2022/05/11 Gold Malvayth has Flown, caught by Bronze Xyxyth of A'tay. Their Hatching will be PC, and take place in Telgar in August around the 20-22nd! Update your Candidate Applications and prepare for some fun!
2022/04/21 New default layout! I hope you enjoy it! If you find any bugs, please report them in the discord #bug-squishing channel!
05/JUL It’s Hatching time!! Come take part in the shenanigans here
30/JUN Gold Thallyath of Ista Weyr has laid a clutch! More information here
27/JUN A bluerider, and then a greenrider, are found dead. More information here
30/MAY After the Touching, many Candidates found themselves preyed upon in the form of their food. More information here
18/MAY Another goldrider - Ameris of Benden - is attacked. More information here
05/MAY Multiple individuals are attacked whilest out of the Weyr! More information here
04/MAY Take a chance OOC and guess who you think the murderer is! You can win prizes! More information here
03/MAY Goldrider Cazan and her twin brother Cazelarias are attacked. More information here
24/APR Goldrider Ashara of Fort is murdered by two brownriders. More information here
12/APR Searchrider B’jin was attacked at Telgar Weyr, surffering a slash to his throat. While in Benden, bluerider B’dor is found dead in his weyr. More info here
05/APRMore attacks occurred today. More information here
03/APRMultiple individuals found their death this day; more information here and here
28/MAR Tragedy has struck again! Across all the Weyrs, multiple people - primarily dragonriders - have fallen ill after eating muffins. There have been multiple deaths, and others are in criticle condition. More information here
24/MAR Weyrwoman Ameris and her son, Rislan, poisoned! More information here
18/MAR Benden’s Weyrleader M’ris and his children have been poisoned! Resulting in sickness and death. More information here
18/MAROn 18.03.742 Bronzerider A’dris of Vyaniorth was found dead in his personal bathing pool. He appears to have drowned after drinking an excess of alcohol. Afterwards it was realized that Machiya of Gold Cameth from Telgar Weyr had disappeared. Having never arrived at her destination, it is suspected she had an accident between.
11/MAR Gold Racoth of Donmaline went between taking Bronze Beruth of T’rel with her shortly after she had been caught, due to T’rel strangling Donmaline. He did not survive. more info
25/FEB Congratulations and thank-you to Guest for taking on a moderator role! <3
Welcome to the Month of Lovetm! This month's Monthly Event is all about Romance, whether it is asking someone out on a date, or getting sweaty between the sheets! Anything and everything counts, if it even looks sideways like it could be related to Valentine Day -- including lover's spats, or breaking up, Flights Wins (or Flight Losses!). Honestly, this month has a huge opportunity for interpertation, so go wild!
Ahh, the fresh snow, the crisp air, the naked trees... welcome to Winter! Or, just the Colder Months for those in the more Northern Weyrs, while Ista is just... not as hot. But it is time to enjoy the end of the Turn, so folks should get together, spend some time gossiping, and drinking Hot Chocolate (alcohol and marshmallows opional)... does Pern even have marshmallows????? (they do now!)
Narinoa followed his potential weyrlingmaster with the rest of his group. They had been split up after breakfast into three groups and he was in the first one, meandering his way with some jokes and comments as they went. He knew as soon as they crossed the threshold into the Hatching Grounds that it would be all serious business and respect--as it should be--but it was early, they had full bellies, and a little excitement and fear mingling together left a lot of them chatty and Narinoa was always willing to flirt or discuss what might happen.
One thing that was new to him was seeing two clutches on the Sands at the same time. They were stopped at the door and reminded again that Malvayth had just clutched and to be mindful of her space and mood. Goldrider Cazan would be sitting with her and Weyrwoman Rhaedalyn and of course Aradissicath were there as well to help keep tensions as low as possible. From what Narinoa knew of the younger gold, he didn't think there would be any problems and as they entered, he saw her watching them and he got the impression that Malvayth was excited and he couldn't help but smile and wave at her as they passed by.
Rhaedalyn greeted them with a warm smile as Aradissicath sat regally behind her. There was something that was always so impressive about the gold dragons and Narinoa never tired of seeing them, especially when they were in their element like on the Sands or perhaps one day assisting in guiding them through their tasks in a Threadfall. The Weyrwoman reminded them to keep their firelizards away--something he had already done, sending Pipsqueak to pester L'gan for the morning--and then gave them permission to wander around the collection of eggs. Narinoa knew from experience that with such a large clutch he wouldn't get through all of them. He never tried, though. He liked to follow his instincts and touch only a handful and then reflect upon any connection made. The dragons never seemed to remember any of them after they hatched but it was still nice to think that perhaps this ritual did help inspire a bond and that the dragon he was meant for would be one of the ones he Touched and he would be remembered.
As the group scattered to head towards their first egg, Narinoa hung back for a moment and then weaved his way through to find a smaller egg that had been initially overlooked, setting his palm on the warm surface.
Reminder: this is an NPC Hatching and no gold. The only female Candidates in play for this one are those who have already completed their healing training.
You don't need to bow to Aradissicath. That's just not something we have in this game. If your character is overly polite, sure. Bow or thank her, though don't get too close.
Candidates are divided into ten groups of thirty who each visit the eggs for an hour, with a 15 minute gap between sessions. For the purpose of RP, all PC Candidates are in the same group, which is obviously this thread.
This Touching commences at 9am and these guys are the first group, meaning that no one else has Touched the eggs yet. Because there are 44 eggs, it’s not likely a Candidate will touch every egg. A minimum of one is required. OOC: Feel free to Touch as many as you want but 2-3 seems to be the norm for playing out responses. (but not the rule! Go for more or less if you desire. You can say they Touched ten.)
Candidates are expected to be polite and demure; the egg safety is paramount and anyone found to be goofing around will be removed. Firelizards are not allowed on the Sands during the Touching. Aradissicath doesn’t mind them in general but her eggs are important and she will not have distractions during the time.
Eggs are approximately 4 to 5 feet in length, and approximately half to two-thirds that in width. They’re rather squat and roundish. Eggs are laid in a leathery state, much like an earthen snake egg. They slowly expand as they harden with the youngster growing within. When a candidate Touches an egg, they will find the shell to be hard, but kind of lumpy and bumpy in some spots, and smooth in others, depending on how the dragonet shifted during the hardening phase. All the eggs are roughly the same mottled greenish-tan, except for the gold egg, which has a bit of the metallic gold color in the shell, in addition to being larger than all the others.
Additionally, when the candidate’s hand connects with the shell, the dragonet within will reach out mentally and touch their mind. The response the dragonet has to each individual candidate is extremely varied and often considered private by the individuals. A negative response from a dragonet does not denote the inability to Impress the hatchling within! There have been several cases in the past – PC and NPC – when characters Impressed to a hatchling from an egg that they thought hated them.
If you want a reply from the egg, put an ooc note with a number 1-44 and I'll get one up. You can also ask for a mood instead and write your own reply if you prefer.
Dareji had been back in the Weyr for less than two weeks but it was great to be back--and a bit weird at the same time. She'd spent the last eleven months in Healer Hall learning everything she could to one day help out the Weyr. If for some reason she did end up on a gold, she'd be needed to tend the wounded during Threadfall but she could also assist someone in her own wing if she got green or blue. Heck, she could assist in any situation now with what she knew and she was damn proud of it. She finally felt like maybe she would be useful and had a direction in life instead of just helping out in various chores while hoping she Impressed like her father and brother.
But today was meant for that hope as she walked onto the Sands. It had been a year since she last stood at Aradissicath's last clutch. That was when she decided she would commit to Fort and their healing stipulation for Standing. Now she was back and ready to try to find her dragon. She giggled at Malvayth's chipper greeting to them. She'd heard stories about the gold and some of her siblings that were just as outlandish but she hadn't seen much of that clutch before or after her time in the Hall. Malvayth seemed fun, though, and Dareji was glad to see she seemed happy in general and proud of her little clutch.
After Rhaedalyn gave them leave to explore the eggs, Dareji looked around at her fellow Candidates. She was one of the only girls in her group and Standing for this clutch in general. It was interesting to see which girls also had the determination to Stand even without a gold egg but she wouldn't let that distract her any longer as she wandered around to the left before finding an egg that she was drawn to.
Madelan sauntered in with the rest, a small smirk lifting the corner of his mouth as he listened to the 'master explain the rules and whatnot of a touching. He was no fool, there was no reason for the man to tell him what he needed to do. He'd done it before, after all, and wasn't stupid enough to forget between one hatching and the next. He smiled languidly at Narinoa as he slipped past the other candidate. While R'nar was fairly decent at keeping him busy, Mads couldn't help but wonder if he could entice the other candidate into his bed.
He was still contemplating it when he came to an egg, studying it with hazel eyes for a moment. It was large, nearly as large as he was, and still considered them to be such a boring lump of eggshell. It was his fairly firm estimation that the only thing interesting about them was what was inside. Too bad they weren't transparent.
His hand was careful as he laid his palm against the smooth side. He'd managed to find the one slick spot on the greenish egg. What was he supposed to do now? Ah, yes. Think happy thoughts.
He supposed he didn't mind, Landen could fault them for wanting to be careful with the future of the weyr but rules were a boring fuss. He listened as intently as he could before his attention drifted around the cavern. He wiggled his fingers in the direction of Malvayth and Cazan before glancing around for Pie. He was relieved that the idiot blue had listened to him when he'd demanded he stay away. Arradissicath would probably eat him. Or Malvayth, though that one was a stretch.
Landed waited patiently. Well as patiently as he could, feet tapping and fingers shifting before he was allowed to wander around to find an egg to touch. He wondered how many girls were going to brave the world and come into touch what eggs Aradissicath had laid. There was no gold egg after all and he knew a couple were staying out of the lineup. He was pleased that a few had, way to buck the norm and be rebels was the only thing he could think.
Eyes found the egg he was looking for and Landen drifted over there to lay a large palm against the rough side. Now to think happy thoughts and all that jazz.
Fediletch was abuzz with the same level of excitement he had for every clutch so far. He couldn't wait to meet the babies, and no matter how many clutches he'd already stood at, he never stopped optimistically thinking that this could possibly be the one that had his dragon hidden away. He'd sent Chuck to spend time playing with the children in the creche to keep him out of trouble, and he'd made sure to put on one of his nicer shirts that didn't have any stains or holes in it. Sure he knew the babies couldn't see his outfit, but it made him feel fancier and maybe that would help the babies think he was fancier.
He greeted the gold dragons and their riders with quick hellos and waves, and managed to not get into an endless giggle fit when he felt Malvayth return the greeting. Fetch straightened, getting down to the business of meeting these babies and hoping that he was able to find the one that would be his. Even if he didn't manage to touch it directly, if he made an impression on enough then maybe the babies would talk to each other and that's how it would find him. Maybe.
For now he headed straight to the back so that he could touch a few as he made his way towards the front again. He found what he thought looked like a good and sturdy shaped egg with some interesting bumps and reached out to gently touch it as he whispered a soft greeting and introduced himself.
It was easy enough to keep Sky and Fern busy so that they wouldn't be around for the touching, though Corvilis thought it was rather silly that they couldn't attend. They were too small to do anything to a dragon egg, after all. Even if Sky and Fern were to both bounce on top of one of the enormous eggs together he doubted they could even dent the things with how hard they had gotten by this point. But that hadn't been up for debate, so he'd sent them off to go digging through the store rooms for anything interesting.
Corvilis gave the goldriders and their dragons quick nods of acknowledgement before they were sent off to go touch the eggs. He took his time looking through them, he knew that lumpier eggs usually meant the dragon inside had rolled a bit more, and to his mind Corv thought that meant a more vigorous and active dragon. In the pups he used to raise that was a good sign of their overall health and potential, and after that he'd work on personality tests. And as far as he could figure out, the touching was almost like a personality test. Once he'd found a good and lumpy egg he reached out and gave it a feel.
It had taken an extra bit of encouragement to get Zoremet up early enough to finish his breakfast and wake up and be excited about the touching. He wasn't sure he could remember the last time he'd Stood for a clutch, though he could remember why he'd taken a break. He hadn't been involved in that touching and it still had him spooked! but this was a normal gold and bronze clutch, no blue weirdness, and both golds looked pleased. He'd heard the smaller clutch had been sired by a brown, and while Zory hadn't been sure about that one seeing how proud and pleased the mother was did help set his mind at ease a bit. If he didn't impress this time, maybe he would still go Stand for the the other clutch too.
With his slightly nervous greetings given, Zoremet looked over the sea of eggs as he tried to decide which one to pick. There were just so many and it was easy to get overwhelmed. He almost wished he had Pit around to help him choose, but she was being safely distracted by R'dal for the moment to keep her from upsetting anyone. So that left him on his own. He supposed the best thing to do then was to just wander around until he felt the right moment. He strolled through the eggs, careful to avoid bumping into anyone else until he thought he felt. He took a look around, saw an egg that seemed friendly enough in a way he couldn't really explain, and moved in to gently touch its shell.
There was never a time when Aederyn wasn’t awestruck at just how immense the Hatching Grounds were. Or just how hot the sands were. Shifting from one foot to another, she did her best to ignore the uncomfortable heat through her boots. She listened attentively to the various rules that the candidates were all required to follow, nodding solemnly, and mentally praised Rudi for keeping his distance. He’d been fairly daring, flitting to Malvayth’s side to be with her and Lady on occasion when Aradissicath ventured out to feed. Now though, she’d given him a command to stay put outside, and he reluctantly obeyed.
She grinned and waved to Malvayth, looking so very proud of her small clutch, as she should be! A gold! Aederyn thought that impressive and a good sign in a first clutch. It could mean nothing, of course, but she liked to think it did.
Nodding respectfully to Aradissicath, She started to meander among the larger clutch, noting the lack of other women. Several others were to stand for this one, but not nearly as many as she’d have thought. With the absence of a gold egg though, she supposed that was to be expected. Not every woman was pleased with the idea of a fighter…
Abruptly, she remembered the stipulation for the Healer Hall training,
and mentally made a note to thank Rhaedalyn for allowing her into this Touching. And D’hys…Suddenly aware of her rudeness, she made a mental note to find him soon and find a way to properly thank him for whatever he’d said to the Weyrwoman and Weyrleader for them to allow her here. Granted, she’d found her niche in learning leatherwork under Cazan, helping with riding straps and gear, (in addition to looking after Rhaedalyn's children, of course), but she wouldn’t be here without that blue rider’s help. It had been far too long since she’d seen him…Fort was a big Weyr…
Snapping herself back to the present, she really was just thrilled to be standing for a clutch at all. The idea that inside one of these eggs could be the being that would bond with her and change her life forever…? The idea had seemed so far away, but now, as she stretched her palm toward one of the eggs, the idea really was within reach.
#17
Egg 12 for Narinoa:
You swear you hear the ocean lapping the shore back at Ista and you’re immediately lulled into a trance. Your new friend guides you through happy times in your life as you breathe in…. and out…. together. You haven’t felt this relaxed—naturally—in a long time and stay lost in the moment long after the presence has left you.
Egg 33 for Dareji:
You feel the nervous energy that surrounds you more than you can get any other sense of the dragonet. That energy seeps into your skin and leaves you wondering if you really should be Standing. What if you get hurt? What if you Impress to the wrong colour or personality? What if you don’t Impress yet again? By the time you remove your hand, you’re practically jittery from the nerves of a Hatching still days away.
Egg 25 for Madelan:
You feel an almost hesitant touch against your mine. So light that you wonder if you imagined it. Then, a presence appears as if it is peeking around a corner at you but ducking away every time you focus too much. This creature is clearly shy, not something you understand and the dragonet picks up on that, retreating further away but continuing its glances in your direction until you finally break the connection.
Egg 2 for Landen:
Hurry up already! What is taking so long? You are immediately assaulted by an impatient presence that can’t seem to wait any longer and starts poking around in your memories. First kiss? Boring. Playing on the beach? Looks fun. Walking? Ew, so slow! The last thought you gather from the creature within the egg is that you would do better in life if you had wings.
Egg 44 for Fediletch:
You are surrounded by a cosy sensation and slowly realise what it is—love. The dragonet responds to what it feels in you, echoing all that you have to give. It roots through your fondest memories, basking in the glow of friendship and nuzzling at the hints of love that lurk behind some. Your new little cupid friend encourages more of those moments. Be happy! Love life! Spread the love!
Egg 22 for Corvilis:
This dragonet easily reaches out to your mind and then just as quickly pulls back, startled. It wants to know you but some memories scare it and leave it wondering what else you could and would do. How can it trust you when you don’t seem to trust others and reveal yourself? It’s a two way path and the presence withdraws from your mind, perhaps worse for having known you for even a split second.
Egg 30 for Zoremet:
You feel a strange wave of emotion hit you when you connect with the egg. It didn’t mean for you to get up early or have to do something so strenuous! The guilt continues to pour into your mind until you’re left contemplating the various things you have said and done recently that maybe you shouldn’t have. The two of you are left feeding the endless loop of guilt, drowning in the bitterness of it until you finally break away.
Egg 17 for Aederyn:
The new presence in your mind is like a hot breeze that leaves you breathless and fanning yourself with a hand. The dragonet latches onto your most recent thoughts, studying the bluerider that helped bring you together. Attractive? Clever? Fit? Everything you desire, no? Why aren’t you chasing him, it wonders as it nudges you further into the memory.
Fediletch couldn't help but smile at the little egg that was radiating love. He wasn't sure if this would be the dragon for him, because he had already met so many other eggs in the past that chose other candidates, but if he wasn't he hoped that the little guy (or girl!) found someone who would love it as much as it deserved. He lingered in that feeling for a moment longer before he finally pulled away and bid the egg a quiet farewell.
He took another look around as he straightened, surveying the other eggs and candidates. He moved further in back towards the front, careful to avoid disturbing anyone as he found another egg that wasn't presently occupied. He wasn't sure if this one hadn't been touched at all yet or if the previous candidate had just moved on, but Fetch didn't want it to be alone so he made sure to take a step over and reached out to gently see what this newest baby had to say as well.
Corvilis left his hand stubbornly on the egg for a moment longer, eyes narrowing in irritation. Who the fuck did this dragon think it was to judge him like that? He pulled his hand away and took a few deep breaths to calm himself, it wouldn't do to lose his temper at a touching after all. And this didn't really mean anything, he'd heard plenty of stories from riders and other candidates that even if an egg seemed to hate you sometimes you'd still impress. He just wasn't sure he wanted to impress this dragon. No matter, he had other eggs to touch, and surely he'd find one better suited for him.
He roamed a bit more, winding his way through eggs before he found one that wasn't occupied. It wasn't as bumpy as the previous one, but maybe that was fine. It still had its share of oddness, still had some rough spots to show that it had moved at all. Maybe it was just a bit more sure of itself and comfortable and didn't need to move around. Corv had no idea if any of that was true, but he couldn't help thinking about it. There had to be some sort of sense to these eggs after all. He reached out to set his hand on one of the rougher bumps and tried to think more soothing thoughts.
"Sorry, sorry. No... don't... ugh." Zoremet tried frantically whispering to the egg. He hadn't meant to make it feel bad! Now he was feeling worse and so was the baby dragon, and he was starting to focus on every other terrible thing he'd done. He'd avoided seeing his friend when he first arrived, and then he'd gotten lost and made R'dal find him, and now he was inconveniencing the man with babysitting his firelizard for him so that he could bother a bunch of baby dragons and make them feel awful too. Zory was starting to spiral downward when another candidate spoke to him. It wasn't anything particularly important, just a soft "excuse me," as they tried to squeeze by, but it was at least enough to catch his attention and have him pull his hand away from the egg shell.
Maybe this was all a big mistake after all. He started to make his way back to the edge when thoughts about his siblings encouraging him onward nagged at him. He couldn't just give up and stop after one egg, they'd be so disappointed in him! Zoremet sighed and stopped at the edge of the eggs and reached out to touch the one closest to him. Hopefully this one would be better.
Mads’ hand stroked the shell gently, one of the few times the young man was gentle, as the dragonet inside began to respond. He was pleased at the shy nature of the creature inside the shell and he crooned softly. He wasn’t all terrible, mostly Madelan knew exactly what he wanted and he was never afraid to take it if necessary but he knew that taking in this moment was a bad idea. Perhaps he’d thought it too much or too deeply and the dragonet shifted away until the touch was gone completely.
He shrugged with the movement, smirking slightly as he moved on to the next egg. His eyes drifted around the hatching sands, landing on candidates he’d have liked to see different times and a hot ass weyrwoman he knew he’d die if he touched. The smirk never really left his mouth as he moved around the eggs. The one he chose stood off to the side. This one was rougher, lumpy in the area his hand reached and Mads laid a palm on it.
Landen’s lips curved into a grin as the excitable egg started rifling through his mind. The candidate didn’t mind in the least, it was an odd feeling but hey he figured that the best way to make sure a dragonet liked him was give them access to whatever they wanted. He laughed at the dragonet’s opinion of walking and first kisses. “What do you know about first kisses?” he chuckled to the dragonet. He shook his head as the creature started to drift away with a last thought of wings. “Why do you think I’m standing,” the candidate said as he did his own drifting away.
Landen glanced around at the rest, eyeing Aederyn as he moved to his next egg. He’d read that story about her, F’drel and R’dal. He wondered if she was that frisky in reality. His lips curved in a knowing smile, he bet she was. He was chuckling quietly to himself when he got to the egg he had zeroed in on and laid his palm against. It was a little rough, bumps pimpling beneath his palm as he studied it in depth.
EGG: 8
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Fort had a different feel to it than Benden and she wasn't quite sure what set it apart. It was the first of the Weyrs, so it had that ancient feel to it with its smooth carved stairs and the little things that Benden didn't have. She didn't like on Weyr better than the other, though. They were just Weyrs with different people running them.
Elloren was quiet, perceptive, as she moved forward to touch an egg, wide open to the thoughts and feelings she might encounter. There was a dragnet in here who might be a lifemate, after all. A green perhaps. Or a blue. There was no gold egg this time but that was hardly discouraging. What mattered most was the fit of potential rider and dragon, in the end that capatability was just as important as the thread that made or broke a dress' embroidery.
She had her own things to overcome--her height was just one. But everyone had something about themselves that didn't fit their self-image, right?
The creature inside that shell had hit a nerve she didn’t even realize was tender. What business did the young dragon have prodding her toward D’hys? She schooled herself before the young dragon’s mind could retreat though. It didn’t warrant scolding. After all, the thoughts, wants, and intentions had to come from somewhere…it warranted more consideration, for sure. With a philosophical smile, she thanked the creature for pointing out what needed addressing, and moved about the clutch some more.
There were so many eggs…where to next? Weaving among them, she found another likely looking egg, off to one side of a larger cluster. It seemed much like herself, a part of that group, but at the same time, not quite. Feeling a sort of kinship with it, she placed a hand across the shell, surprised when it was smooth where it looked like it would be rather rough.
#42
Narinoa shook his head and blinked rapidly several times as he lowered his hand from the egg. Had he just zoned out? How much time had passed? He glanced around and everything seemed normal. No one was staring at him or rushing over to see if he was okay—and everything was okay. Another deep breath was inhaled, held, and slowly released as he grabbed onto the lingering moments of clarity and peace. He eyed the egg, knowing what it was doing but appreciating it. He knew he didn’t need the various drugs to help him relax or sleep but they were enjoyable and sometimes the nightmares from past Hatchings didn’t haunt him. But maybe he could try to meditate sometime and see how that worked for him.
But that was a goal for another time. Currently he had eggs waiting for him and Narinoa looked around but decided to stick within the little group he was surrounded by and turned to the egg beside the one he was just at, resting his hand on the shell with a soft greeting.
Dareji gasped and shook her hand as she stepped back from the egg. “Thanks, I needed that,” she grumbled, nerves now frayed as she looked around the rest of her group. She was always nervous at every Hatching, even the ones she had been too young to Stand for but watched her brother and friends Stand. There were so many risks every single time with how disorientated and angry some hatchlings could be. Even with the amount of bodies clumped together was dangerous if something happened to cause a stampede like in Telgar several years ago. But nerves were also a good way to know she was still alive, still had emotions. As strange as it was to think, she’d hate to go through life with everything being simple and perfect. That would take the joy out of it.
Lost in thought, Dareji roamed around the outside of the clutch for a few minutes before coming to a halt beside an egg someone else had just walked away from with a frown. Would she feel the same or would she have a different connection? That was something kind of exciting about Touchings, especially when she did have to do the golden egg line up. With so many girls, it was interesting to see the interaction everyone got and what they might mean.
Egg 36 for Fediletch:
You are struck by what feels like a wave of heated anger. How dare you disturb it! And how dare you think you’re worth its time! Still, you feel the presence linger as if searching for something… there! It brings up memories you would rather forget. Your father’s words and locking you in a closet… people calling you names… you should fight them all! Together you could have revenge and everyone would leave you both alone.
Egg 13 for Corvilis:
You sense… a yawn? Once more you are being judged by your deeds and actions and this one doesn’t seem impressed either. Cheating and scamming at cards? Boring. Using firelizards to help with locks and stealing? How original—you feel the sarcasm dripping from the thought. You might find yourself daring, sneaky, and impressive but you now feel sentenced as mundane and lacking ambition or creativity. The presence leaves with a huff.
Egg 1 for Zoremet:
A gentle inquiring mind brushes to yours as it pokes about trying to see what you’re about. After only seconds, you feel the direction shift and are now bombarded with questions from one little idea that lurked in the back of your mind. What is romance? Do you want it? Are you afraid of it? How does it work? It keeps prodding at your thoughts and you swear it hums in appreciation when it finds some of the answers. Before it finally leaves, you swear you sense a giggle as the presence swirls around you like a dance and vanishes.
Egg 30 for Madelan:
You’re greeted warmly, as if you have known each other all your lives. A familiar face that always makes you smile and feel at ease. But… that’s not something you truly know, is it? You feel the warmth waver as the presence finds the way you keep people at a distance or don’t stick around along. But… friends are important! Maybe the two of you could be friends? Everyone needs someone to lean on.
Egg 10 for Landen:
Devotion. Dedication. Perfection. You get the sense that this dragonet holds those qualities in high regard before your judging comes. Memories are brought up and discarded just as quickly as the presence rifles through searching for what it feels should match its ideals. It leaves before a final answer is given and you’re left wondering—no, knowing—how you faired.
Egg 42 for Aederyn:
The presence is weak, barely there as it peeks at the edge of your mind. How do you do it, you feel it wonder as it draws nearer. It seems to draw courage from you and grows bolder as it looks at who you are and what has shaped your life. Bumpy trails—literal and metaphorical—don’t seem to slow you down for long and you’re cheered for every time you overcame an obstacle in your memories. When the presence finally and almost reluctantly leaves, you’re left with a sense of accomplishment and bolstered courage to keep moving forward and trying for what you want.
Egg 21 for Narinoa:
To go from being so relaxed to being shamed for so many things you have done is quite jarring. But this was an egg you should have avoided as the presence jumps on how you left your family behind for a dragon, how shameful it was to sleep with anyone who smiled at you, how ashamed you should be for messing around with drugs. As it pulls away, you’re left with a sense of a bell ringing and a chant of, shame… shame… shame…
Egg 9 for Dareji:
Your lingering thoughts about the joys of life spark the interest of the dragonet within the egg and you find yourself reliving some of the best moments in your life. It’s a nice journey but also an exhausting one and eventually you’re the one to depart first before you relive your entire life for the curious friend.
Madelan wasn't used to feeling like this. The warmth that the next egg greeted him with was enough to relax him, his hand stroking the shell as the dragonet touched his mind. It was an interesting feeling to feel as if you'd known something your entire life when you'd never met them at all but Mads couldn't help the smile that curved his harsh mouth. He fought back the urge to declare that yes they could be friends and the dragon could always lean on him. It was difficult and hard, but Mads didn't want to get the dragon's hopes up much less his own. He sighed as the dragonet left his mind and he moved away.
What exactly did it mean? That the normally harsh and dark reality his mind lived in was lifted for a moment. Madelan knew he wasn't nice, knew that he rarely exhibited a soft spot for anything that couldn't or wouldn't advance his own machinations but he had liked that feeling. He scowled as the thought rolled around his mind and he moved off to the next egg. Big hand laid against rough egg and Madelan concentrated.
This was definitely the grumpiest egg he'd ever touched, and Fediletch almost jerked his hand away as he muttered an apology for disturbing the baby dragon. He hadn't meant to make it upset! And as much as he hated some of those old memories, he didn't think he wanted to be left completely alone either. Fetch frowned as he finally pulled his hand away, hopefully the baby would find a nice friend who could make it happier and less angry.
He was left a little uncertain as he straightened and looked around at the other eggs. Did he want to risk upsetting another one? He couldn't help but linger on those old memories, freshly dug up. It hurt that his father was always so angry with him when he drank, and it hurt that even his younger siblings had grown distant in the recent years as well.
Fetch shook his head. It wasn't anything he could fix as far as he knew, and he didn't know how to even have revenge. What would he do? Just get drunk and punch his father? That didn't seem like it would make him happy at all. Maybe another egg would be happier. He walked around before spotting one of the smaller eggs, and reached out to give it a touch, hopeful that this one wouldn't be bothered by him.
What was up with these assholes today? Corvilis was pretty sure the clutch at Telgar hadn't been this obnoxious. Sure scamming at cards wasn't the most exciting thing, he'd give the egg that, but he was proud of the work he'd managed to put into Sky and Fern. He certainly didn't know of anyone else who'd taught their firelizards how to break into things on purpose. He bristled at the dismissal and glared around. One more egg, just one more. Hopefully it would be a bit friendlier, something that suited him a bit more, but after that he'd take a walk and maybe have a drink somewhere.
Corv took a longer walk as he stewed a bit, thinking over the other two eggs he'd already touched. Sure he might still impress one of them, but if he did they'd just have to have a very stern talk. Besides, what did they know? They were just babies. They hadn't even hatched yet! He should probably expect a bit of foolishness. Maybe he was going about this wrong. Instead of just thinking soothing thoughts or whatever, maybe he should be thinking of curious thoughts. Ones where he hoped to meet a new dragon and tried to think about how they could help each other. Either way, one more egg probably wouldn't hurt before he took off to relax. He stopped at an egg just recently vacated, and reached out his hand.
Zoremet was caught off guard by the questions. Romance? He did his best to try to think about what it meant, the cuddly and caring devoted parts at least. Did he want it? He really didn't know. He didn't think he was afraid, he just didn't want to bother anyone, didn't think he wanted that sort of pressure (or to put that pressure on someone else). At least that's what he thought. He wasn't entirely sure now as the dragon dug around for its own answers. At least that vague sense of a giggle made him smile.
Maybe this was fine after all. It made sense that the eggs would have different personalities, that was the point of trying to meet different ones during the touching. Not every clutch was the same, not ever dragon in the clutch would be either. Zoremet felt silly about his earlier concerns as he decided to go to another nearby egg. This wasn't his first time, he reminded himself, he was just a bit rusty was all. He could do this. He reached out and set his hand on one of the rougher parts of the egg as he curiously waited to see what this one would be like.
As soon as the dragonet touched his mind Landen knew they were definitely not right for each other. What the dragonet held in higher regard were things that Landen smirked at. Landen wouldn't know dedication if it bit him in the ass. Devotion was never something he considered unless he was thinking the devotion of a lover. Should he feel those things more? Did it matter if a hatchling like him enough to impress? Landen didn't know and couldn't decide if it was as big a deal as he felt it might be. THe hatchling inside left him knowing exactly where he stood with it and it wasn't very high.
He sniffed with irritation before moving away. Landen had a feeling that dragonet was boring as hell anyway, not at all something that could make sure he had a good time at the same time as whatever duty he had to perfect. He grumbled a little as he moved away and looked for the next egg to touch. He found the egg and touched the smoother side. Was this one going to be a jerk too? Find him wanting just as much as the other? He grunted and tried to take those thoughts and turn them happy.
Egg 35 for Madelan:
Is anyone home? Just as the urge to knock on the egg takes hold you sense a weak presence lurking there. Concentrating reveals the little dragonet seems to be sleeping until the presence stirs enough that it feels like an eye cracking open to check out the disturbance. A moment’s hesitation is all that is had before the decision to sleep is made though it tries to lull you into joining it. Curling up on the hot sand would be so nice and comfortable. A peaceful rest with no one to disturb you… when your hand falls away, you’re left with lingering lethargy.
Egg 32 for Fediletch:
Questions. So many questions! Why are you there? What’s going on? Is there a party? What is a party? The confused presence keeps inquiring about the day and why it seems to be a big deal before switching to questions brought on by your thoughts. When you part ways, you feel rather bewildered yourself. Why are you surrounded by eggs? Weren’t you just building snow people and explaining why they’re important?
Egg 27 for Corvilis:
A lazy afternoon on a grassy cliff, lounging in the sunlight and letting go of everything for a while. Why don’t you do that more often? The dragonet softly encourages taking time for yourself and to unwind. Why are you always so tense? No need to always be on guard and suspect everyone. The presence is reassuring and lets you believe for a little while that a calm doesn’t always come before a storm. Sometimes a calming moment can just happen without consequences.
Egg 4 for Zoremet:
You feel like two strong hands grabbed your upper arms and give you a slight shake. The forceful presence seeps into your mind and slowly brings up the worst in you, the thoughts you keep so hidden you can’t tell if they’re real or projections of a cruel dragon. Your envy for all your siblings have achieved is on full display as bronze and gold dragons flash by and a sister dances by as she balances Weyr and Hold so perfectly in each hand. All successful in their own ways and then there’s you… Unmotivated and easily lost. Why can’t you be like them?
Egg 15 for Landen:
If before you felt like you needed wings, now you feel like it’s okay to meander off the path and take your time. This dragonet doesn’t seem to be in a hurry and will wait for you as long as it takes. Patience, you have heard, is a virtue but you’ve never had time for it. But this presence exudes patience. Why? What is it waiting for you to find? You sense it sitting there with its head cocked to the side as you study each other. Surely it’s not just waiting for you to stop and smell the flowers sometimes? You continue your showdown until you finally remove your hand—but not before what feels like a gentle pat on the shoulder. Patience… one day you will…
Corvilis found himself relaxing as he thought about that nice grassy cliff, maybe with a bottle of wine, but it didn't matter either way. Just a nice lazy lounge in the sun did sound rather nice. He lingered in that nice soothing calm for longer than he had the other eggs before finally pulling his hand away. That had been a much better egg than the others he'd met, and it was almost tempting to stay and meet some more.
He shook his head and straightened. Corv had already decided that was enough, he was going to quit while things were good and end on that nice high note. Maybe he'd wait around and see what Nari was up to and see if the man wanted to hang out and just drink a bit. Otherwise he'd probably find someplace to lounge with Sky and Fern.
Either way, Corv was glad he'd stuck around for that extra egg, and he was feeling a bit more hopeful about his odds of impressing at the upcoming hatching. He straightened up and made his lazy way back out of the eggs to wait at the entrance of the Sands.
At first Fetch had tried to answer the deluge of questions, but he was quickly overwhelmed. How could such a tiny little dragon expect him to answer so many questions? Though he supposed his younger siblings frequently had just as many questions sometimes, though somehow even those didn't seem as overwhelming as what had just happened.
He pulled away from the egg and blinked as he looked around and tried to regain his bearings. Did he want to touch another one? That was why he was here right? The snow people were still fresh in his mind and he had to stop and think about just how much time had passed since he'd made those with August.
Fediletch was pretty sure he had originally intended on touching more eggs, but at the moment he wasn't sure he was really up to it. He figured he should probably be in a better and more steady place before he tried to poke another baby. What if he just spread the confusion? So he shook his head to try to clear it a little and carefully made his way back out. If his dragon was there, it would probably have him picked out even if he didn't manage to touch it. He'd just have to apologize when he met it for not sticking around the Touching a little longer.
It was true, his siblings were all successful and wonderful and admirable, and all Zoremet could do was knit and get lost. And he couldn't even knit consistently enough to make gifts for people if they weren't around to remind him to finish. He still had half a scarf he meant to finish for one sibling, and a single mitten that needed a mate for another.
Maybe he didn't deserve a dragon at all. He couldn't really match his siblings, he wasn't as talented or dedicated. He knew Mylo definitely would just ignore the baby and just push on. She wouldn't have been bothered by that outside voice trying to judge her and being so disappointed. Zoremet paused, chewing on his lower lip as he considered the last bit of lingering thought from the egg. Why couldn't he be more like them?
Even A'tay was stubborn enough to keep going. So with a deep breath Zoremet straightened up and started walking deeper into the eggs to look for another one to touch. He was still a bit nervous, still a little doubtful, but maybe if he could just pretend to be a little more like his siblings for a little bit longer he could get through this. He paused at an egg, eyeing it almost suspiciously before he took a deep breath and reached out to touch it.
A long while was spent with that little egg, and they fed and nurtured each others’ courage. After the dragonet’s mind presence finally left, Aederyn reluctantly turned away with a warm, content calm sense of worth. More than ever, she felt that becoming a part of the Weyr was a good decision, even if she still felt like she didn’t always fit in.
Letting her hand slip from the eggshell, she hoped that, even if she did not Impress any within this clutch, she may at least befriend the two creatures she had interacted with, if the connections were remembered. Did an infant, dragon or otherwise, remember the voices heard while yet unborn? Thoughts of connections, dragon and human, drifted through her mind as she wandered among the clutch, waiting for other candidates to move or politely excusing herself as she sidestepped around them, lifting an eyebrow at one candidate who seemed to have been giving her some side-eye earlier…Landen? Hm…
Various connections danced through her mind: her parents, brother, mentors, lover, even the son she lost…She allowed herself one small moment of sadness to think on him. He’d be three turns old, now. With a small sigh, and bolstered by the boldness of the first egg and the courage discovered by the second, she realized something. Here among all of these beautiful eggs, among all this new life, she realized she couldn’t let that part of her own life hold her back. With a sense of resolve, she decided to believe that her boy, young he might have been if he were alive, would be proud of her. She’d cherish that idea forever. But it was time to move forward and forge new connections, and she couldn’t be afraid of that anymore, risk of loss or not. With bittersweet tears glittering in her eyes and a half-smile playing at her lips, she pressed both hands to one more egg.
#8
Egg 29 for Zoremet:
Sensing that you have had a rough morning, this little one urges you to curl up and stay a while. It finds all that is on your mind and wonders why it bothers you so much. Everyone is unique and wonderful and it can’t wait to see everyone! But you don’t need to prove yourself to anyone. You are bold, courageous, beautiful, and talented. You are exactly who you are meant to be. Take pride in that! The soothing sensation continues on until you’re ready to move on and not a moment before.
Egg 8 for Aederyn:
A purr of approval greets you as your current thoughts introduce you to the dragonet. It likes what it sees, enjoys the self-reflection and your note of growth and determination borne from strife. Like its sibling, it appreciates all you have done to reach where you are now but it encourages the quieter moments taken for looking back. Always remember how you got there but more importantly—remember who you were, are, and want to continue being. You spend time looking through those moments that have shaped you and as you part ways, you realise that the satisfaction lingers and it wasn’t just the dragonet that was happy with the review.
Hello loves! While I haven't been writing, I have been working on updating some issues that have been hanging around on the layout! The Character change box is now at the bottom of the page, beside the up/down arrows! Green and Gold dragon flight dates have been shifted to the bottom of the page, where the (useless!) discord widget was located. Where the dragon flights were in the header, is now replaced by a Monthly Event box! This will be updated at the start of each month, with a fun mini-event you can take part in, if you want to! Thistle!
