RIDER
Name: Chandrakant "Chandra" Rama
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Place of Origin:
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 195 lbs
Hair: Dark brown
Eyes: Black
Appearance
Tall, dark, and lovely, Chandra has the build and posture of a willow tree, with lean rather than bulky muscle, and a light, graceful stance that belies a firm strength. Dark brown, nearly black hair cascades down to his mid-back in gentle waves, though it is often tied up in either a braid or topknot when loose locks are an inconvenience. For someone who leads such an active lifestyle, the man is typically very conscientious of the condition of his hair and general person, taking care to keep himself clean and well-groomed. From out of his flowing mane glitter two black eyes framed by dark lashes and thick eyebrows, a strong, straight nose, and full lips. At first glance, Chandra has a flawless, dark complexion, though upon closer inspection one will find light freckles peppering his cheeks and forehead.
[x]
It is a rare occasion to see Chandra deviating from his typical wardrobe of a black tunic, breeches, scarf, and fur vest; disliking formality, he prefers simple, dark attire that allows him to traverse the night unnoticed. A belt containing various small and useful items such as a knife, some fishing line, feathers for arrows, etc. is slung around his waist, and a spare dagger is concealed within his right boot for desperate situations. If one were to push up the sleeves of his tunic, they would find two swirling scars starting from his shoulder blades and spiraling down each arm, culminating in a single line around his wrists like two silver bracelets. An uglier, less intentional scar mars his chest and lower neck, evidence of a crude knife fight many years ago, and a chunk of his upper left ear is missing as a result of that same fight. Despite scars that imply a tumultuous past, the man's face is as smooth and serene as still water: not angry, not particularly friendly, but calm and without tension.
Personality
Considerate//Compassionate
On the rare occasion that Chandra chooses to interact with others, it is with the utmost attention and consideration. He listens with his entire being, keeping quiet, staying focused on the other person, and only responding in a way he feels will improve the situation. Because he knows this level of attention makes some people uncomfortable, the man is usually very quiet and somewhat hesitant to approach others, instead preferring they approach him- but not unwilling to reach out if necessary. As someone whose life has been filled with oppressed, broken people, Chandra finds it easy to adore and feel compassion toward those around him. He is a kind-hearted, gentle soul, and is always willing to devote his time and energy to those in need.
Conscientious//Disciplined
When Chandra makes a decision, speaks, or even moves, it is only with careful deliberation. Every movement has a purpose, flowing smoothly into the next, and every word has been placed carefully into a larger framework directed toward a single intent. It is immediately obvious to the average onlooker that this man has an enormous sense of self-discipline and control: his entire body absorbs information like a sponge, but divulges nothing. Organized, focused, and always well-prepared for what is to come, Chandra makes an incredibly trustworthy, dependable figure.
Intuitive//Aware
With a natural aptitude for understanding people, it is easy for Chandra to intuitively connect to those around him, often arriving at an answer to a situation or problem without using a distinctly logical reasoning process. He picks up on subtle verbal and body cues, and can adapt his manner to best fulfill what is needed of him at the time, almost invariably devising the most proper and appropriate way of dealing with an obstacle. Despite a quiet demeanor, the man has a natural sensitivity and interest toward other people, and possesses the tact to handle even the most unappealing of characters gracefully.
Introverted//Reserved
Although he is blessed with a great understanding for people, Chandra is decidedly introverted, and feels greater peace when alone or with another person than with a larger group of people. When upset, he prefers to work through any internal feelings by himself, and takes solace in the small four-walled room that is his home and security. Because he is so closely invested in the lives of his peers, needing to "recharge" periodically comes as a great frustration to the man, who wishes he were able to spend more time with others without losing so much personal energy. In addition, Chandra's reserved manner makes him a somewhat less approachable figure than he would like to pose; although a generally gracious man, it may take some initiative on behalf of others in order to discover his true demeanor.
Detached//Aloof
Because he is so strongly introverted, Chandra comes off as detached to the casual observer, more focused on his own affairs than on those of others. His generally expressionless face betrays none of the interest he has in his peers, causing him to seem distant when in reality the man is always very strongly connected to his surroundings. Those that do not take the time to understand such a patient man are missing out on a wealth of kindness and loyalty.
Skills & Abilities
- Blessed Bow // As an individual who has lived on vast, open plains for the majority his life, Chandra is accustomed to hunting with ranged weapons, namely the bow and arrow. He is fairly skilled in both accuracy and precision, and can shoot while moving quickly and under other adverse conditions.
- Dancer's Feet // Since he was a child, the man has always been light on feet, and is a generally quick and agile figure. It takes excessive force to throw him even slightly off-balance, which comes in handy during hunting, sparring, and even dancing.
- Steady Hands // Even when under high-stress situations, Chandra's hands work deftly, diligently, and without faltering. He can weave a basket, tie any knot known to man, or re-string a bow in surprisingly little time.
- Gift of the Moon // After the Pact, Chandra will possess the ability to "re-charge" in small amounts in the presence of moonlight, accelerating healing, curing illnesses, and generally making him less tired and more alert. Eventually he will be able to channel this energy into his hands, making them a soft light source in times of darkness. He is also able to see extremely well in the dark, recognizing obstacles and sensing movement long before normal humans would be able to.
- Spirit Child // With the help of his Element, Chandra will be able to raise other's spirits with just a touch of the hand, and, later, by just being near them. He will possess the power to calm nerves, bring sleep, inspire valor, and wipe depression and anxiety from one's weary soul, cleansing it and leaving the subject more invigorated than ever before. This can be of use in situations when one is crippled by fear, or suffering from a bad memory of the past.
Strengths
- Life Support // While Chandra appears slight, he has a vast knowledge of plant and animal life, is swift and intelligent, and possesses a strong will. He is a quiet leader in troubled times, and will give his life to help another survive in adverse situations.
- Still Waters // Chandra is nearly incapable of violent anger; his strengths lie in his cool, calm, and collected demeanor. Even when others grow too upset to function, the man will be there with a clear head and a patient, understanding perspective.
- Speed Demon // With deft feet and a heightened sense of body-awareness, Chandra is able to move in a fast, easy way, and rarely loses his balance or falters in aim. He is also extraordinarily quick-witted and quick to pick up on changes in his environment.
- Magic // Because of his Dragon and his unique upbringing, Chandra has a healthy respect for magic, and possesses a natural aptitude for it as well.
Weaknesses
- Sunlight, Too Bright // If exposed to strong sunlight for too long, Chandra develops painful rashes, and burns despite a darker skin tone. His eyes start to water excessively, and he becomes more and more irritable as time passes.
- Moonlight Depravity // However, if kept in complete darkness, the man loses his will to live and fight. He needs exposure to the moon from time to time to keep his spirits high; that being said, he is more stable during times of the full moon, and substantially less collected during the new moon.
- Reclusive // When faced with worries or personal hardship, Chandra will keep his emotions locked away and refuse to inconvenience anyone for help. His natural instinct is to hide it, and, in the worst case scenario, hide himself should he lose his composure.
- Stone-faced // Although the man has a bottomless compassion, his face does not betray any emotion, making him a less-than-approachable figure to the common passerby.
- Insomnia // Chandra is most alert at night, but somehow cannot seem to sleep during the day, either. This can be exhausting, especially in times of stress, and makes him less patient than he ordinarily would be.
- Swordplay // With such strong archery skills, Chandra has little use for swordplay- and his poor swordsmanship shows it. His ordinarily-dexterous feet become clumsy under the weight of a sword, and his bodily perception is severely weakened.
- Spirit-lifter // With every use of his power, Chandra will experience a temporary feeling of heavy-heartedness and depression, though he chooses to hide his pain to spare others the guilt. If used too many times in succession, this spiritual toll can leave his body physically exhausted, and incapable of doing much more than sitting quietly. However, the effects of this ability can be mitigated by the company and support of good friends and his dragon.
Brief History
Humans of the Great Plains of Varons are as grey and unchanging as the landscape around them, and the family of Chandrakant Rama was no different. "Family," of course, is a loose term to describe the nomadic tribe into which the child was born, a collection of hardened men and women whose sole purpose in life was to survive in the only way they knew how: by trading. A successful tribe pushed the desert border for valuable goods while carefully avoiding the dangerous Ovati and Myzra elves, not to mention several species of territorial sand dragons, only returning to their home in the Plains when the desert had all but exhausted their resources. This way of life had lasted for centuries, with countless clans and motley groups wandering the border between the deserts of Kabola and the Plains, trading spices, silks, dyes, and salt between one another and occasionally traveling down to Pavire to exchange their wares for valuable supplies. Although most caravans carried expensive goods like finely dyed fabrics and rare earth metals, the nomads traveled in simple attire to blend into the tall grasses, spoke briefly to one another due to the sheer exhaustion of walking for miles at a time, and expended as little energy as possible in other day-to-day activities. Despite this crass lifestyle, the people of the Plains were fiercely loyal to their clans, to their trade, and to the swirling grasses they managed to call home.
As was the case with most children, Chandra was not raised by two parents so much as he was raised by his entire 40-member clan. Unlike most children, however, Chandra possessed a softness to him that would not be eroded away by even the most violent of twisters. Only the little dark-eyed boy with freckles coating his face would stand up for those weaker than him, sharing food portions when needed and performing other small acts of kindness that his peers drank up like water to a parched, dry earth. Regardless, as Chandra matured he realized that his differences, while undoubtedly helpful to those around him, were not celebrated or welcomed among his people. Instead, they marked him as an outsider, one whose uniqueness had no place in the uniform silver grasses of the Plains.
Even so, the dark-haired, freckled boy grew into a dark-haired, freckled man who towered above his peers both in terms of stature, skill, and leadership, though he was still somewhat ostracized by the young adults that should have been his friends. Chandra, however, was unmoved by his loneliness, as the solitary life suited his quiet, peaceful demeanor. He took care of the elderly in his tribe, who adored his sweet nature and called him "grandson" as a term of endearment, and the rising man learned much from their wisdom. He earned his swirling arm scars during a ceremonial transition to manhood at the age of 15, marking his place in the clan as a capable adult with the new responsibility of joining the trading caravan to Pavire. It was on his very first expedition to the trading city that Chandra met the first and sweetest love of his life, Aishani.
She was standing amidst a sea of brightly dyed cloth, her loose-fitting clothes of a plain grey material but her headscarf a beautiful blend of jewel-toned fabrics. Long, curly hair the color of wheat sprung out from beneath her scarf, and two eyes as black as night glittered at the bustling market around them with a sharp, intelligent gaze. Her skin was smooth, the color of coffee, a stark contrast to the golden ringlets that framed her long face. She could not have been more than 14, but she was, by far, the most beautiful creature Chandra had ever laid his eyes upon.
It took several days in Pavire for the dark young man to approach the apple of his eye, but once Chandra finally managed to introduce himself (fumbling miserably the entire time), the pair found that they had an instinctive, strong connection, and were inseparable for the remainder of their time together in the trading city. When it was finally time for Chandra's trading caravan to depart, the two sweethearts decided that a future together was futile when they were both so young, inexperienced, and had only known one another for a few days at best; and so, with heavy hearts and watering eyes, the pair split up to follow their respective caravans into the Cornan desert, each secretly believing they had just made the worst mistake of their life.
It wasn't six months until another trading caravan was due for Pavire, and Chandra eagerly volunteered for the arduous journey in the hopes of seeing Aishani again. For six months he had thought of nothing but her charm, her wit, her beautiful black eyes and golden hair- he obsessed over her during every waking hour, and dreamed of her in his sleep, further isolating himself from the other youths of his tribe. Days passed in the trading city without a glimpse of her, however, and after around two weeks Chandra knew that his love was not meant to be. With a heavier heart than ever before he packed up his tribe's wares and quietly, morosely, left the city.
Not three steps out of the gates of Pavire, however, a familiar voice cried out from behind him:
"Chandrakant!" Without a second thought the dark young man turned and left his clan to hold a head of golden curls against his chest, his freckled face broken into a joyous smile. Against all odds, it was her. Against all odds, fate had brought the two young lovers back together.
Later Chandra would feel guilt at having abandoned his home tribe so willingly, but his love and intentions were pure and free of fault. He and Aishani were married in Pavire and bought a shack with what little money they had individually accumulated, and started their new life together. Chandra crafted bows in a weaponry, and his dear wife dyed and wove cloth for a living. For two years, they were supremely happy. For two years, nothing in the world existed but their love. For two years, nothing could have possibly gone wrong.
Just as she turned 16, however, Aishani contracted a deadly illness that was sweeping across the Plains of Varon like wildfire at the time, rendering her bedridden for many, many weeks. Chandra poured all of his time and resources into providing her with the best care possible, and, miraculously, Aishani pulled through. When she finally woke almost three months later, however, the young woman found that she no longer had the use of her legs. Devastation kept her bedridden for many weeks to follow, though Chandra was as patient as a man could have possibly been. He stimulated her sore muscles daily, carried her around their shack when she wanted to leave bed, and danced with her in his arms as if she were no heavier than a feather. Even so, Aishani's unhappiness led her husband to sell their shack, use the money to buy an old Windlark, and depart with his wife across the Plains in search of a less oppressive environment.
The couple found their new home in a small village between Pavire and Lortania, with green fields and breezy cottages that suited their needs perfectly. No longer did Aishani feel ashamed to be seen outside their home; the residents of the small village were quiet, minded their own business, and treated one another with respect, not gossip. Chandra even had an elaborate, wheeling chair designed for his wife, giving her the freedom to move about their home without his help. Newly empowered, Aishani took up weaving again, and Chandra gained an apprenticeship at a local medicine shop. Despite the hardship they had been through, despite the horrendous death they had seen, the couple were happy because they had each other, and that was more than enough.
Around the fifth anniversary of their marriage, sudden joy struck the small family when Aishani realized that she was pregnant. The next nine months passed in a blurry, wonderful haze, until finally Leila Rama came into the world kicking and screaming, little dark curls plastered to her beautiful head. Chandra had never felt such happiness in his entire life; Spirit cradled his soul and lifted it higher than it ever had before ... in preparation for the sorrows that were to come.
The freckled man was bouncing his bubbling one-year-old on one knee as his wife cooked dinner in their brick oven, admiring the little girl's beautifully braided black hair and marveling, as he did every day, at the blessing that was his life, when a curious noise drew him to the window of their simple cottage. A few moments after peering out into the courtyard, Chandra quickly covered his child's eyes and took control of his wife's chair, leading her with urgency to the back door of their home.
"Chandra! What is the matter!" She spoke incredulously, though the amusement drained from her voice as soon as she had seen her husband's unnaturally pale face. Unbeknownst to her, through the window Chandra had watched three Tarjan soldiers strike and kill the family's elderly Windlark, Hosia, with only a few swipes of their wickedly sharp swords as three dozen more men in armor marched down the road.
The Tarjan army had decided to try and seize control of the trading system lining the Cornan desert, in doing so gaining access to valuable spices, metals, and fabrics (and, in hushed tones, slaves) that would allow them to grow unrivaled in economic power on Partheus. Their strategy was to first claim the small village between Lortania and Pavire, giving them an easy route to either city once they had established their stronghold near the desert. Unfortunately, seizing the small village meant uprooting its residents- forcefully.
Stricken with panic, Chandra pushed his wife out of their home with one hand and and clasped their child close to his heart with the other, praying with everything he had to avoid the gaze of the many soldiers around them. For several minutes, they succeeded, but alas- the soldiers were many and the family were few, and it was not long before the freckled man was being beaten down in front of his wailing wife, who had just barely managed to snatch Leila from her husband's arms before a soldier had cracked him over the head with the butt of a sword. They beat Chandra until he could not stand, and then held him up with rough, unforgiving hands to watch the scene before him.
"How did a dusky desert rat like you manage to buy a house in a village like this?" One of the soldiers sneered, his alabaster skin slick with sweat.
"Did you steal it from one of the legal citizens? Did you steal the Windlark we found outside?" It was then that Chandra realized that the men who surrounded him all possessed the dangerous combination of a fierce, unrelenting prejudice, and a sharp, aggravated sword. With fear in his eyes, he looked toward his terrified wife and child sitting not ten feet away. The soldier holding him up noticed.
"Is this your sister and little inbred child?" The man asked, his voice filled with hatred. A moment passed.
"She's not bad looking for a rat," he added, staring at Aishani with lust- and at that Chandra cried out weakly.
"Oh, you want her for yourself, then? Alright, how about the pup?" The soldier beckoned lazily, and two other men ripped Leila from her mother's trembling arms. Utterly powerless, Aishani sat in her chair and wept, keeping her horrified eyes on the silent child hanging by an ankle from the soldier's iron grip. For a few moments the weight of the situation hung in the air like a heavy blanket, quiet save the weeping of the golden-haired mother .. And then, Chandra leaped to action.
Calling on whatever strength was left in his body, the dark-haired man broke free of his captor's grip and lunged for his baby, though at the same time at least three soldiers leaped in his direction, knocking over Aishani's chair in the struggle. In slow motion, the man holding Leila released his hand, and the child fell down, down, down ... Chandra screamed. Little dark curls struck the ground with a sound he would never forget, and not a moment later his horrified face was pressed into the dirt with at least four men on top of him. Tears and blood leaked into the ground, one last sacrifice to a god who did not seem to be listening.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS-" a loud
crack echoed through the space, though from his position Chandra could not see what was going on.
"Get up- get OFF OF HIM, I COMMAND." A tremendous weight was lifted from the shoulders of the desert-born man, and immediately he reached one very battered arm out toward his daughter, who was still lying on the ground, face-down. Before he could but touch her small wrist, two weathered but surprisingly gentle hands picked up the limp body and placed it into Chandra's waiting arms. Tears formed paths in the blood caked over the father's face, which was still with shock. All the man could do was stare up at the figure looming over him, although its attention was focused elsewhere.
"Koschiek, you've been placed on probation and are now in bad standing until a proper hearing can be arranged. Take him away," the figure barked, and without another word the malevolent guard was swept up and walked away by the very guards he had pretended to command not ten minutes earlier.
The figure turned its head toward him, revealing a wrinkled face with hard lines and two ferocious blue eyes shining out of it, topped by a thick crop of white hair. Immediately the sour expression softened, and the commanding officer crouched down to help prop Chandra up, Leila still cradled in his arms. Nearby, Aishani had been replaced in her chair and was still weeping softly. At a loss for words, the desert man looked up at the officer, then down at his lifeless daughter, then back at the officer, though his vision was blurry.
"She's still alive, son. We'll get her some help, don't you worry," the old man said, his voice gruff but not without sympathy.
"This should not have happened- I ordered a peaceful occupation. We'll get you some help."
And, over the course of the next few weeks, the mysterious officer fulfilled his promise as best he could, even though no amount of medicine would be able to rectify a serious head injury to such a soft skull. Though Chandra needed time to recover from his own injuries, the process was not made any easier by the despondence of his wife and their very sickly one-year-old daughter. As soon as he was able, Chandra packed what few things his family had left, saddled it up on a young Windlark gifted by the commanding officer, and began to lead his wife and daughter on a journey to a small village in the mountains that, according to the officer (in hushed tones), might have the healers and medicines to fix his poor Leila. Risking her health on such a long journey was of concern, but it was a chance that he and Aishani agreed they had to take if they wanted their daughter to grow up in good health.
Leila never made it past Lortania.
It was several months later that Chandra arrived in Badova village with his wife in his arms, and by then they were both very changed individuals. The skin hung off of Chandra's bones like clothes on a drying rack, his hair brittle and sloppily woven into a plait. Scars and scabs littered his body with careless abandon, indicating dozens of small and large struggles alike, all conquered, even if barely. Aishani was a husk of her former self, so destroyed by her daughter's death that she seemed to have no life in her at all; her beautiful hair was missing chunks, and had streaks of grey where the sun should have sparkled off of the golden strands. Her dark eyes were listless, uncaring, miserable; she did not have the strength to continue living, so for weeks Chandra had been strong for the both of them. They had both aged ten years.
Starting a new life in Badova village was like settling into a hot bath after hours out in the cold: numbing, then incredibly painful, and, after some time, a relief to aching bones. The people of the tribe were unlike any other, supporting one another in hard times and extremely welcoming to all kinds of refugees, outcasts and derelicts. Although he came to appreciate and even love the tight-knit community in only a few short weeks, Chandra recognized that something had broken in his wife that would never allow her to find joy in life again. He took a job with a local medicine man, taking care of the village's elderly community just as he had done years before in his desert tribe- and took care of his wife along with them, spoon-feeding her broth and wiping her clean every night before braiding her hair and putting her to sleep. Aishani did not speak. She did not focus her gaze on anything aside from her husband's face on occasion, and even then her eyes were so full of sorrow that Chandra had to put his entire being into holding back the tears.
Aishani died when she was only 22, leaving Chandra a widow at twenty-three years old. Without anywhere to go, he remained in Badova village and continued to take care of its elderly, taking up small jobs here and there until he was a well-known and well-loved member of the community. Having gone through a similar experience himself, the dark man aided the village in treating refugees from the Tarjan army, welcoming them into his home and seeing that they received the attention they needed. He learned from the elders of Badova about the mystical dragons that used to dance for the village, and the stories they told gave him comfort in hard times. Chandra was in pain for a very long time, but eventually he found himself beginning to heal.
Then, some two years later, the tall, dark man heard the beginnings of a song in his head that would change his life forever.
DRAGON
Name: Sanyuine (Sahn-U-Een) "San" or "Yue"
Gender: Female
Appearance
With a long, snakelike body and a shimmering silver pelt, Sanyuine is lovely to look upon by human, elven, and dragon standards alike. Her scales are
very small and look like white, shining crystals at close range, giving her every motion an extra shine akin to the glistening of a winding river. Added to this effect is the soft glow her skin emits even in the darkest of nights, lending her surrounding area a hazy, silver light much like a dimmer version of the three moons. Streaks of greens, blues, and purples run through her pelt, giving her the iridescence of the fabled Moon Lights when she can be persuaded to remain still. Thin legs are ended in larger, birdlike, golden scales, with three dextrous digits and wickedly sharp silver claws. The dragoness's head is decorated with a crown of small, silver horns, and a mane of silver feathers that shine in different shades of blue depending on her surroundings. A narrow muzzle is adorned with two shining golden eyes, different from the typical icy coloring of her species- perhaps due in part to the close relationship she has with her Sunstone brother.
Personality
Anxious//Restless
Though many dragons possess a calming effect on their riders, Sanyuine and Chandra have an opposite relationship. While she generally likes people and has friendly intentions, the dragoness is incredibly uncomfortable around humans and feels timid near other dragons as well. She cannot control her fidgeting when feeling cornered, which happens fairly often, and relies both on Chandra and her brother as sources of social strength.
Detached//Wary
Sanyuine is plagued with a chronic paranoia that makes it difficult for her to form close attachments. She is constantly suspicious of others' intentions, and often needs to check and double-check with Chandra to verify another rider's good character. This contrasts Chandra's easily-trusting nature, and the two do well to keep one another balanced.
Cool//Controlled
Much like her rider, Sanyuine is typically very controlled both in her movements and in her words, choosing to fly high into the sky if antsy, and remain quiet if uncertain. That being said, this is not a dragon that succumbs to violent urges or speaks out of turn often, if ever. Having Chandra close increases Sanyuine's patience and tends to stabilize her mood even further, but if separated the Moonstone's nerves fray much more quickly than usual.
Thoughtful//Intelligent
Though she chooses to stay silent more often than not, Sanyuine reveals herself as a deep, critical thinker when she does happen to speak. Her mind is constantly alight with new thoughts and ideas, and she can follow even the most intricate of conversations with relative ease. The still surface does not betray the constantly moving waves below.
Unsociable//Pessimistic
Unlike Chandra, Sanyuine has a generally pessimistic view of the world and everyone in it. She is naturally untrusting in herself and in others, and will believe the worst in any situation if given no immediate alternative. Given that this is an especially difficult personality trait, she does not tend to interact with other humans or dragons unless the interaction is mediated by her rider. She is, however, slightly more comfortable around elves due to the respect and reverence they show her.
Abilities
- Sonic Screech // When confronted with unavoidable danger, Sanyuine is capable of releasing an incredibly high-pitched, ear-splitting scream that, if sustained for long enough, can kill nearly any creature smaller than her and severely stun all others. She is extremely reluctant to use this ability, however, and uses it as a last-ditch effort to escape.
- Gift of the Moon // As a Moonstone dragon, Sanyuine is able to absorb the light of the moon and channel it into energy stores for herself (and, later, for Chandra as well). Later, as her powers mature, San will be able to convert this energy into healing power, increasing her metabolism and advancing her body's natural repair process. During the full moon this ability is at its peak, and it is nearly impossible to seriously injure or exhaust the young dragon.
- Spirit Singer // Sanyuine's voice has the potential to destroy- and to soothe. Any creature that hears her "song" will feel their spirit being instantly lifted, which comes in handy during difficult situations such as battles or other times of stress. This song can also be used via mindspeak, and can even lull others to sleep if used correctly.
Strengths
- Quick, small, agile // Sanyuine's body is serpentine in nature: long, slender, and perpetually winding back and forth when in flight. Combined with her speed and agility, his makes her an incredibly difficult target to hit by even the most skilled magic-wielders. She is also able to fit in narrower places than the other dragons, and her small, smooth scales allow a much wider range of motion.
- Protective Skin // With a strong magical coating, Sanyuine's skin is impervious to most types of physical offensive attack.
- High-flyer // Moonstone dragons can fly even higher than Mercury dragons, and Sanyuine is certainly no exception. She can soar higher than the clouds, allowing her to avoid attacks or gain a wider range of vision when scouting.
- Quiet Light // Much like other members of her species, Sanyuine always shines with a soft, silvery light that only dims when she is physically or mentally injured. This light, while making her more visible on nights of the new moon, can also confuse her attackers, especially when combined with her winding, snakelike flight pattern.
Weaknesses
- Sunlight, Too Bright // Although her skin is enveloped by a strong protective barrier, it is still extremely sensitive to sunlight. Sanyuine cannot live without the light of the moon, but burns and withers in the sun; ten minutes of continued exposure will scorch her scales, and in twenty minutes the sun will begin to melt her very flesh. With continued practice a kind of tolerance may be built, but she will still need to be very careful during the daytime for the rest of her life.
- Pacifist // Sanyuine cannot stand conflict, and will instinctively panic and try to escape if confronted with violence. She cannot be relied upon in battle to fight in the same way as her brother and his rider can; and, indeed, does not possess the physical ability to sustain an attack for long.
- Moon Deficiency // If kept in absolute darkness for too long, the Moonstone dragon will begin to wilt and die much like its Sunstone counterpart. Sanyuine needs to "re-charge" herself in the light of the moon, and is more prone to illness and injury during times of the new moon.
- Misunderstood // With such a reclusive, untrusting personality, Sanyuine is easily misunderstood and has a particularly difficult time cooperating with others. This has the potential to be a fatal flaw come times of battle or extreme stress.
- Small In Size // Although her skin is resistant to mortal weapons, Sanyuine is still susceptible to attacks from other dragons; and, at a smaller size than most of her peers, she stands a greater chance of being seriously injured as a result of a direct hit.
- Feathers // Unlike some of the other dragons, San has feathers decorating her crown and spine, which contain small, ultra-sensitive nerve tendrils that absorb moonlight and otherwise help to regulate her light intake. If these feathers are damaged or grasped firmly, it would seriously irritate the young dragon and send her into a painful state of panic.
