Ceryca's Green Kailanith

Cascading Forest of Kelp Egg

The background colour of this egg is a vivid blue, the sort of deep Mediterranean blue that absorbs all colour and sets the mind to drifting within its depths. The blue of deepest oceans, of dusky night skies and of magic and mystery hugs the smooth curves of the egg as though wrapped in the snuggest of blankets. But that blue only peeks through in tantalising hints and snatched glimpses, for from the base of the egg a forest of rich sea-greens stretch upward, arcing high toward that paler sunlit tip as though stretching eagerly toward the surface. Stories long-obscured by fading memory have told of such forests, those deep beneath ocean waves; but none have actually -seen- it. None have actually swum through that drifting kelp or done more than tell their tales. Surely there are forests as big as those in Lemos, fathoms below? But no... maybe not; perhaps they grace only children's tales, and the surface of this one lonely, mystical egg.

Egg Inspiration:

Hatching Pose: The Cascading Forest of Kelp Egg rocks once, and stops. It shudders again, and stops. Another break. And finally the strands of kelp almost seem to split along those vertical, wavy lines, making them look for a moment as though they were actually flowing, drifting with the current. But only for a moment; for then they're gone, broken into countless pieces in favour of the life they harboured.

Temperamental Vortex Green

Like a newborn human child, this dragonet looks chubby and roly-poly, however her figure is merely well rounded. Her hide is a chaotic vortex of green, dominated by the clash of two hues: deeply sinister hunter-green matched with serene foggy pine. It is a violent contest of swirls and eddies across her limbs and flanks, the potent mixture sweeping up to surge along her spine as breakers would crash upon a reef. A broad forehead and blunt muzzle is feathered with a touch of cloudy jade and quiet eddies ripple down her heavy throat, echoing the swirls of dark hunter along wingspars and bone. Pine stakes its claim on the 'sails, a misty touch pulling all the myriad hues together while unrelieved hunter hue envelope her tail; long for a dragonet, it twitches occasionally as though chained to a temperamental master.

Final Size: 24.9

Inspiration: In Babylonian myths, Tiamat is a huge, bloated female dragon that personifies the saltwater ocean, the water of Chaos. She is also the primordial mother of all that exists, including the gods themselves. Her consort is Apsu, the personification of the freshwater abyss that lies beneath the Earth. From their union, saltwater with freshwater, the first pair of gods were born. They are Lachmu and Lachamu, parents of Ansar and Kisar, grandparents of Anu and Ea.

In the creation epic Enuma elish, written around 2000 BCE, their descendants started to irritate Tiamat and Apsu so they decided to kill their offspring. Ea discovered their plans and he managed to kill Apsu while the latter was asleep. Tiamat flew into a rage when she learned about Apsu's death and wanted to avenge her husband. She created an army of monstrous creatures, which was to be led by her new consort Kingu, who is also her son. Eventually, Tiamat was defeated by the young god Marduk, who was born in the deep freshwater sea.

Marduk cleaved her body in half, and from the upper half he created the sky and from the lower half he made the earth. From her water came forth the clouds and her tears became the source of the Tigris and the Euphratus. Kingu also perished, and from his blood Marduk created the first humans.

Name: Kailanith - Kailanith is Hawaiian for "Sea and Sky". I thought this would be appropriate considering the body of Tiamat was used to create the skies and the earth(sea). I pronounce it Kay-lah-neeth with the stress on the -lah-. Also it works since she's an Ista dragon.

Mindvoice:

Public Impression Message: Tempermental Vortex Green breaks her stalk for a moment to look suspiciously at clutchsibs intruding on her space. But now knows who she wants and so she pounces.

Private Impression Message: The sea of sand, the Hatching ground seems to disappear before you, plunging into darkness. All else disappears, as though you were cast into an endless void. Chaos incarnate, salty and yet smooth condenses into a single thought that weaves it's way, sinuously into your head. << Ceryca. I am Kailanith. Let us shape this world to our liking. >> There's a pregnant pause as this canny green enters your awareness; and you can see her, feel her, sense her all at once. When she catches that awareness she sends you a sly afterthought: << After dinner, of course. >>

Temperament

Weyrling:
Kailanith is a temperamental creature, given equally to tolerance and violent rage, conflicting and contradicting herself without qualm. << Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. I am large; I contain multitudes. >> She is the puppet master, the mother, the lover and the vengeful destroyer.

As a weyrling, she is suspicious of her clutchmates and will try to manipulate them to achieve her own ends. She's a sly and sneaky creature who always seems on the verge of violence. Cunning, she will perform well in front of the leadership, and be polite and courteous in every way, but she will have little or no respect for those who do not have rank. << Halith? Don't make me laugh. What is he? Nothing! >> She will expect you to go far, thus ensuring her own success as well. << So what if I am not golden like Aerianth? I am Kailanith, and you are Ceryca, and we will triumph. >> She will willingly bow only to authority she feels is worthy, fighting all others tooth and nail (figuratively of course) until at last defeated.

Kailanith is akin to a puppet master, pulling strings from behind the scenes. << Ohalith, why put a crawlie in her cot, when a tunnelsnake would be much more entertaining? >> she might suggest slyly, when no one else is listening. She will always try to stay on the good side of Griere's lifemate, even while otherwise trying to plot against her. << Aerianth was looking rather tired, don't you think, Ceryca? >> Physically, her well-rounded figure will be a hinderance to her in her youth, so she will urge you to help her train more, to build her muscle and melt away the round plumpness. << I cannot be effective if I am so round, Ceryca. We must drill again, and again. >>

She is nothing if not driven. Whatever whim takes hold of her, she will pursue it blindly unless you intervene. Kailanith may take it into her head to tolerate all, or to destroy all, and it's always a little uncertain what may push her one way or the other. You will need to temper her rages, for she is capable of violence if they are allowed to progress so far. It may sometimes be necessary to let her vent on helpless prey, rather than allow her simmering anger to boil over.

Adult:
The effects of the hard training that Kailanith and you have undergone will pay off, for she will grow into a graceful, lithe creature as she reaches maturity. Despite her intentions, you and she will have worked well with your weyrling class, and she may have formed a few bosom buddies within that group, or among the older dragons. However, she will always be a scheming creature with big plans in store. She will strive to be first when she can so that she can best utilize the available resources. << Wingsecond? Why not, Ceryca? Then you shall have nicer things, and we will not have to fly dawn sweeps when we do not need to. >>

She is tolerant of children, oddly, recognizing their youth and inexperience. Her violence is restrained by their presense, buried more deeply within as she tempers her stormy nature. She has an innate understanding of the young, and will chide you when you rail against their obnoxious tendencies, << Even though their ways are so grievous, we should bear it patiently, for they are children, Ceryca. >> Since she will never have children of her own, she will desire you to procreate. << You can. I cannot. Therefore you must, Ceryca. We may sacrifice a little, for that. >> But she will not expect you to sacrifice too much, for her ambition will not approve of your taking too much time to raise the products of your womb, should you give in and produce any.

Her only 'girly' habit will be that of "information gathering" - i.e. gossiping. << Have you heard what happened to Faorath? Ceryca, go ask Tansith's rider about it.. What?! All information is important because proper plans can't be laid without information! >> Never mind that she'll forget it easily, she still wants it. << You will remember it for me, >> she will inform you imperiously.

Flight:
Your tempermental lifemate is seldom prone to melancholy, but an impending Flight is sure to bring it on. She will become more and more depressed as her Flight nears, as she instinctively knows that she is missing something from her otherwise blissfully conniving life. Whether she has a favorite, or no, she will begin to doubt herself, and may choose and reject a dozen suitors in the days before she takes to the skies, growing more upset and panicked by the hours as she second-guesses herself. Realizing that she is missing a love, a consort, a lover, she finally will take flight in search for her true beloved, only to he hunted by those who are bent on her destruction. Resist though she may, inevitably she will be caught, and like her inspiration, be "cleaved in two" should her truest partner not be the one to win her. << Oh! I am undone! >>

Should she choose a more permanent consort, she will love him passionately, though he may never realize. << It wouldn't do for him to get too big a head. >> She is more inclined to use affirmations of affection when they suit her purpose, to encourage him towards certain things, << You shall be the greatest, for you are my only lover. >> This is not to say that she will have only one in her lifetime. Should his affections or hers turn, she will not hesitate to find another just as worthy.

Wing:
In fighting Thread, Kailanith is a violent avenging goddess, her chaotic nature usually tempered by discipline. You will have to watch her moods as Threadfall approaches, and take action to distract her should she be on too destructive a wavelength, for that is when she is likely to make mistakes and injure herself or you in her rage. Perhaps this practice will also make you more aware of when she begins to glow.

Chaotic and violent - a veritable Istan hurricane, you, dear Weyrling, are the eye of Kailanith's storm - her balancing point. Only you will have her ultimate devotion.

Credits:

Egg: Reye
Description: Mirrari
Name: Mirrari
Temper: Mirrari
Puppeteer: Mirrari