Jousting dragon-- Request

[DNS]

I don't have much time, because I have to go out with my grandmother (and attend to my cat, who wants attention) but yes.

I've been reading Mercedes lacky's dragon jousting series, and I've fallen in love with the concepts of dragons. And i was thinking about maybe making them available.

I'd change them, of course. dunno how much, but they'd bond and probably appearance would change too, and maybe setting, but yeah. that's a given. and if i'm impeeding someone's idea, i'll either change this one or not do this. X.x ditto if it gains no interest.

so i throw it to you all ,what do you think?

more ideas and wahtnot when i get back at one.

[Astra]

I know someone -- Samber, maybe -- requested one for the recent give-away. I haven't read the series but I'd like to, once I get done reading the book I'm on ^^ Anyway from the cover images at least, I think it'd be great!

[DNS]

I dunno how much like the cover images they'd be, partially because the descriptions of the dragons themselves were vague in the book, and also because those cover dragons are unbelievably hard to draw. ._____o I've been trying to draw the head of one for the past week in summer school and failing amazingly. Which makes me sad inside, but argh.

and yeah, i know, which is why i'm iffy about the idea, as well as the fact that it might not take well, but eh. >.> Actually, samber's the one who reccomended the book. I was interested in what they look like and i'd seen the series in book stores before, so when i was told to read it, I said 'what the hell' and ordered it online. I haven't bneen able to put the damn thing down since it arrived. ;-; argh.

I'd change them, of course. They'd be slightly more intellegent. Wordless, language-less, but they'd bond and have an okay grasp of logic. So.. slightly raise the intellegence very slightly, because they're pretty damn smart already. Bonding would be optional, but nessicary if one wanted to be an effective rider. They'd be able to understand language and ideas, at least to some degree, so if other agencies would take them as sponsors, they'd react well to that-- they just don't talk, are someone instictual and animalistic, but otherwise can understand things. I think i'd make them able to communicate telepathically, through raw ideas, emotions and pictures and whatnot, instead of yeah... Like a watchwher, but slightly smarter. ._.
argh.

i'll have to seperate how much of that will actually happen, and how much of that is the atual book dragons from the nonbook dragons. ._. argh i want to do this, but at the same time I'm not sure~

[jess d]

I've been rereading the series, and the images on the cover don't actually match the description of the heads, so don't worry about making them match the cover art. I'm attempting a few of my own, hopefully in time to volunteer one for Samber.

If you'd like more info on my take on them, as I am spending a lot of time on the idea, PM me.

[DNS]

I realised that. I looked at the cover and thought that it was a tad elaborate to be a bony crest... Though I do love how they drew the cover dragons. <3 prettybrightcolours~

I will pm! Thank you for the offer.

[Samber]

Eeeek! *tacklepounce* Joustjoustjoustjoustjoust!

Er... what I mean to say is, that sounds totally awesome and if you need help with anything just let me know. Actually, I have a dice-based generator that may be of some use if I can find the time to type it up--it includes basic personality traits, coloration (hue, shade, tint, ya know), markings, size (generally), and an incredibly wide range of Bond-types (from barely there to seeing through one's friend's dragon's eyes while he/she is on another planet).

Yiss.

[DNS]

sounds like a neat generator~ For dragons in general or just the joust dragons? Though squee, that would make me happy.

;-; yey~ People like the idea~
Now I just need to figure out.. how to organise it. I have some ideas about the dragons, barring appearance, but.. what settting to put them in? How to run hatchings if they only lay 4 eggs at a time, which will be icreased to 6 for the yes. ._. should i have a compound for the jousters, shoud it be on a world outside of mindspace, where things would deviate more from the bookst hen I'm intending..
of course, i don't want to leave them that much like the books either, when it comes down to it, so. :/ hwee~

any ideas?

^^ and thank you. <3 for both the commend and introducing me to the books. ;-; id've never bought the thing unless you told me to, so tHANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for introducing me to it. ^^

[Samber]

Heh, well, I wouldn't have read the books (I have a thing about the cover art) except for my friend Josh so I guess we both thank him?

My generator could in theory be used for about anything, but since I had Jousting dragons in mind when i was thinking of appearance, it should work just fine for what you're doing.

Setting and eggswise... why not have eggs given out on request? The applicant could choose what clutch the egg would be from, but maybe the image would have to be paged before they'd get the next stage? As for setting, I personally love the Egypt-y feel and names, but it's up to you of course. It's so fun to play around with the spelling of your naem to make it sound Egyptian-esque but still recognizable, though, isn't it? I think I ended up with something like Kheyet-ren, Kheyt for short.

[DNS]

Whee~! indeed, thank him when you see him! ^^

And oou, that sounds like a neat generator, then.. if you do ever type it up, and you don't have to, then toss it to me? otherwise, i'll go off of my brain. ^^ Type it up when you want to, in anycase, don't rush or make yourself do anything. ^^

Of course i'm gonna keep the egypt, i just dunno.. how egypty it would be. I have the everchanging book of names name generator program, and it has three chapters on ancient egypt. <3 But I'd have to change things because some of the egyptian politics gets on my nerves, and i also don't know that much about it. :/ werghsasda.

and yes! Dragonets by request could definately work, I hadn't thought of that. I can even make a little group of breeding dragons, too, for the parents~ Though I'm absolutely horrible at baby stages, so maybe it would just have to be adult. hmmm...

SO MANY POSSIBILITIEs. I'll prolly have to research egypt too. whee~

[Samber]

Hee, research. Every time you think dragoning is a hobby... lol.

*runs upstairs to grab the generator*

[DNS]

>.> hopefully it won't be so bad. or, if it is, i'll screw it over and use what i liked out of the joust books anyways, though all I really know about the joust books is the Tian culture anyhow. ._. ancient egypty people are very nitpicky, according to most, so that's prolly safe. X.x
argh, but that means i might want to read Alta and Santuary too.. but then., i am going to Cali and Wisconson for near three weeks in august, and idoubt more than the groundwork will be laid by then, so. :/ i'll have plenty of time, i guess.

whee, generator!~

There ar eno fansites for this series. That's truely depressing. :/

-wriggles- there's a fourth book coming out~

[jess d]

Where did you hear about a fourth book? I was told that this was a strictly 3-book series. I'd definitely like to see another one though, if you could point me in the right direction!

And I'll answer the PM in a bit, I seem to have misplaced the notes I made!

[jess d]

Sorry to double post, but I found where it is. I have mixed feelings about it - the end of the third book was a really good way to "end" the series.

(Of course it did leave possibilities for more, but I swear I read somewhere that it was the last one.... maybe I'm just going crazy!)

I just hope the next book is as good as the first three; they are all wonderful so far, you should definitely read the other 2.

[DNS]

hEre;s a cursory take at the species info sheet..

Species Name: Good question. Jousting dragons, _-_____ draogns? dragons?
Origin [location]: -insert world name here in mindspace, ancient egypty and deserty. Otherwise, it's from another world.-
Origin [Creation/Evolution]: Naturally Evolved
Natural Lifestyle: They live in hot deserts, where the sand is kept warm enough for the wallows they preffer. They tend to live many-to-a-mountain, though they are individualistic and don't live in groups or colonies or any such thing, each maintaining a small territory for wallows and nesting. They aren't too territorial when it comes to hunting and water grounds. When a clutch is laid, both parents will attend to it, but otherwise they're on their own. Tame dragons ignore other dragons and seem to like the groups.
Intelligence: High, though they have no concievable language. They have a relatively good grasp of logic and cause and effect, though they don't understand anything conventional like words or numbers. They're also more instinctive and animalistic than one would expect a creature of their intelligence to be.
Language: None. They communicate telepathically/empathetically, relying heavily on noise signals and body language. They'll suppliment, particularly the tame ones, the body language and various noises they make with the projection of raw thoughts/ideas/pictures/emotions into another's mind. They do this a lot with their riders, if they're tame. It's unknown if wild dragons do this, since if they do, it's confined to other dragons of this breed, and not to anything else that could possibly find out. Tame dragons also understand what's being said when they're spoken to, but not because the understand the words-- they pick up the emotions/raw thoughts/raw meanings of the words from the mind of the speaker, and this tends to work better if they like someone (or else they won't listen) and especially if that someone doing the talking is their rider.
Natural Abilities: Natural heat generation,
Magic? They have none naturally, and no one has yet tried to teach them magic. They probably wouldn't care for rituals or little point-a-wand-and-do-something-for-an-effect spells, though MAYBE, if you worked diligently, you could train them to do simple spells or harness more advanced, raw power for interesting effects. They know what magic is, and they understand it, but not in the same way people do-- to them, it's very raw and natural, around everything (because that's what magic is in mindspace) and just there. Kind of like rocks, and wind, and the occasional storm.
Naming Conventions: Rider chooses the name.
Rank System: None
Bonding prefs: Will ONLY bond if raised from the egg by one person, and will bond to that one person. May be convinced to live around people through nice handling, and even let them ride it, but that would not be a bond, and people would largely be regarded as interesting gangly things that bring the dragon food. You can also drug a dragon into submission, but the dragon will become immune to drugs over time, and this is therefore regarded as a stupid thing to do. A bonded dragon will probably accept it's bondmate having numerous bonds, because tame dragons seem to be surprisingly social and like the attention and affection of other beings. A dragon with no rider knows what bonds are IF THEY'VE SEEN THEM BEFORE, and therefore might not be opposed to gaining a few, provided the owner of the place where they're getting the bond doesn't object to something intelligent, but instinctual and without language. They make good sponsors and bonds, surprisingly enough, if said bond can get over the above fact as well. Wild dragons do not know what bonds are, if only becuase they've never seen one before and the idea has never really occured to them. These dragons will only bond TO others at birth, and the bond is created when they first lock eyes with their bondmate, and is weak. it's strengthened over time.
Natural Group Structure: In the wild, Solitary, but for when females are brooding their clutch and when the dragonets are still in the nest. When tame, perhaps because they bonded so strongly with their keeper as they wouldn't with their mother, the dragonets are a good deal more social, loving attention. Some even get seperation anxiety, go figure.
Birth[or hatching]/Early life: In the wild, a clutch of anywhere between 4-6 eggs is laid after multiple mating sessions. Eggs are laid 2 days apart, and the firstborn is considered to be the smartest and the strongest. The parents brood the clutch, warming it both with their own natural body heat and the heat of the sands the mother laid it in. The egg is turned three times a day, and the mother murmers to the eggs while doing so. Eggs hatch after a few months, and typically need help by their mothers to do so, since the shell is too hard for the dragonet to crack even with the eggtooth. They then spend time in the nest, while mom and dad bring them back tidbits of food. They move out shortly after they fledge and are taught hunting by their parents, and they're chased off if needed. In captivity, it's much the same, except the potential bond does the turning and helps the hatching, feeds the dragonet (and is the only one to do so), and spends all their time with the little dragonet as possible. The bond is deeper, the dragons are tamer, and either ignore other dragons or like them.
Mating: Typically flights, though tame/bonded dragons are likely to do them at all, or frequently if they do choose to mate. In the wild, females mate quite often, and usually numerous times, in order to ensure the fertility of their eggs and a good sized clutch. They don't usually mate with life, but occasionally the tame ones do, if they mate at all, after a few cursory flights.
Physical Traits/Structure: This I dunno yet.
Other notes:
Credits/Inspiration: Inspired, and pretty much just modified versions of, the Tian Desert Dragons in the Dragon Jousters series by MErcedes Lackey. all ideas that were hers, and all inspiration, have to be credited to her and her genious. <3

[Samber]

The Generator...

Bond
Type (d20):
1) d2, 1=none, 2=other, see below
2-3) thataway [sense location]
4-5) presence [general location, weak sense of state of mind]
6-9) state of mind [sense general feeling]
10-12) sense emotion [sense feelings with great accuracy]
13) feel emotion [experience same feelings as bondmate]
14-15) image [bondmate sends pictures to communicate]
16) see through eyes [see what bondmate sees]
17-19) meaning [communicate meaning, no words]
20) words [actual mindspeech]
Other) d4, 1=music, 2=trance, 3-4=double type, roll twice again

Range (d20):
1-3 touch
4-8 close (d20+10ft)
9-11 near (football field)
12-16 city
17-18 country
20 planet

Includes (d20):
1-10 bondmates only
11-16 close others
17-19 known others
20 all

Dragon
Personality (d20 all):
Force of will
Agression
Intuition
Reasoning
Creativity

Size (d20):
1 tiny
2-3 small
4-11 average
12-17 medium large
18-19 large
20 huge

Gender (d2):
1 male
2 female

# of colors (d4):
1 one color
2-3 two colors
4 same base color for body and markings (ie orange, dark orange)

Markings (d20):
1-5 belly
6-10 back
11-13 wings
14-15 points
16-17 gradiated
18 gradiated 3-point (color1-midcolor-color2)
19 stripes (for Joust-type, stripes on back as orange on cover of Sanctuary)
20 spots (for Joust-type, speckled back)

Basic Color (roll as many as needed, d12):
1 brown
2 red
3 pink
4 violet
5 purple
6 indigo
7 blue
8 grey
9 turquoise
10 green
11 yellow
12 orange

Shade (d6):
1 pale
2 light
3-4 medium
5 dark
6 very dark

Hue Shift (d12)
1-2 outish/downish (move 1 away from circle if possible, move 1 counterclockwise if not)
3-4 downish (move 1 counterclockwise)
5-8 no change
9-12 uppish (move 1 clockwise)

(Hue Map)


Preferred Bondmate
Gender (d6):
1 strong desire for male bondmate
2 prefers male bondmate
3-4 no preference
5 prefers female bondmate
6 strong desire for female bondmate

Personality (d20):
1-3 opposite
4-6 different
7-10 any
11-17 similar
18-20 identical

.....

The. End. (*fingers fall off*)

[DNS]

I have yet to read the other three, but on the webbie. >.> and i thought that about the second pre-valdimar book, the gryphon trilogy-- all three books were a good way to end it, actually. They were like three seprate stories involving the same people, and maybet hat's what it will be like? Iunno, the fourth book might just be a look into post-happy-excitement-la life for them, which might be slow, or might be interesting.
-gets back to the species sheet-

[DNS]

O___O -stares-

Samber, you are AMAZING. -clings happily- argh thank you! I'm definately saving that and using it, it's amazing~ -happysqueedance-

anyone wnt to give me spoilers for the lastt wo books? or tell me about the society.

>:| THATS WHAT WE NEED FANSITES FOR!
hee.
-goes back to species sheet-

[jess d]

Book two gives you another subspecies of dragon: swamp! I'll include a little on them, when I PM the other stuff, if you like

[Samber]

Fourth book? Where? *looks around*

As for species/breed name, what about Destriers? (A destrier being a war-horse and all...)

[jess d]

On amazon they have a bit about it, it's called Aerie, but has no cover art yet. Supposed to be released in October

In books 2 and 3, more detail about the culture and history are given as well

[Samber]

Yay, I have a book to actually look forward to this year! Redwall series used to be my yearly read but they suck now... *runs off to look up info* I just hope it's not a let's-move-on-to-the-next-gen book like The Silver Gryphon was, I didn't particularly enjoy that...

[DNS]

ANOTHER BREED?!!?! Nessie will have fun with this.

^^ I like that name, samber. ;-; and thank you, jess, you help immesely. I'll create another chart for the swamp ones, if they're different enough.
draggydraggy!

._. i have yet to read the silver gryphon. and squee, i ought to orer the other books then..
-continues thingum-

[Samber]

Swamp dragons aren't all that different--they're smaller, duller in color but more intricately marked, and like water (hot pools rather than hot sand), but personality, bonding, etc would be about the same. </randomtidbitofinfo>

[DNS]

finished the infosheet~!

and ah, hmm. I'll probably add a sub heading, then, with just the differences. ^^ -hugs- thankyouthankyou~~

-happy glee wriggle- the ideas are developing

Also, the info on the species info sheet is subject to chnage, particularly with what I read and the info Jess and Samber give me.

[jess d]

You lie!!XD Redwall will never suck! though it does take a long time between books, and for them to come to paperback. I have yet to read the latest cause it takes a lot to get me to buy a hardcover book, but I have all of them til this one. I love them *is fiercely protective of her Redwall books*
But I do realise that they're just not for everyone. I know several people who don't understand the talking animal thing, but I like them anyway.

But enough of derailment from me. The only other difference with the swamps is that none have been bonded, at all, as of the third book. And if the fourth goes on in the same direction, there won't be. But that will make yours all the more special!

[DNS]

>.> -has no reservations about mucking with the ways of the book~- indeed, they will bond~ <3 squee~~~ -wrigglewriggle-

I'm excited.

I decided on a name for the world, by the by. Akhet. Horizon, i think. -nods-

[Samber]

Well, I'll admit that the older Redwall books are excellent, and Rakkety Tam seemed to be somehwat a return to that (or a promise of better things to come at least) after the disappointment of Loamhedge, but Hight Rhulain... NO. It was terrible. And the sad thing is, it wasn't that bad a story, and some of the characters could really have been interesting (what's his name, Leatho? goes in my Hawt Book with Felldoh and Rakkety)... but it was incoherent to say the least, the writing was weak, the characters remained undeveloped, and Nessie made an appearance. Eh, read it if you must, but I would not recommend it...

-

Akhet... sounds nice! Hey, for the swamp dragons, do you want another color chart? (It'll only take like 5 minutes to do...)

[DNS]

Ha, i loved redwall, but i only read the early books. I think the latest book i read was taggerung, and i skipped a bunch in the series~
>.>
^^;

and then it got too goodytwoshoes for me, though i did love the occasional good badguy and badass goodguy. :/ of which there weren't many. and the wildcats. i liked teh wildcats, and the foxes.
whee~~

<3 but yes. Redwall is love! and i'd love one, samber, provided you wouldn't mind making it.

[Samber]

Here, i think this is about right...

And colors list, for the gen:
1 orchid
2 maroon
3 indian red
4 copper
5 mineral orange
6 brown
7 tan
8 dun
9 mustard
10 olive
11 grey
12 lilac

[DNS]

ooh, they have pretty colours. -hugs- thank you for the help, samber. <3 ^^ I appreciate it muchly. -happydancecling-