Born to Burden Brown Zvaraseth
| Born to Burden Brown Zvaraseth | |
|---|---|
| Impressee | Evanthe |
| Hatching Date: | 18 July, 2014 Day 15, Month 4, Turn 35 |
| Current Age: | 33 turns |
| Size: | 29 feet |
| Dam: | Conqueror of Worlds Gold Hraedhyth |
| Sire: | Kinetic Knucklebones Bronze Cadejoth |
| Lineage: | Here |
| Clutch: | Clutch:56 |
| Egg Credit: | Azaylia |
| Dragon Credit: | K'zin, Leova |
| Puppeteer: | K'zin |
The dragon collects stares as men collect marks, for he is small and twisted in a way that overshadows the rich brown of his hide. It's not just that his muzzle boasts a long scar-in-the-making and is long and awkwardly large in proportion to his thin neck and stubby-looking limbs. It's not even his stunted tail with the crook near its tip. It's the innate malformations that warp wing shoulders and upper spine. If coloring were all that mattered, he would be a fine dragon indeed, what with the warmth of his hide and its undertones of gold and crimson. Brighter gilt even sweeps along his neckridges as might a regal mane then swirls in yet richer adornment across the sails of his wings... but in this life, it's far more than coloring that counts.
Contents
Dante's Vengeance Egg
Crimson curtains shroud this egg in dramatic mystery, gold leaf accents sweeping over the rich shell in eccentric swirls. Bright yellow cuts through the center of that sanguine hue, parted by the ominous, ebony phantom that stains the otherwise vivid velvet. The dark figure is not without purpose, a glossy mark, a promise, of dark retribution from within.
Though Dante's Vengeance Egg has seemed still for some time, now the fight for freedom resumes. That it's been a battle is obvious when the Born to Burden Brown Hatchling finally bursts through the thick crust of his egg with a creel that might've been triumph but is too quickly turned to pain. His war wound is obvious as ichor immediately starts seeping, bright green against warm brown, from the long shallow gash across his muzzle. Still, not to be daunted by a little thing like pain, the hatchling pushes the rest of his tangled bulk through the widening cracks until he tumbles onto the hot sands.
Born to Burden Brown
The dragon collects stares as men collect marks, for he is small and twisted in a way that overshadows the rich brown of his hide. It's not just that his muzzle boasts a long scar-in-the-making and is long and awkwardly large in proportion to his thin neck and stubby-looking limbs. It's not even his stunted tail with the crook near its tip. It's the innate malformations that warp wing shoulders and upper spine. If coloring were all that mattered, he would be a fine dragon indeed, what with the warmth of his hide and its undertones of gold and crimson. Brighter gilt even sweeps along his neckridges as might a regal mane then swirls in yet richer adornment across the sails of his wings... but in this life, it's far more than coloring that counts.
Temperament
So much for the easy life, Evanthe; few things will ever be easy again. It's more than just the challenges Zvaraseth shelled with; it's the challenges he'll set forth for you both. Eventually, he will be shrewd enough to know and respect his limitations and yours, but also insightful enough to know when you're capable of more, and stubborn enough to get that more from you. He'll neither want nor accept pity or sympathy (from you or anyone else), and don't expect him to show much to you either.
He does have a softer side, but he'll know better than most the harshness that exists in the world, and he'll want to prepare you for it. He'll be there when you face the realities you must, but he'll wish you to be strong enough to handle them on your own, just in case he's not available to be the companion you deserve (not that his companionship is escapable in any case!).
Zvaraseth won't fool himself about what he is. He is malformed, scarred from the shell, and small - hard to believe that he comes from parents as robust as Hraedhyth and as kinetic as Cadejoth! If he'll wonder sometimes if Evanthe might've been happier if he were otherwise (more like suave, shapely Savroveth, for instance?), he'll keep those thoughts quiet because they serve no purpose. Neither unnecessary apology nor kindness comes naturally to him, but sometimes he can manage when they're truly needed. He's not without redeeming qualities. His wryness and sarcasm can and often will be used in affection as well as to wound. He'll be loyal to those loyal to him and he's no craven brown to kowtow to idiot bronzes with entitlement complexes. In point of fact, he'll have ambitions of his own. True, he can never be the weyrleader himself, but that doesn't mean he can't find a way to play the great game of life and win. The good news is, since you're his greatest ally, his successes are yours too... and yours, his.
The flip side of that coin is that your failures are shared. Since Zvaraseth prides himself on his wits, being outwitted inwardly enrages him until the event is forgotten. It's uncommon, but it is not beyond his character to take revenge for the greatest of wrongs done him. He hates to be laughed at, but you're the only one who would ever know it from him, at least once he matures. He won't really expect you to be good at dealing with his darker feelings because he's not really any better at dealing with yours. You two can just be miserable near each other rather than truly together in it.
Weyrlinghood started the day you Impressed and there will be both good and bad times ahead. Early on, Zvaraseth is clumsy to the point of being laughable, attempting to operate limbs that just don't seem to be the right proportions. In time, he'll learn to become a little more graceful or at least effective, but the first few months will be a challenge - especially since he'll tend to be snappish when frustrated until he learns to cope.
(Optional) It's his birth defects that cause most of the problems for Zvaraseth. His wings will get sore before the others' because of the odd way the length of his wing shoulders formed. As if that and a possible future of flight difficulties weren't enough, there's also the way his upper spine doesn't fit as it should. As a result, his core isn't as strong as it should be and there's nerve pain that shoots down his spine into his hind legs, coming and going unpredictably in degrees from 'eh' to 'crippling' depending on the day, the activity, and the weather. Perhaps strengthening his core muscles will lessen such effects over time, or he'll simply learn to live with it. Zvaraseth likes living.
'Living' for him in weyrlinghood includes good food - not only the meaty variety, but for the heart and mind. Sleep is good... and books are better! Connections may be best of all. Zvaraseth will expect you to better yourself, to hone your strengths and find ways to compensate for your weaknesses, just as he does. This can mean late nights, early mornings, and plenty to do - including cultivating your book learning as well as your 'people skills.' Predictably, he'll struggle and sometimes simply be unable to do some of the physical tasks expected of him, but he's apt to learn to excel in those tasks sustained by resourcefulness, inventiveness, and sheer guts. He'll try his best not to compare himself to his brothers and sisters, and will, from them alone, take a healthy amount of teasing in stride; he loves his family, even if some don't love him.
As an adult, he'll come to understand that the world is shades of grey and that honesty and honor don't get you the things you need. He will be happy to make use of others for their natural talents (his persuasion more blatant than Zmeyth's, including outright bribery, and more a matter of survival than Cezveth's), and will otherwise compensate in ways others might consider cheating; if you decide to lie, he'll understand your desire to do so, even if he himself will instead mislead. Zvaraseth will be best in a wing that utilizes his canniness. He'll have respect for the structure of rank, but may feel that he can say what he likes when others don't take him seriously. None are likely to see him as a future weyrleader, and perhaps even rising to wingleader would seem a stretch to them.
Some will say he'll never sire a clutch, but that won't keep him from chasing. Indeed, Zvaraseth will rarely pass up an opportunity, for flights are tough but so very, very rewarding. Unlike some of his brothers, he'll have a certain amount of feeling and sweetness in his pursuit, holding fondness for some that he's caught, though he won't often fool himself into thinking they appreciate him the same way. Although he'll chase both golds and greens, some part of him is intimidated by the golds; greens are so much less threatening, and so much less pressure. If he does catch gold, he'll be a chivalrous mate, trying to be what she needs while keeping doubts about what he might pass on to their offspring to himself. As for when he loses, don't be surprised to find him chatting up the winner the next day for amusing details... especially if they'll better his chance of success next time!
Maybe such frivolous conversations are why he and Savroveth are likely to get along so famously. With Zmeyth, it's because they'll always find something to negotiate. With dragons like Arekoth and Ilicaeth, it's because they're good for laughs, while sweeter, more innocent dragons like Solith and Teisyth hit a soft spot. Brutes like Lythronath serve a purpose, if they can be brought to heel. He'll be most wary of dragons outside his core family who have too much cunning (like Iesaryth, Rasavyth, and Reisoth). In general, he'd like to be liked, but he'll get used to that not being the case.
The most important relationship he has is with you. You are his ally. His Evanthe. He will not give you days upon dull days of idle leisure, and nine times out of ten, he will not make your life easier by being in it - but he will be in it, every day from now until the end.
Public Impression Message
Born to Burden Brown takes another step toward the white robed figures, each step a labor unto its own as he learns to work each leg. His focus is absolute, until his long, ichor-bathed nose is jerking toward the stands. Could it be his lifemate is there? No; keen observers might have noted the particularly loud roll of laughter from a pot-bellied cook that heralded the brown's movement. The laughter was, more likely than not, not at his awkward gait and slow progress, but it doesn't matter. Born to Burden Brown has stopped right where he is, only feet from where he hatched - and now directs that nose toward the slight blonde who is fated, it seems, to walk this weary world with him.
Private Impression Message
« Come to me. » It's an instruction out of nowhere, delivered in a clear baritone that resonates in your mind, filled with such strength and certainty that you may well find yourself taking a step before you realize where you're going. In that instant, he's made himself at home in your mind; there, forever and always, yours. « Evanthe. Need I repeat myself? » Zvaraseth would rather not. Surely, after all, you can feel his needs; for you to be with him, for you to be together, and perhaps, after all, for you to carry him to where there's good food to be had. A dragon, after all, has his needs.
Mindvoice
Smooth and well-spoken is your Zvaraseth, and the color and timbre of his baritone reflects that. He likes words, knows what they mean and has the wit to know when to use which to the greatest effect. He rarely feels the need for imagery, sounds or smells, but on those occasions when those things will create the overall effect he desires, he'll use them as tools at his disposal. His mind has a certain resonance that is easily bigger than he is. He can reach across Pern if he needs to, and his variance in tone and pitch can be as carefully calculated as the words. Soft or strong, loud or soft, it's all to effect and evoke exactly the response he wants.
Itchyspots
Living with Zvaraseth, you'll be getting familiar with oil and dragon anatomy. Having a dragon that isn't formed quite like all the rest comes with consequences beyond the obvious. He'll have a tendency toward aches, with some days worse than others; helping him will be less about the oil and more about the massage you give him, especially in those areas most affected by his deformities.
Inspiration
As requested, your Zvaraseth is based on Tyrion Lannister from George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series. I (K'zin) tried to meld together the book and HBO series versions of the character and drew a lot from quotes. Tyrion was actually one of the concepts I asked for when I got my awesome Littlefinger bronze Rasavyth, so I'm tickled to get to write him up for you. All of this is simply a jumping off point and I hope you will be unabashed about making him your own and playing things (especially the birth defects) in whatever way is most fun for you. The name Zvaraseth comes from the Czech words zvl??tn? (meaning 'special, strange, peculiar') and rarasek (meaning 'imp'); we hope you find it as fun to say as we do.
Egg Inspiration: Mead Schaeffer's 'The Count of Monte Cristo' is as dramatic a painting as the cautionary tale it is meant for. I (Azaylia) admit to having a soft spot for this illustration because I had to paint a replica during one of my classes and I loved the color, as well as the dramatic expression. (Image)
| Clutch 56 | |
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