actually is. Stripes of the same color mark his frill, all of them the same width and length, and completely straight, but spaced irregularly to give him a slightly lopsided, endearing look.
Personality: Goofy. Playful. Undignified. These three words are ones that this male absolutely loathes. He’s always ridiculously serious and jokes shoot right over his head and are generally met with glares of intense disapproval. How dare they find humor in things. How dare they. He can get extremely offended when hilarity ensues around him – not because he doesn’t like seeing others happy, but because he’s frustrated that he can’t and likely never will understand jokes. Such an upsetting event such as prolonged humor will send him into absolute fits of fury, shrieking insults and hissing. For one who never understands jokes, his grasp on sarcasm is very good indeed and combined with a fantastic memory for words and phrases, this blue’s mental berating is something that nobody should rightfully want to be on the receiving end of. Unfortunately, given that he lectures very enthusiastically, he also likes to broadcast, so that not only does the offender receive a tongue-lashing, but so does everyone around them. And such lectures are very, very carefully delivered, too, in order to shame the other. Name-calling, insulting, jeering, mocking: This Salamandyr knows just how it’s done.
When he’s not preparing for a lecture or in the middle of a lecture, this blue is most often found stalking around grandly as if he were ten times bigger. Arrogant, he is, and is prone to chattering disparaging comments and inserting his stuffy, typically very pompous opinion where it is neither needed nor desired. He can’t seem to keep quiet when it comes to what His is doing, if he’s there – which he often will be; this blue likes to sit on top of his person’s head so that he can see what’s going on and make sure that nobody’s joking around. He clearly thinks very highly of his opinions and ignores any suggestion that his input may not be wanted – anything that’s going on within a twenty-foot radius is noted and always commented on unless this blue happens to be distracted at the time. Because he’s just so fantastic, you know; everyone should know what he’s thinking, when he thinks it. And if they laugh at his opinion, he’ll just calmly shun them, since clearly they don’t know what’s right when they hear it…but woe betide them if they’re foolish enough to joke about it…
Tainted (Plot) - Intro post
Distracted
Mini Corinth ftw?
Crowd Control
set this ballroom aglow (Salamandyr/Firelizard hatching)
genocide (Plot)
Surrounded (Plot)
You and I...collide
Pass me some memories
i write sins, not tragedies (Gold Jingth's flight)
Big dragons need big oilings
Glass on the Wind (Nikeath's and Tiny's flight)
The Rider
Name: S'kor
Age: 25 turns [b. May 2989]
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Rank: Wingsecond
Wing: Centurio
Appearance
An apprentice beastcrafter in his youth, S'kor bears a rangy 6' build from his formative years spent working the herdbeasts and runners. His body has a dancer's frame - light but not lacking in muscle, with hardly an ounce of extra fat on him. A very slight unevenness in his right calf shows where he broke his leg as a eleven-turn old after falling from an out-of-control runner. His shoulders are broad and rough like those who have done work since their childhood, and his palms are rough with the calluses of someone long accustomed to doing everything with his own hands. But the toils of a dragonrider's life have marked him too - small nicks scar his arms and legs, and a long white scar runs from the middle of his back down across his left thigh to end at the top of the knee. All tributes to the the viciousness of dragon battles and the merciless nature of Threadfall.
Yet the roughness of his body contrasts the quiet gentleness in his features. Both his brows and hair are a dark brown shade that match his fair complexion and accentuate his mild but finely-set facial features. His skin tone is a medium tan, a by-product of the active working lifestyle of a rider and former apprentice beastcrafter. S'kor's eyes are a pale hazy brown set beneath well-defined brows, and the hue of his pupils tend to light out from beneath the darker shade of his hair. He has always worn the hair messily short as part of his working life in his youth, and it has become so customary to do so that he keeps it so even as a rider. A few sparse bangs add character to his features, accentuating his eyes. The set of his jaw is square and firm, but with enough curve in it to give him a milder appearance than some men.
S'kor is not particular about his clothing. As a youth, he had been happy to take up with just about anything functional, and at special events it was his mother or sister who would plan his outfit so he would not embarress all of them and turn up smelling or looking like a herdbeast. Ever since being Searched and then Impressed he has learnt to take more interest in his dressing, but plain and neat remains his motto. Simple tunics, breeches or jodhpurs and ankle-high boots are his staple fare in choice of clothes, though he prefers knee-high boots and a leather jerkin when on Morreliath for any length of time. In terms of color, he tends towards muted hues of green, cream-beige or gray, with the occasional flare of wine-red or orange at the Gathers. As a man accustomed to doing everything with his own hands, S'kor is also very much capable of adding embroidery or buttons to his clothes for a more interesting touch if he wishes; but as a rule he usually does these things only for very important events.
Personality
Born and bred a nurturer of herdbeasts, raised to be a warrior and dragonrider, S'kor's personality carries elements of his dual heritage. He is in general a very pleasent fellow, cordial and easygoing; an easy conversationist with a good sense of humour and a solid sense of responsibility. His early turns with the beastcrafters have given him a deep patience that often make him seem older than he is (and to his dismay, makes him rather popular with children). Ever the steady one, he is often a calm and dutiful worker, the rock of stability in times of need. Perhaps unusually for a bronzerider, his innate capacity is in serving and guiding those put under his care. He believes strongly in protecting and caring for others; his core belief is in service, and if needed he will sacrifice all as well for those he loves.
Yet beneath the cool demeanour, S'kor is a concise and methodical thinker. He is adept at considering things carefully from every angle before reaching a conclusion based on logic and factual analysis. The bronzerider also has a strong mind and clear opinions about what he wants and how things should be. This trait gives others the impression he is a natural leader; though to those who know him well he is simply a man of strong ideals and stubborn will. Forcing or blindly ordering S'kor to do anything is one of the fastest methods of earning his ire. His resistance, when he chooses to resist, is passive: he simply does what he thinks ought to be done rather than argue. But if one is willing to talk to him and give sound rationale for a decision, he'll listen and obey. He is highly loyal to those he respects and loves, and despite his reticence he is kind in his own way, gentle in his own fashion. So long as he is asked rather than forced, he puts all his heart and energy into the thing requested of him.
Despite his fearless and steadfast manner however, S'kor loves and fears like any other human being. His natural empathy for all things living has also created a deep love and respect for Morreliath; and as such he also fears above all else what might happen to his beloved mindmate should the dangerous and politics-filled life of a dragonrider ever throw a dead-end turn at them. He is violent as needed, but never forgets that violence can likewise be dealt back to him in full. He protects what he loves knowing that he might have to crush others who are doing the same; and the tensions of such decisions tear at his soul. Not that he would mention it, of course - intensely personal in nature, S'kor dislikes sharing his true feelings with others around him and prefers to retain working relationships only, despite his easy conversational style. He's adept at putting up a mask, hiding behind his work and his sense of humour. It's his way of protecting himself - don't get too close, or you might lose what you love, or come to hate what you once yearned for.
The Prequel
1. Apprentice Beastcrafter
S'kor was born as Tsarkor, the third of four children at Selenitas Hold, with an older brother and sister before him, and a younger sister after. His father is Tarkir, a Beastcrafter, and his mother is Reina, a Healer. From birth it was clear that the lad had a mind of his own, always eager to explore and rarely obedient to his mother's wishes. She soon learnt that reasoning and carefully thought out arguments got her furthest with the child Tsarkor, as they did with his father.
Exposed early to the herdbeasts and runners by his father, the youngster developed a strong love of the Beastcraft, and as soon as he was old enough he was apprenticed. His older brother had become a Smith, and his older sister a Harper, and so Tarkir was well-relieved when his third child chose to be a Beastcrafter like him.
The joy, however, was short-lived. Those who knew Tsarkor said he took after his father, and as both were strong-willed people who were not tolerant of having their views ousted, Tsarkor clashed almost constantly with his father. Often the clashes would end with a whipping from Tarkir, which only served to make the boy more reticent, closed-up and passively resistent. In the 2 turns before Tsarkor was Searched, father and son nearly came to blows several times, and had to be hastily separated by family members or nearby friends. Though Tsarkor was undeniably gifted and passionate at his work and a good friend and a responsible child by all respects, he could hardly stay in the same room with his father for an hour without something exploding.
Then came the day when he was Searched by a bluerider of Selenitas Weyr at a Gather. Tensions ran high when the searchrider made his dragon's decisions known. People led relatively peaceful lives in Selenitas Hold, and to enter a Weyr was to choose a life of fear and uncertainty; to become a dragonrider was to face death daily, or madness and slavary at the loss of your mindmate to the wars on Selenitas's borders. But though he was afraid and reluctant to leave the craft he loved, the boy refused to pass up a chance to take the mantle of dragonrider - to be above his famly and their squabbles forever. So he made his choice despite his father's outrage and his mother's tears, and went to Selenitas to find a new life.
2. Candidacy and Weyrlinghood
Tsarkor had but a week to settle in before the Hatching was due, and he did his best to learn everything he might about Weyr rules and boundaries before he could Stand. He had little chance to get to know the other candidates, but that did not stop him from noticing a few. One girl, who went by the name Tiramnet, particularly gained his respect when he observed her skilled handling of an injured green firelizard during a flit hatching.
The Hatching was soon after. Standing for the first time in his life, Tsarkor was horrified when the first bronze of the clutch, a huge creature by all standards, knocked down and started climbing over Tiramnet. The incident brought to mind his small cousin being trampled by runners several turns ago. Galvanised, the boy charged the dragon in an attempt to push it off the girl. Not the smartest move, no doubt, but the only thing a boy used to handling herdbeasts could conceive off in that heated moment. But Tsarkor's attempts were rebuked by the very person he tried to help - Tiramnet turned on him with a scalding tongue that might have curdled his face if his respect had not also been won by it. He had nothing but admiration for the girl's courage and her strength. But just at that moment the bronze himself suddenly turned, locked eyes with him, and to his amazement, spoke . To the newly named S'kor, Morreliath immediately became the most magnificent creature ever to walk the earth. And to the just-Impressed Morreliath, S'kor was nothing less than the bravest and most worthy candidate on the Sands where he had Hatched.
The ongoing rivalry between Morreliath and Nikeath gave much heartache to S'kor's weyrling days . He was often hard-pressed to explain to his disgruntled dragonet why he felt the way he did for Tiramnet, when she was so clearly "unworthy". While there was nothing Nikeath could do to truly harm the larger bronze dragonet, her continued "accidents" with her quick-lashing tail only gave more fuel to Morreliath's dislike for her. The young S'kor, always more articulate with his actions than his words, could only watch in frustration as the growing gap between Morreliath and Nikeath mirrored the widening divide between Tiramnet and himself.
And the green weyrling was not the only thing he had to worry of. Being strong personalities both, S'kor and Morreliath could clash over the simplest of things. A simple oiling could become a battlefield of wits, and arguments on whether Morreliath was over-eating were a staple of their early days. As weyrlinghood progressed, however, mutual respect and understanding eventually developed (or to use Morreliath's own words, "like rough stones being smoothed from much rubbing"). S'kor earned a reputation for being stubborn and reticent, even though the Weyrlingmaster often praised his quiet, humble patience with his weyrling-mates and the patient care he lavished on his dragonet. Morreliath, not surprisingly, excelled at everything that required stamina, and was soon as known for his sharp intelligence as his refusals to help or associate with the chromatic weyrlings unless absolutely neccessary.
Away from his family for the first time in his life, the easy-going S'kor also began to become more self-conscious, more sensitive to his dressing and personal hygiene as caring for Morreliath opened up new dimensions within the boy. Life as a weyrling was a shadow of what dragonriders would face, but the glimpses he saw were enough to tell S'kor that it would be a harsh and demanding life, and he took his lessons seriously in preparation for it. His bronze, too, demanded a certain standard of care and respect from his weyrling, and from him the young man learned about carriage and dignity - the marks of a bronzerider and leader.
3. Dragon wars, Family fights
On graduation, S'kor and Morreliath tapped into a Wing without much difficulty. As the Tenth Pass of Thread began they were assigned to fly the lower-altitudes due to their junior position in the ranks. This annoyed proud Morreliath a great deal - until their third Threadfall ended with his stubbornness sending them into a huge swath of Thread. They were saved by the quick-witted Wingleader, who proceeded to give them a tongue-lashing that curled even the bronze's tail-tip with its harshness. That event jolted them into realizing they had to rely on their wingmates as much on themselves in any Fall - pride and composure, no matter how regally impressive, were useless when dicing with death in the skies. They improved rapidly after that revelation, and by their sixth turn were keen in their abilities at sweeping Thread from the skies.
Sadly, however, becoming a dragonrider did little for S'kor's relationship with his family. If anything, his distance from home only made things worse. He had no choice in that matter - Benden from the North was taking an especial interest in Selenitas, and C'leon was out to wreck havoc wherever he could. But these things mattered little to the bronzerider's family - they were in Selenitas Hold, not Weyr, and its affairs were to them a distant thing. Though he had left the Hold to escape its squabbles, S'kor still loved his family as any hold-bred man might, and he went to great lengths to regain their favour. Paticularly that of his father. He spent more time than any other bronzerider at his birth-Hold, attending little events and making small surprise visits with gifts to his parents and siblings.
The struggle to balance these visits with Weyr life was costly for S'kor's status as a dragonrider - he missed several pivotal events, not least of all a Goldflight, the High Reaches kidnap of Selenitas weyrlings and the attempted murders of Shmee and Kaegan by fire. The situation put tremendous stress on his relationship with Morreliath. The bronze could see no reason why his rider should put so much into a family who, though well-meaning, clearly did not understand the demands of a rider's life. There was more for both of them in Selenitas Weyr, and he told his rider so with a bluntness and consistency that soon had S'kor snapping back at him. He believed in what his family meant to him; he believed that one day he would have his father's respect and love, having earned it rightfully.
But it was not meant to be. Even as tragedy struck Selenitas with Paryal and Aezanth's deaths and later Asmee's poisoning; even as Kaegan fought to maintain order as temporary Senior Weyrwoman, Tarkir and S'kor continued to clash whenever they met at the occasional Gather or birthingday celebration. Coupled with his mindmate's constant badgering, the bronzerider began to lose hope and drift back into Weyr-life at large. It was later in S'kor's eighth turn as a rider that he finally made the leap - and ceased visiting his family in Selenitas Hold at all.
But if S'kor had felt crushed by his loss of the strong bond that had once held him to his kin, he had little time to mourn it. The following turn brought the Seige of Selenitas, and every able-bodied dragon of the Weyr flew to meet it. Violence was a fact of life and the bronze pair had faced it many times in the tumultous seasons of dragonrider life, but the Seige was their first true taste of meeting both dragons and their riders in brutal head-on combat. And mass melee combat too, for that matter. The war had come right into their home in a major way, and even as S'kor and Morreliath rose to meet it the psychological impact on the bronzerider was tremendous. He would spend sleepless nights afterward drowning in the screams of men and dragons who had died at the talons of his bronze and his sword. The nurturer in him took a severe beating; the warrior wakened in a way he had never known himself as. Ever.
For Morreliath, things were rather different. He was a bronze dragon, a predator by nature and a leader by the color of his hide. The killing strengthened his resolve and cemented his belief in his abilities as both. For once he and his rider were united - no diverging concerns forced them to portion their lives into Weyr and Hold, and no family squabbles divided them. He came into his own during the Seige, becoming more confident, arrogant, aloof, and ready to take the lead. And his newfound strength would prove vital to his rider in the days to come.
4. Days to come
The nightmares passed soon enough, but S'kor was forever a changed man. If he had been quiet before, he was now introverted; and he took care never to form lasting relationships as far as possible. He might have sunk into depression in the turn that came, as plague swept the South and yet another Selenitas Weyrleader was lost to the ravages of sickness and war; but Morreliath would have none of it. He knew who he had chosen, and he would not have his rider be anything less than strong, perfect if possible. Rallying himself under his dragon's unwavering belief, S'kor pulled himself together and found his way back to purpose with the advent of Millieth's Flight. They lost, of course, but simply participating in something so primal, so vital, brought the bronzerider back into himself once more. Though the days to come are as grim as ever, faced with the brutal realities of a dragonrider, S'kor and Morreliath will rise to meet them - wiser and stronger than they have ever been before.
The Dragon
Name: Morreliath
Pronunciation: MOR rel AYE ahth
Color: Bronze (A2993A)
Age: 11 turns [b. January 3004]
Physical Description: From the wide, impressive spread of his wings to the long spread of his tail and the slender arch of his neck, Morreliath is a large bronze. Even at hatching he was the second largest dragon in his clutch, and considerably more bulky than the rest. He is built strong and muscular, for stamina and strength rather than speed and agility, and it shows with every movement. Learning the quick twists and turns that come naturally to smaller dragons was difficult for him, but in the sky Morreliath's stamina is unmatched; he is one of the longest lasting threadfighters that Selenitas has ever seen. His great size is something of a hindrance and can cause him to work more than others, but there is no questioning his authority - even as a hatchling he had been intimidating to look at in size, especially considering the air of authority he holds himself with.
His color is almost as impressive as his size. He possesses a rich, fine bronze hue, with almost olive highlights. Light bronze would be the best color description of him and someone who was not completely familiar with the difference might mistake him for a strangely colored gold. His coloring is rich, pure and perfectly balanced, as though some invisible force rolled him in bronze paint from snout to tail, covering his entire hide evenly. An elegant metallic sheen shows whenever light dances across his body, lighting up thin scars over his neck, shoulders and flanks - the marks of his life as a warrior of the sky.
Personality: The first thing most people would notice about Morreliath is his aloof, detached manner. He possesses an almost unnatural calm, like the eye of the storm, and a lack of interest in the things happening around him based entirely on his somewhat arrogant outlook. He is superior to all save a very select few, and why should he even bother with those who are beneath him? However, this arrogance is not completely unfounded. For a dragon, Morreliath has an exceptional memory, and he is extraordinarily intelligent. Making quick decisions, particularly under pressure, is one of his specialties. He is a natural leader as all of his color are, but unlike some, Morreliath has the composure and intellect to be a good leader; while he will never be as social as many dragons (though this will not stop him from likely talking his rider's ear off, metaphorically speaking, as he is not above voicing his opinions privately to the one person who has always been his equal), he will definitely be remembered by the few he deigns to talk to.
Unfortunately, Morreliath is a judgmental dragon, and this often works to his detriment. S'kor is not always able to convince him that not everything is as it seems, and learning to give others a chance may be to his benefit. He also possesses a stubborn I am always right streak which can make him impossible to deal with at times. He does, however, respect people who have earned it (his rider falls under this category by default) and will make an active effort to try to listen. He simply finds it harder to change his opinion once his mind is made up than most dragons do, as he usually remembers what it is that caused him to make such harsh judgments in the first place. He's also surprisingly adept at noticing the truth about people very quickly, even those who are good at hiding emotions. For better or worse, Morreliath is very observant. Life with him is never be a bore.
The Salamandyr
Name: Sky
Color: Blue (339BFF)
Age: 1 turn [b. February 3014]
Physical Description: This Salamandyr isn’t funny looking. Of course he’s not. He’s just a little…imperfect, that’s all. Let nobody suggest that he looks funny. But he does, in the end. This blue is small, small to the point that the green Salamandyrs in his clutch all dwarf him. The most noticeable thing about him, easily, though, is the fact that his frill is tiny. Absolutely, ridiculously miniscule in proportion to the rest of him – meaning that even a white would cringe to be its owner. It doesn’t help that his wings are enormously oversized, too, emphasizing just how small his frill really is; said wings will easily carry him through shorter glides if the desire strikes him. His body, however, is just another set of oddities. Extremely short, rather chubby legs have been applied to a serpentine body. His tail is long, but there are ridges that run down its length – ridges that are choppy, irregular, make it look just slightly off. His head, too, is not entirely appealing, with bulging ‘bug’ eyes and a slightly squished-looking snout, as if he’d run face-first into a wall one too many times. He’s not quite cross-eyed, fortunately…
His color, however, makes up for this; it’s quite attractive. A rather bright blue, it’s not quite light enough to be considered sky blue, but certainly that is the closest a description can get. Very cheerful (unlike its owner), the blue doesn’t gleam or sparkle, but it has its own appeal – and its own uniqueness. Unlike most Salamandyrs that have spots down their back, this Salamandyr doesn’t – instead, he has stripes. Three long, dark blue stripes run from the back of his frill to the tip of his tail, setting off his hide nicely. They’re quite thin, each about half a finger’s width, but their length makes this blue look even longer than he actually is. Stripes of the same color mark his frill, all of them the same width and length, and completely straight, but spaced irregularly to give him a slightly lopsided, endearing look.
Personality: Goofy. Playful. Undignified. These three words are ones that this male absolutely loathes. He’s always ridiculously serious and jokes shoot right over his head and are generally met with glares of intense disapproval. How dare they find humor in things. How dare they. He can get extremely offended when hilarity ensues around him – not because he doesn’t like seeing others happy, but because he’s frustrated that he can’t and likely never will understand jokes. Such an upsetting event such as prolonged humor will send him into absolute fits of fury, shrieking insults and hissing. For one who never understands jokes, his grasp on sarcasm is very good indeed and combined with a fantastic memory for words and phrases, this blue’s mental berating is something that nobody should rightfully want to be on the receiving end of. Unfortunately, given that he lectures very enthusiastically, he also likes to broadcast, so that not only does the offender receive a tongue-lashing, but so does everyone around them. And such lectures are very, very carefully delivered, too, in order to shame the other. Name-calling, insulting, jeering, mocking: This Salamandyr knows just how it’s done.
When he’s not preparing for a lecture or in the middle of a lecture, this blue is most often found stalking around grandly as if he were ten times bigger. Arrogant, he is, and is prone to chattering disparaging comments and inserting his stuffy, typically very pompous opinion where it is neither needed nor desired. He can’t seem to keep quiet when it comes to what His is doing, if he’s there – which he often will be; this blue likes to sit on top of his person’s head so that he can see what’s going on and make sure that nobody’s joking around. He clearly thinks very highly of his opinions and ignores any suggestion that his input may not be wanted – anything that’s going on within a twenty-foot radius is noted and always commented on unless this blue happens to be distracted at the time. Because he’s just so fantastic, you know; everyone should know what he’s thinking, when he thinks it. And if they laugh at his opinion, he’ll just calmly shun them, since clearly they don’t know what’s right when they hear it…but woe betide them if they’re foolish enough to joke about it…
The Story continues....
Tainted (Plot) - Intro post
Distracted
Mini Corinth ftw?
Crowd Control
set this ballroom aglow (Salamandyr/Firelizard hatching)
genocide (Plot)
Surrounded (Plot)
You and I...collide
Pass me some memories
i write sins, not tragedies (Gold Jingth's flight)
Big dragons need big oilings
Glass on the Wind (Nikeath's and Tiny's flight)
I'd prefer him a little older anyhow, I kept him younger because I wasn't sure about integrating some of the history aspects. Do let me know if this is ok and if I should amend any more bits of the history.