The Dragons
Aug 22, 2013 20:18:40 GMT
Post by Master of the Bazaar on Aug 22, 2013 20:18:40 GMT
Dragons
Dragons are a common sight in Igen. They might pass you by in pursuit of a thief, or you may come home to find one napping on your roof. They are the reason why everything is made of stone, so that the hold can support their weight and withstand their flames. It's not uncommon to walk down the street with a green dragon or to have to make way for a bronze.
On the surface, there are no dragons. Many people in Igen simply can't imagine life without them but it's a simple fact that there just aren't any left up there. Oh, people have tried. But when you take a black dragon up to the surface she gets sick. The light is too bright. The food tastes like ash. If you try it with a red, she just won't clutch. It's a source of frustration for the people of pern who are starting to regret that whole 'let them go extinct' thing.
It's easy to be afraid of these beasts as even the smallest is the size of a grown man and most are the servants of the Bazaar. But one should always remember that even the fiercest of dragons can't harm a human.
Dragons, whers and firelizards turn gray before death. This has led to the color gray being considered unlucky.
These dragons are organized by minimum size, not rank or rarity.
Gold
Length: 40 ft - 50 ft
Sex: Female
Rises: Once every 2-5 turns
Clutch: The last gold has neither clutched nor risen in decades.
Rarity: Functionally extinct.
They say that golds shone like the sun. They say that they can command all other dragons to do their will. They say that they lay clutches of forty eggs. They say a lot of things about golds, and they can keep saying things about them until the Bazaar closes. There is only one gold left on all of pern and no one has seen her up close since her last clutch. All that's known about golds is that they couldn't chew firestone, they laid a lot of eggs, and they preferred women as their riders.
Bronze
Length: 35 ft - 45 ft
Sex: Male
Rarity: Third rarest dragons.
Once upon a time, bronzes were heroes and loved by all. Now they're mostly famous for knocking down bridges and scaring small children with their size. Bronzes are some of the rarest dragons. It's a good thing too, since they need a lot of food and they take up a lot of space. Bronze dragons are almost never found living a free life, as their huge size and appetite means their rider often can't afford to feed and quarter them without the aid of the bazaar. Free bronzes are usually treated with a great deal of distrust and are usually assumed to be criminals. Rumor and records have it that bronzes once only chose men as their riders, but now they're much more liberal in their choices. There are quite a few women riding bronze in Igen.
Dragons are a common sight in Igen. They might pass you by in pursuit of a thief, or you may come home to find one napping on your roof. They are the reason why everything is made of stone, so that the hold can support their weight and withstand their flames. It's not uncommon to walk down the street with a green dragon or to have to make way for a bronze.
On the surface, there are no dragons. Many people in Igen simply can't imagine life without them but it's a simple fact that there just aren't any left up there. Oh, people have tried. But when you take a black dragon up to the surface she gets sick. The light is too bright. The food tastes like ash. If you try it with a red, she just won't clutch. It's a source of frustration for the people of pern who are starting to regret that whole 'let them go extinct' thing.
It's easy to be afraid of these beasts as even the smallest is the size of a grown man and most are the servants of the Bazaar. But one should always remember that even the fiercest of dragons can't harm a human.
Dragons, whers and firelizards turn gray before death. This has led to the color gray being considered unlucky.
These dragons are organized by minimum size, not rank or rarity.
Gold
Length: 40 ft - 50 ft
Sex: Female
Rises: Once every 2-5 turns
Clutch: The last gold has neither clutched nor risen in decades.
Rarity: Functionally extinct.
They say that golds shone like the sun. They say that they can command all other dragons to do their will. They say that they lay clutches of forty eggs. They say a lot of things about golds, and they can keep saying things about them until the Bazaar closes. There is only one gold left on all of pern and no one has seen her up close since her last clutch. All that's known about golds is that they couldn't chew firestone, they laid a lot of eggs, and they preferred women as their riders.
Bronze
Length: 35 ft - 45 ft
Sex: Male
Rarity: Third rarest dragons.
Once upon a time, bronzes were heroes and loved by all. Now they're mostly famous for knocking down bridges and scaring small children with their size. Bronzes are some of the rarest dragons. It's a good thing too, since they need a lot of food and they take up a lot of space. Bronze dragons are almost never found living a free life, as their huge size and appetite means their rider often can't afford to feed and quarter them without the aid of the bazaar. Free bronzes are usually treated with a great deal of distrust and are usually assumed to be criminals. Rumor and records have it that bronzes once only chose men as their riders, but now they're much more liberal in their choices. There are quite a few women riding bronze in Igen.
Red
Length: 30 ft - 40 ft
Sex: Female
Rise: Twice every turn
Clutch: 0-8 eggs
Rarity: Fourth rarest dragons.
Red dragons are large, solidly built females that can range in color from orange to the deep scarlet that is by now a symbol of the Masters. Unfortunately, their color has led to them being closely associated with the Masters and the Red Star. They have the best night vision of all dragons and a common insult for reds and their riders is 'flying wher.' Lord Ruby is known for unabashed favoritism towards reds and the other Masters likewise hold these dragons and their riders in good respect. This has not helped their reputation any. A red is given a wide berth on the street, no matter how gentle she truly is. A red dragon that is brought to the surface will be unable to tolerate the light and will grow too ill to rise.
Brown
Length: 30 ft - 40 ft
Sex: Male
Rarity: Fifth rarest dragons.
Once these dragons were viewed as a 'consolation prize' to any boy who didn't get a bronze but now they are often the color that many candidates aim for. Brown dragons are looked upon more favorably than their larger bronze brothers because they are smaller but still quite strong. Brown dragons, along with blue and greens, have an easier time than most when it comes to finding careers outside of the enforcers. They are often called upon to guard the docks from Neath beasts or to lift heavy loads.
Black
Length: 25 ft - 35 ft
Sex: Female.
Rise: Once every turn.
Clutch: 1-13 eggs.
Rarity: Black dragons are the second rarest dragon.
Black dragons were the first of the new colors to appear when Bellonath hatched at the first and final clutch of the last gold dragon. Black dragons are the only color to clutch reliably, laying as many as thirteen eggs after each flight. They are a curious lot with hides that shine like an oil slick and the potential to show small, dull markings in any color. Black dragons can chew firestone without affecting the clutches they produce but many have difficulty controlling their flames and end up roasting something by accident. A black dragon that is brought to the surface will become too ill to Rise and if eggheavy will produce only dud eggs.
Blue
Length: 25 ft - 35 ft
Sex: Male
Rarity: Blue dragons are the second most common dragons.
Blue dragons are the smallest of the traditional male colors and as such have the easiest time freeing themselves from the influence of the Masters. They are popular with the citizens of the Neath for their small size and their coloration, which serves as a reminder of the sky. Blue dragons are widely considered the most telepathically sensitive of all dragons and as such often have an easier time locating candidates than other dragons. Being passed over by a blue dragon in flight is considered an omen of good fortune.
Gray
Length: 20 ft - 30 ft
Sex: Male
Rarity: Gray dragons are third most common dragons over all.
Gray dragons are the most common of the new colors. They are also the most hated. They are the color of death and as such are viewed as ill omens. They have difficulty finding careers outside of the enforcers and many citizens refuse to hire their riders. It is commonly believed that having the shadow of a gray dragon pass over you means that you will have bad luck in the future. Despite their association with death gray dragons are in fact rather robust. They can not go to the surface.
Green
Length: 20 ft - 30 ft
Sex: Female
Rise: 2-4 times every turn
Clutch: 1-5 eggs, very unlikely. Most greens are sterile.
Rarity: Greens are the most common dragons.
Rise: 2-4 times every turn
Clutch: 1-5 eggs, very unlikely. Most greens are sterile.
Rarity: Greens are the most common dragons.
Green dragons, along with blues, are easily some of the most popular dragons. Their small size makes them less threatening in the eyes of many citizens and their green hides are often taken as a reminder of the surface. Despite their less threatening size green dragons are often held as being the best at apprehending criminals due to their speed and agility which makes it easier for them to pursue someone. Very few green dragons are born fertile but it is rumored that one of the Masters can sell fertility to an interested green.
White
White
Length: 15 ft - 20 ft
Rarity: Whites are the rarest dragons.
Rarity: Whites are the rarest dragons.
White dragons are the smallest of all dragons. They are clever, excellent at Betweening and notoriously good at dodging around buildings when it comes time to chase down someone that's broken the law. However, they are sickly and many don't make it to hatching. Not much is known about white dragons as there is rarely more than one or two alive at a time and they only became common after the fall.