Griere's Gold Aerianth

Dreams of Ocean Diamonds Egg

Ista's sunsets are always a sight to behold; but who knew they'd come to life so dramatically here in the dim light of the Hatching Cavern. There are some evenings, those rare and magical moments that stay forever in memory, where the fading sun sets golden fire to the ripples of the turbulent ocean's surface. Here too those ripples coat this large egg, variegated hues of pale amber to bright flame-gold crossing and criss-crossing as those waves overlap from round base to narrowed tip. Darker shadows of muted greys and blues between those crests hint at the deep, watery depths below and betray the untold riches of the undiscovered aquatic world beneath. And then... flashes of light, atop; was it imagination? No; here, brightening shadow... there, atop a crest, where the light hits and is reflected. For this egg does change appearances, -does- glitter with the light of diamonds when Omfaleth shifts its position in those dark Istan sands, reflecting the ambient caverns light as though it were brilliant tropical sun off ocean's twilight waves.

Egg Inspiration:

Hatching Pose: Glimmers of gold flash off the Dreams of Ocean Diamonds Egg as it too begins to wobble in earnest; one knock can faintly be heard against its shell, followed by another; and bit by bit those ocean's diamonds fall away, adding bright points of light to the dark Istan sands.

Ocean's Dawn Rose Gold

Palest gold tones flow in flaxen creams and ivories over silken hide, blending with dawn's softest rosy hues to wrap a petite dragonet in faint pastel tones that slide effortlessly over her neatly proportioned form. Daintiness marks her wedge-shaped head, narrow muzzle, bright eyes and smoothly curved eyeridges, all conveying a sense of youthful dignity. Her neck is slender, ridges low and wide in their stately row to where shoulders flow into wide wings with spars touched by topaz and subtly shimmering 'sails dusted with the barest hint of silver and ruby. With narrow flanks and a deep chest, her belly is gently rounded, willowy legs are a little long and solid paws with small, sharp talons are almost elegant. Lean haunches are marked by traces of warmer primrose, her ridges continuing their line down her tail, brushed by faint marbling right to the neatly forked tip.

Final Size: 39.4

Inspiration: Grainne Ni Mhaille

The story of Grainne Ni Mhaille or Granuaile (Anglicized as Grace O'Malley, Grany Malley) reads like the most brazen and unlikely sort of adventure fiction, but there's history as well as myth in the legend of the Irish noblewoman who led a band of 200 sea-raiders from the coast of Galway in the sixteenth century. Twice widowed, twice imprisoned, fighting her enemies both Irish and English for her rights, condemned for piracy, and finally pardoned in London by Queen Elizabeth herself, Grainne was one of the few sea-raiders to retire from the sea and die in her own bed, though where she's buried remains a mystery. She was unique in women's history, and is almost impossible to find trace of because she was almost completely ignored by historians; not surprising given the patriarchal society that was writing said history.

Grainne was ballsy, that's for darned sure. Rumour had it that Spanish ships used to sail a wide berth just to avoid confrontation with her. It's not that she was ever cruel; but word had it she considered locals free game as well because they were under jurisdiction of the sea. So she'd take their coin and goods and send them home with their tails between their legs. She was fantastically wealthy. And folk liked sailing with her because she took care of them. This was a woman who could be a woman; could be a noble; who could personally walk right up to the Queen and have her demands granted her; and who could lead 200 men and be respected as an equal in a time when men's rights were absolute.

Name: Aerianth

Mindvoice:

Public Impression Message: Ocean's Dawn Rose Gold Dragonet stops by Nettle just as she says that gooey comment and casts her a narrowed look from a good, oh, handspan from her nose. Gooey? The slender infant queen gives a small snort, then turns her head to rub a bit of that lingering egg goo on the candidate's robe before moving down along the line, body shimmering in pale pink-golds and ivories with the light. She seems content enough to linger in her search, except... except... her need grows greater. Where -is- she? Her movements become quicker, clumsy for all her slender appearance lends her a thought of grace. And she pauses midstep, gaze locking with that of a girl with plump curls. That pause doesn't last long... she pushes between two people, a light creel escaping her throat in her urgency to reach her Chosen.

Private Impression Message: Your awareness suddenly seems to shrink to a tiny, tiny little spot. You could focus your entire world, it seems, on the head of a pin. The galleries are no more; neither are the candidates who were by your sides. All seems dark, quiet, as though there were none in the world but you... and -her-. For that small gold dragonet is before you, and she's looking at you with eyes more beautiful than any you've ever seen. And the joy that seeps through from that hatchling, the jubilation that washes over you in titanic waves is enough to dispel any doubt you ever had about dragonkind, all in one second. << Griere, >> you hear that soft, tentative voice; there's warmth in that voice, a slight sparkle of love, strength and faint amusement. << Griere, come back to me. Here you are! I am your Aerianth. We are together! >>

Temperament

Weyrling:
Headstrong and self-confident, your lifemate still retains that feminine side that dictates her heritage; she could not be Omfaleth's daughter otherwise. She is a strange dichotemy; quite different from your average queen. Although she will spend time on her appearance -- << Griere, I think it would be appropriate for me to have an extra oiling before the first flight lesson; we will be watched most closely then. >> -- she also has a rather atypical straightforwardness even as a Weyrling, a clarity that really sets her mind apart. She doesn't pretend to be uppity like some queens we might mention; in her mind, you get where you are based on how skilled you are and what you do, but well, if she's shiny and folk like looking at her, she's not above showing her best side.

She -will- challenge you though; for she has a sense of adventure and plucky outright -daring- that would set the most brazen bronze to shame. Oh, she'll act like the demure, proper gold when it suits her; when she needs to make that appearance. But she's cunning, and unlike any gold this Weyr has ever hatched. And if you let her, she'll draw out that side of you, too. You might find yourself on unexpected adventures before you even know what happened.

Adult:
Her mindvoice is ever regal; although her sense of adventure hasn't left her, it's tapered; for she knows she's in position of command, and she takes that very seriously. She'll still spend time with you talking about frivolous things; it's important to you, so it's important to her. She loves talking about oils and being the test subject for new concoctions; and for some stunning reason she has an amazing fashion sense - she must get it from her dam. She'll give you better feedback on your outfits than you'd have thought; and to her, that's important; for as a junior weyrwoman, you need to look a certain way. She knows how people follow based on appearances as well as ability, and she knows how to maximize that, too.

While she's friendly with other dragons, she doesn't socialize overmuch; she's not a green to gossip around the Weyr. But she'll make her close friends and trusted compatriots, and it's those she'll often ask for special favours; a fish from the ocean, a trip to fetch something you or she needs. In fact, you might be surprised to one day find she's established a brilliant network right under your nose; and that she's quite efficiently managing a whole group of dragons on small Weyr projects

Flight:
Your lifemate may not be as fiery as her dam but in one area: the sky. For during her first flight you will have the most difficult time controlling her. She's your friend, yes. She's your lifemate and truest love; and she adores you completely. The leadup will be.. almost insignificant. But when she wakes from that slumber and rises it'll be like a slap in the face. It's then that you will have to use all your strength to remind her of your bond; and with that strength she'll ground herself again just in time to soar for the heavens. In following flights she'll be canny. She'll know how to evade, maneuver and out-trick even the most sly of those bronze and brown dragons, and may well wind up with half of them completely confused before the winner catches his goal.

Wing:
Your lifemate is a bold fighter, and in fact often you'll have to hold her back, remind her it's only a flamethrower you're using, and sometimes those don't work as well as the real thing. But she's a decent tactician; and if you ever find you need to lead the queen's wing, you'll find she's more than capable. She takes care of those in her wing; always checking on them, sending brief words of encouragement, or a wordless message that reminds them she's on the watch. She hates Thread as much as any dragon; but she's more rational about it. She's the sort who might listen in when the wingleader's dragons are discussing the Fall; or might watch herself, and make comments to you -- only to you -- what she thinks of the Weyrleader's newest formations.

Credits:

Egg: Reye
Description: Belanca and Reye
Temper: Reye
Puppeteer: Reye