Caitlyn's Blue Kintryth

Sad Sparkle Egg

There's red here, glorious and vain and brilliant, celebratory in its bloody brilliance. From a few angles the blending, blurring shades of carmine and scarlet are all there is to see, but from one telling angle it's clear that all those hues of rouge are there only to do one thing: frame the pale, sparkling diamond that crests the shell's east-facing curves. At no point do its colors truly approach white - this seeming jewel is cast in pale and shadowy, sorrowful blues. It shines despite itself, its glittering beauty unsuppressed by even such gloomy depression.

Egg Inspiration: Moulin Rouge

'Hindi Sad Diamonds,' the number of the 'show' put on at the Moulin Rouge which showcases Satine's character in all her glorious misery.

Hatching Pose: Trembling, the sorrowful blues of the Sad Sparkle egg begin to split. A hole forms, and one bespeckled blue foreleg extends through it, scraping against the sharp shell and oozing ichor in its keen insistence to escape. A wail echoes from within, the hatchling's protest against the cruelties of the world, then he gathers his strength, his wounded forelimb becoming the instrument of the egg's destruction, and in an instant, he is wobbling, resolute, among the shards.

Verbose Raincloud Blue

He is dominantly blue the way a pool of water is blue, a gathering of opaque droplets animated and moving sinuously across his rough-seeming hide. Dappled with shades of white, gray, and black from pointed muzzle to the stretch of slim tail, he innocuously blends in, melding with the environment and disappearing in camouflage against a cloud-touched sky or a gray stone wall. His neckridges start unusually far back behind sincere, expressive eyes, as though receding from a high forehead. When standing upright, he is a little shorter than most. His elongated wings are the deep blue of a well-dyed fabric, with a visual roughness of texture. One rounded shoulder is set lower than the other, so he appears tilted, and he seems to favor his left forelimb, often holding it gingerly close to his even chest. Rear limbs burgeon with the early promise of strong, lean muscle, hinting at a powerful yet latent ability to spring into action.

Final Size: 25.6

Inspiration: When creating a dragon for Caitlyn, we wanted to provide a character of depth, rich with opportunities and challenges. We selected Verbal, a complex, fascinating character. (Note: this contains spoilers! If you haven't seen the phenomenal film _The Usual Suspects_, you may wish to hold off on reading the rest of the temper until you do, as it spoils a key surprise).

Name: Kintryth - Kintryth's name is derived from the last name of character Verbal Kint, on whom he is based. When broken down, the name's components are also symbolic: Kin + truth suggests he speaks a kin of truth, but not the entire truth. Having that turn to Kin (or can) + 'try' suggests his efforts, but potential failures, be they accidental, or deliberate.

Mindvoice: Kintryth's mindvoice is commonly scented of old klah and of returning rain, though in rare anger it burns like hot cinders. It is a disarming patter of words and ideas, a sometime monotone that is as comforting and easy to listen to as the patter of autumnal raindrops on a dry field. In tone, he can be sarcastic but also extremely sincere, and is highly believable and earnest, particularly when engaging in tangents. << One time, I ate so much firestone I coughed on accident and burned up a whole fence. >> Truth, or mismemory? Only you will know for sure.

Internal Impression Message: Though the slight trail of ichor has tapered off already, the Verbose Teardrop Blue continues to hold his left forelimb close to his chest, cradling it as he unsteadily searches the sands. At last, his gaze finds a broad-shouldered girl with golden brown eyes. He launches himself at her, swiping Caitlyn lightly across the forehead with his talons, his ichor mingling with her fresh trail of blood before he finally lands, hissing, at her feet.

External Impression Message: Any traces of anger, annoyance, or petty irritation: they all begin to melt away, pooling into a puddle opaque as the rain that feels like it is falling in heavy drops over the surface of your body. That dampness you first might mistake as sweat from the heat of the sands is overwhelming, the patterpatter of the thick rainfall in your head blotting out all external sounds, and the voices of your fellow candidates fading into emptiness. Then there is shock, and a hint of physical pain, but even that recedes until there is only him: simple, earnest, and so much more, stumbling before you. Your vision begins to clear even through the light trickle of blood from your forehead, though it will from here forward be tinged with his particular way of viewing the world. << Caitlyn >> speaks the raindrops as they slowly take corporeal form, shadowed with apology for inflicting your wound. << We've shared blood. We're kin now. That's the truth. In fact, that's what you should call me: Kintryth. And if you could help me up off the ground, and maybe to something for my hunger, I'd appreciate it. >>

Temperament

Weyrling:
Kintryth is complex, destined to be a handful from the moment he breaks shell. He's not loud or commanding; rather, he's verbose, loquacious, wordy. And has "the will to do what the other guy wouldn't." Adventure and invention pair to make him an accidental troublemaker, weaving amazing tales, leading listeners on a wild goose chase, pulling inspiration from his environment to justify his actions. << This trader tossed a >> (a green takes flight) << green gemstone, and we -had- to find it for >> (the headwoman walks by) << the headwoman, and we didn't mean to break the spyglass, really. >> When in trouble, he's unflappable under intimtidation, and won't rat on his friends, or you. Don't worry; if he gets 'jail time,' he'll persevere, thinking it'll make him more 'accepted' if he's one of "the usual suspects."

While easily dehydrated as a youth, Kintryth'll get better at planning for his needs with age. Though his injury may heal flawlessly, he'll continue to favor that paw as if it pains him, a ruse he'll employ his whole life. Some may assume he's dull-witted due to his carriage, but he has them fooled--it's a card he plays, one of many in his deck of jests and cons, and he can don or shed the ruse at will (though he'd certainly play the sympathy card if it might get him somewhere). Others may gravitate toward him for his creativity or the simple, earnest delivery that makes his tales so captivating.

Hunting will be one of his favorite activities; he'll stalk, and then attack, taking down his chosen with deadly accuracy. Except, of course, when someone is watching. Then it's an act, even if an unconscious one, all wobbly movements and a failed awkward leap or lunge before what seems like an (carefully engineered) accident or a sympathetic friend or clutchsibling helps him take down his prey.

Adult:
While not capable of lying outright, his imagination carries him in all directions, from frauds and games as a young dragon << Of course we should all fly to the Star Stones; I'm sure the Weyrlingmaster said to help the Watchrider! >> to gleeful cons as an adolescent, << Swallowing the firestone makes a funny feeling; try it and see! >>. As an adult dragon, he'll urge you after jewels or marks too, prodding you into occasionally undesirable situations. << It couldn't hurt to bet again, could it? You still have a few bracelets left. Use the first card, this time, though, when I give advice? And don't scowl, Caitlyn, or people will guess we're losing. >>

With his ability to blend in Kintryth seems unassuming enough, but he'll surprise you with his ability to plan. Helping is his expanded memory for a dragon, though he'll usually pretend he knows less than he does. He'll always be full of surprises, even when you think you've figured him all out.

His humor and casual attitude are disarming, and that's just the way he likes it. If he's underestimated, he always has the advantage of surprise. If thread were to return, that's how he'd like it--sneak up on it, then pull out all the stops and mow it down.

If you want him to be other than a somewhat manipulative storyteller, you'll have to work to keep him tame, and you might find him bending more to your desires than to his own. Though some of his deceptions may certainly come in handy!

Flight:
Here's where it may become more apparent to everyone else what you knew all along: beneath that veneer of struggle lurks a capable, strong dragon. His habit of assuming a 'slight defect' in the twist of his left foreleg could suddenly cease to be trouble, his flight evening out and his wingbeats strong in this time of pressure and high-stakes. They could even bring out a certain sense of ruthlessness in him, especially when it comes to the other chasers, your seemingly gentle lifemate lashing out at them, cutting in front of them, and being a general menace. Then again, he could be tricky; he might hold back so much that he never wins.

Should he triumph, he probably won't have too much affection beyond the moment at hand for the lady, though he could put on the gentlemanly charm if he felt the urge, or, if he didn't, he could take refuge in his public persona of incompetence and his mysterious allure. While he'd publicly be kind to her, he'd leave her behind without a second thought the instant a more appealing past-time, say a flash of green in the sky, or a group of youths discussing the next dragonpoker tournament, came along.

Wing:
Quick of mind, agile with ideas, Kintryth is 'the man with the plan.' He's much more inside than he allows on the outside. He's a team player, or at least, appears to be, understanding intuitively how to best utilize others for their strengths, like a legendary unseen figure who leads largely by reputation. As a leader he has the potential to exact swift retribution (say, dawn sweeps or fewmet duties) against those who let him down.

In the air, his habit of playing to his 'mild injury' doesn't actually impede his movement or flight, though he certainly won't be fond of showing it (except around you, or that fluttery radiant green). In formation, his minute adjustments keep airborne lines aligned, though ground drills have the potential to aggravate his old foreleg twist. On aerial routes, he'll be incredibly precise, noticing details that others overlook.

In Searching, he'll be active, but will only when -he- wants to, regardless of your activities. Beware: he doesn't mind a good jest, and if he sees a youth who could use a turn in the barracks, be she a holder's too-saucy granddaughter or a too-studious harper's apprentice, he'll nudge her anyway. Only the hatching will tell whether he's selected based on instinct for Impression, or just plain old orneryness. Best not to tell the candidates that, though.

Credits:

Egg: V'lano
Description: Nolee
Temper: Nolee
Puppeteer: Nolee