Difference between revisions of "Dragon:Safriath"

Revision as of 08:14, 23 April 2015

Plumes a' Plenty Egg

Plumes of soft scarlet and magenta burst up from one end of this egg, streaming up and around the elongated curves in wispy lines. Not that its girth is any less impressive for that length; the striking fan of color spreads over quite a broad base, too. Scattered across the tapered tip at the other end are thick whorls made out of tiny mica sparkles, doing their best to attract all of the attention.

Plumes a' Plenty Egg still hasn't succumbed to all of those hairline fissures; it takes a sudden forceful rock to create a long midline crack among them before it breaks, its fan of feathered color folding away to reveal an indignant-looking, burnished gold hatchling. Head high in survey of these new surroundings of hers, particularly the white-robed ones, she stomps away, a few clinging bits of shell still stuck to her hide.

Firelit Flamenco Gold

Firelight engages in a passionate dance across the doubloon hide of this proud queen, casting her sensual and statuesque figure in simmering heat. Her size does little to hamper the easy control with which she moves, every step and every turn of her head executed as though part of a dramatic routine. The precise arch of eyeridges, the touch of tarnish that rims her round, deep-hued gaze, the polished brightness lifting her delicate chin and the pointed crown of long headknobs all imbue her face with a lofty nobility. Tracing down her neck in a neat, even line are crisp ridges, each blackened at its base and burning clear at its tip. Across expansive wings and over her shapely shoulders and flanks, flames brighten to form molten swirls of gold and light in among the tarnish. With long, patinaed spars that stretch like spires beyond those sails, her wings are expressive, ready to gesture, to sweep in gracefully or snap outward in sharp punctuation.

Temperament

Everything about your Safriath is larger than life: her exuberance, her pride, her expressive gestures, her haughty displeasure and her unwavering love for you. She hatches feeling innately that she's royalty and that the world is hers. She'll demand all of your attention, Nenita, to help her figure out these new things that surround her. They all belong to her, right? Ok, so it might be up to you to give her the bad news, but at least she takes it in stride. In her youth, she is simply a naive soul who needs an extra perspective to understand her place in the universe. She loves to be doted on, specifically by you, and she will never tire of discussing how perfect she is and how perfect you are together. You are the most important thing in her world and if she is so very important herself, just think what that must say about you. It's going to be a popular bedtime conversation.

Those who show off do have a tendency to make an ass of themselves and Safriath has a penchant for being the center of attention. Unfortunately, as soon as things stop going her way, she can have the rather unattractive tendency to be a sore loser. Her haughtiness may be something to contend with, but so is her laugh. She can be utterly vivacious when she forgets her lofty notions and simply enjoys herself. Her zest for life may be infectious, and when her spirits are high, she wants everyone to join in.

One thing that puts her in a good mood is basking in the sunlight. Safriath loves the heat of Ista from day one; it matches so well with the touch of fire in her nature and it makes her gleam so nicely. She's quite particular about that gleaming appearance, too, and she'll insist that everything, even soapsuds, be rinsed away from her hide as quickly as possible, so they're not marring her beauty for one second longer than necessary.

As Safriath eases into adulthood, the two of you will learn to work together and adjust to your influences on one another. While sometimes your passions rise together, other times you'll find yourself needing to rein her in. Of course, she might just get to you with a good puppy-dog look from those great big eyes. Not always so manipulative, she'll be quick to buoy you when your spirits are down, just as quick to share her joyous laughter as she is to give you an earful about her latest gripes.

Just as much as she loves to be admired, she loves to be entertained, adoring passionate music, anyone who makes her laugh and any bit of dramatic intrigue she can find. And if she can't find it, she'll create it. Though you may not appreciate it, she's apt to make you the center of her productions, largely in the form of meddling with your romantic interests. « Don't waste your time with him, my Nenita. He's so dull. Wouldn't you prefer to be with that other man? The one that makes your blood boil? » Excitement! Passion! So what if you only feel such heat because you positively hate that guy.

Safriath also entertains herself by taking to the air, which is where she truly finds her stride. Those first few flying trips during weyrlinghood may have been a bit bumpy, but she'll quickly get the hang of it and will turn out to be remarkably graceful in flight, particularly for a girl of her size. Like a dancer, every little movement is rooted in fluidity and has a forceful precision to it. She could quite easily be called flashy, with all of her wing flourishing and head tossing and tail flicking. And, of course she loves an audience, so if you'd like to watch or fly with her, she'll gladly indulge.

The firelight of her hide may grow brighter when it's time for her to rise, but Safriath herself turns that fiery passion of hers inward, as if she's saving it for the big performance that's just around the corner. She might seem unusually calm on the outside but oh, poor Nenita, you might just begin to feel that inferno burning in yourself, blurring the lines between you more and more until she finally rises. The flight itself will probably come as a tremendous relief as Safriath, in one bright, blazing dance across the clouds, releases everything she's been bottling up.

There is no particular type of male who will catch her eye: it could be anyone, or she could inexplicably loathe them all. There's no telling where her passions will take her, but when all is done, she'll make an enthusiastic mate, if not so enthusiastic a prospective mother. She takes no pleasure in growing round with eggs; they make her heavy, hamper flight, and in general the whole experience just makes her very temperamental. She'll be too proud to go back on all of those complaints by the time the eggs do drop, too proud to admit that she secretly adores them. While there may be quite a show of indifference when she's on the sands, with you and you alone, she will generously allow you to see her affections, bathing you in the glow of her joy as she privately fawns over every member of her clutch.

As a junior, Safriath will be a rock of support to the Weyr, fiercely loyal to Ista and eager to see all of its endeavors succeed, and yours as well. She has an adventurous spirit, one that takes on new challenges with excitement and gusto. New ideas will catch her attention. « Have you given any thought to that notion of gemstones. That man found one. There could be more. » She wants to see her Weyr grow and expand and she's just as ready to lend a sympathetic ear when someone is having trouble. After all, the only way to improve is to know where the problems lie. Her compatriots are treated with warm respect, unless they cross her; then, like the snap of a fan, that warmth becomes searing, her fury easily provoked. But even if they are exposed to the full extent of her wrath, all will be forgiven in the end, for Istans are family, blood, and nothing is stronger than that.

There is one problem, however, that she's unlikely to master: diplomacy. Dragons from other Weyrs tend to be viewed as an invading faction; they bring out her haughty superiority with full force. She can be put on edge by any visiting dragon, even if she isn't involved in whatever business brought them. You may have to dissuade her from following them in her Weyr, from watching their every move with a sharp wariness. Her distrust may prove awkward, especially should you become Weyrwoman, but luckily Safriath can be forced to be coolly civil-- with some very strong insistence.

Public Impression Message

Firelit Flamenco Gold turns her head to the side, closing her eyes against all the chaos, against all these unacceptable choices. Oh, woe is her. What is a girl to do? And yet a moment later she is cracking a lid open to peer at the candidates again. Perhaps she's judged too quickly. Perhaps... With only a touch of hesitation she turns toward the throng again and then the oversized queen struts purposefully up to an undersized candidate, one with brown hair and expressive eyes. That's the one for her.

Private Impression Message

From somewhere in the reverberations of that droning draconic hum, a chaotic, echoing thunder of hooves emerges, a sudden stampede that no one else seems to heed but threatens to overcome your senses nonetheless. At first, the galloping careens and charges erratically in your ears, but it gradually becomes more distinct and polished, developing into the thudding rhythm of a fiery dance. The cadence builds and builds to a staccato crescendo, shutting out all other noises, joined by triumphant roll castanets and a thrill of guitar. A sudden flare of ruffled red, blurred motion, cuts it all off and in the intense silence that follows an effortless, deeply feminine voice announces itself. « Yes, you're the one. Nenita. » With an impudent stomp, the tempo begins anew, cascading into her pronunciation. « I am Safriath. You are mine now. »

Mindvoice

"Deep song (cante jondo) is truly deep, deeper than all the wells and oceans of the world. It comes from the first sob and the first kiss." ~Federico Garcia Lorca/Poet

The staccato nature of gypsy rhythms dominates Safriath's mindvoice. Everything is measured to some internal beat, around which her words and vivid imagery dance. There are the echoing stomps of heeled shoes when her ire is provoked and the charming clatter of castanets that accompanies her rich, rolling laughter. The colors of her mental touch are saturated and sumptuous, tending toward blood reds and wine purples, filled with the flouncy motion of ruffles and thick-petaled flowers. Her voice itself is deeply feminine, utterly expressive and sultry without trying. It can just as easily carry the full weight of her cool contempt as the boundless joy she will have for your successes. Moreso than many dragons, Safriath is physically expressive as well, apt to turn big, blinking eyes on someone when she's asking a favor, to let her generous wing snap out like a fan when irritated or to sweep that wing and shoulder in to strike the perfect coy pose.

Inspiration

"It is better to die with the blood gushing from you, than to live with it dead in your veins." ~Federico Garcia Lorca/Poet

Safriath is based on Barcelona, Spain, a large but beachy Mediterranean city with a rich history and culture. We thought that the fiery Spanish temperament, with its roots in the conquistadores of the past was a perfect fit for Nenita. We see Safriath as a Spanish princess, a passionate, haughty thing with a flare for the dramatic. The feel of her mindvoice, as well as much of her personality is tied to flamenco, with its deeply emotional music, graceful movements, and rich colors. Her physicality is inspired by the imposing but delicate architecture of Gaudi, namely the unfinished Sagrada Familia (here), while her color comes from an ancient, firelit doubloon, a hoarded piece of the gold that the conquistadores fought so hard to attain.

Name: Safriath - Inspired by the Sagrada Familia.

Egg Inspiration: It's one of the first images that comes to mind when I think of casinos, the extravagant, glittery headdresses that the performers in Vegas wear.