Difference between revisions of "Dragon:Arekoth"

Revision as of 09:48, 7 February 2015

Jupiter's Revenge Egg

Wrapped in midnight blue, the surface of this small egg might be peaceful if it weren't rent by streaks of lightning. The bright bolts crackle from one end to the other, wrapping the shell in the illusion of electricity. The sparks grow paler as they radiate out from the main prongs, but they still illuminate the night-dark egg, turning the blackness of its undersides to brilliant electric blue.

Backtalking Beaked Brown Arekoth

Mahogany darkens his back, masking powerful shoulders and persisting on the flat 'ridges that march up his neck, right until the edge of the teak hood that covers headknobs and eyeridges. A richer rosewood feathers ruddier tones over the tops of his wings, skipping his legs to appear again over fearsome talons. The lighter underside of his youth has darkened with age, attested now only in the clay on the middle of his 'sails and sandstone on his limbs; gossan has since dusted his belly, and fully covered wings' leading edge, while charcoal has scored the trailing fringe. Burnt ochre brings out the hook of his snout, but even that pales in comparison to the bright vermillion of his long tail.

Temperament

Arekoth is, in personality if not in physicality, big, robust, and unapologetic. He'd be one of those guys at the next table over in the pub, the one who's really annoying because he talks loudly, laughs even more so, and tends to smack people who aren't even involved in the conversation on the back, purely because he's feeling the mirth. What it really comes down to, though, is that he's a dragon of guts, and not much else. Brain-dragons can filter what they say and have some inkling of what is or isn't appropriate, or at least have sense enough to take cues from their riders. Gut-dragons like what they like because they do, and know it, and say it if the mood takes them. Gut-dragons react first and probably don't think later. Gut-dragons laugh and fart and screw and fight and have a wonderful time in all of it. And let everyone know exactly how they're feeling because it feels good to do so.

So Arekoth is competitive with other dragons in the moment, because that's where the fun is, but he won't scheme or work hard at becoming better than they are. And when Arekoth he applies himself in training, it's because he's having fun with it. When he doesn't, well. And Arekoth doesn't take long-term mates because that requires routine, requires patience, requires steadfastness. He chases the ones that pique his interest (admittedly, most) and he stays with them while those emotions are running high. If his guts tell him to hang around, he will. And if they don't, well. And Arekoth makes crude jokes at opportune and inopportune moments, whenever the mood strikes. Crude is pretty much where guts are at, and, well.

It's not just superficial actions or words or mannerisms. Guts are at his very core. Arekoth can hate fiercely because of the fire that burns there. He can protect loyally because of the constant pull there. He can love unconditionally because of the warmth there. He doesn't think things through, not consciously, but he always has a very good reason for the things he does, and it's a reason that isn't prone to change, in part because it cannot be rationalised or argued.

That's sort of why he picked a young man from Tillek with a stick up his butt and a good many very brain-oriented ideas about right, and duty, and honour, and propriety. If he'd stopped to think about it, he probably would've turned tail and run. But he didn't. He just went with his gut.

NPC Impression Message

Jupiter's Revenge Egg splits apart, as if by one of the bolts of lightning visible upon the shell. Left behind is a sandy brown hatchling who seems, at first, completely unable to bring himself to actually get up and move. Finally, though, he wobbles towards his feet, and teeters off towards the nearest group of candidates, where, coming to an awkward stop, he finds a young man who fits just right.

Mindvoice

When you've got a big, round voice like Arekoth's, there's not much more needed; he's plenty expressive just with that, and usually just sticks to words, inflection, and sometimes imitation to get his points across. Imagery tends to be just for H'kon, reflections of emotion that come about by accident more than anything. Even then, it's just flashes of green, yellow, or pink aurorae. Other dragons will only see any of this in times of high emotional involvement. He doesn't really have a smell, although the cold air of a High Reaches winter does complement his colour flashes rather nicely.

Inspirations

Arekoth's physicality, both in look and in how he tends to move, are based on the red-tailed hawk. His mindvoice is Ray Stevenson, with a twist of aurora borealis thrown in when he actually demonstrates imagery. His personality (and his interaction with H'kon) draws a lot from Titus Pullo (of HBO's Rome), and any other come-as-you-are, irreverant, and generally good-natured characters that suit.

Egg Inspiration: Lightning and thunderbolts, favored by gods everywhere.