Post by Yukaida on Aug 22, 2013 18:14:52 GMT -8
Name: Yukaida
Age: 337
Class: Magic Dagron (13)
Appearance:
As a dragon her purple hide is covered by all manner of arcane markings. These are not tattoos, but natural collections of her scales, much like a human birthmark. These markings actually glow if she is channeling arcane energy in her true form, and can be even more terrifying then seeing a maw full of fire to some people. In her mortal form, she draws a good deal less attention. Though her violet hair does tend to draw looks, a simple one piece dress with traveling cloak does tend to help her fit in...at least until she actually starts to interact with people. Of note, the arcane markings are not usually visible in her human form, but will still glow if she channels significant power in that form.
Personality: Yukaida is a bit odd for a Dragon of this day and age. She understands little about humans, having very recently started spending time among them. Concepts like commerce, social decorum, and subtlety tend to go right over her head. She isn't stupid, she is just woefully ignorant on the world of man. She subconsciously looks down on humans, though she bares them no real malice. She cannot help but view them as tiny, scared creatures in need of protection and guidance. She would have no trouble accepting combat help from a mortal, but social or intellectual help is obstructed by her draconian ego. To those who are unaware of her true nature, this can come off as incredibly odd, and they may find her quite difficult to deal with.
Backstory: In the north-eastern edge of Elibe, among the snow covered mountains, there lived a pair of feared and powerful dragons. To spite the snowy climate they resided in, the areas surrounding the mountains were filled with fertile farmland, fed by the runoff from the mountains. It was believed that the fertility of this valley was due in part to a family of dragons that had nested there for thousands of years. watching over the valley as their territory. The latest pair to hold this lair, like many of the dragons prior to them, were viewed as 'cruel' by human eyes. They demanded tribute of the towns at the base of their mountains, and would enact great vengeance if such was not met. The demands were not usually unreasonable, but still the humans over time began to regret practically being enslaved to these dragons, who clearly thought the mortals no more then dogs working for their right to live. Mortals kept such creatures to keep stray animals from their homes, and they provided the creatures with shelter and food for them performing it. What right would they have to complain by the same being done to them? They gathered food, minerals, or other things their masters desired, and in turn they were allowed to live on the land the dragons had claimed, safe from any creatures that would come. Of course the dragons did not think much of the humans, and rarely gave any concern to their well being. If one of their children destroyed a house of mortals or killed a hunter while out playing, as children did, well then what cause was there for alarm? Nothing of consequence was lost that the humans would not replace in short order.
Over centuries of being down trodden, and quite literally walked over, some of the humans from an outlying village had been pushed to their breaking point. It was the life changing moment for her family, that year. Yukaida was one of a clutch of seven children, and the only one born that was not an Ice Dragon. Her family considered this an omen, though good or bad they could not say. Magic was never especially strong in the family, and they had always had scales of pure white, like freshly fallen snow. She, however, hatched with scales of darkness. Purple, shimmering with glyphs of arcane energy. Never the less, her parents did not treat her differently. She was raised, taught and disciplined like all of her siblings were. At least until that day. They received plenty of tribute to survive on, but often her parents would forbid them to eat of it, insisting that they must hunt for their own food, lest they forget how. Seven children left that morning to go hunt. By the time the sun dipped below the mountain range, only six had returned. The second youngest, one of her brothers, had not returned. Thinking the boy had simply had poor fortune with hunting, her father set out to find him, and bring him back to the nest. When he returned with the young dragon, everything changed forever.
His implacable white scales, once shimmering with pristine beauty, now cracked and bloodied, his body being carried back by their father. Human weapons, spears stuck into his side, fire scorched his face, the signs of a hunter group...they had killed him while he was hunting. Forever, Yukaida would always remember the power and sorrow of her mother's wails. How they shook the heaven and earth with her despair, seeming to cause the mountain itself to shake.
But sorrow rarely lasts, and the night was not even over before it gave way to anger, and vengeance. The children were ordered to remain in the lair, as both of their parents took off into the night sky. Yukaida wished to slip out, but due to her siblings she was prevented from for several hours. She took to the sky on leaving her home, and saw far fewer lights in the valley then she knew there should be. Already she knew what to expect, but descended on these towns anyway. She moved slowly, not wishing to draw attention to herself, as she looked through the ruined human houses.
For protection, for a healthy and safe life, and this is how the humans repaid her family? By killing one of their young? Her parents must have razed half a dozen of the towns, or more, to an icy hellscape, but she didn't feel it was enough. He was her brother! Could these animals even begin to understand what they had done?! Her rage overflowed, and it was then that she heard something, a voice coming from a ruined house. Someone who was yet alive, someone she could relieve her anger on. She moved slowly, quietly, towards the sound, unsure as to why. She assumed a mortal form herself, peeking in a window to see what her target was. A lone human child...a little boy. She paused for a moment, seeing something else. An older human, woman, on the ground. Her body frozen and blue in the grasp of death. Was she...the child's mother?
And the wailing and sobbing of the child as he called to his mother, in vain, struck inside of her. The same sorrow, the same despair that her own mother had felt. If they...if they were so capable of feeling such sadness and loss...what difference was there? She knew that she hesitated for a few moments, before her finely tuned dragon intellect decided for itself what she would do. She transformed, tearing away the wall of the house as she did so. The child looked up in terror at the creature before him, scales and eyes as dark as the night itself, and stood up as if to protect the body of his mother. Yukaida did not hesitate as she extended a clawed hand, and grabbed the boy, her wings lifting her high into the air. He did not struggle, which likely meant the boy had fainted. As the dark shadow sailed across the night sky, she found she could no longer see any of the lights. Either her parents had destroyed all of them...or they turned off the lights in an effort to hide from their wrath. She prayed it was the latter, as she visited every settlement she could remember the location of.
In less then an hour, she found one that was not destroyed. She touched down in the middle of the collection of houses, looking about what appeared to be an empty town. She placed the child down, before looking up and issuing her proclamation. "This child is without family, you will take him into yours." She spared not a moment in the town, returning to her nest for the evening.
Since that night, Yukaida's view on humanity in general had changed. She did not bring up her new views for quite a while, since her family was still injured by the loss of one of their own. But in time, it became obvious that she had not joined her siblings, who had been solidified in their hate by the event. Her parents yielded to her pleading for mercy on behalf of the humans a few times, not wishing to upset their daughter by damaging her toys. They believed it to be a youthful phase that would pass in time. But as the century wore on, it began to seem that it would not pass.
Eventually, Yukaida knew her life had more to see then just this valley, and made her decision to be the first of her siblings to leave the nest. The decision delighted her parents, proud to see their daughter taking such a large step first of all the hatchlings, though they were a bit worried that he trust of humans would get her injured or worse. They are quite certain the world will reaffirm their own views in her, and encouraged her choice. They made sure to remind her to come back and visit once every decade or so, at the very least, and sent her off with the smiles and love that only come from a family.
And so, she left.
