Half Moon Bay Weyr

He is thunder's dark bruising of a starry night, a creature comprised of teeming energy, barely leashed by the confines of this mortal form. His personality bursts at the seams of his existence, a spirit far larger than life cloaked in a stygian hide. Lightning flickers along the broad expanse of his chest, arcing through clouds in a manner both menacing and exuberant, perhaps demonstration of an inner nature that will never be tamed. Facial features seem forged of blackened steel-blue, a strong nose emphasized by high cheekbones and a stern brow. Cunning eyes peer from beneath them, lined with clever streaks of chalk and kohl, giving the permanent impression of one basking in a great inner amusement. Scorched metal fits itself around his headknobs and down his neck, armored plates sweeping across each shoulder whilst allowing wings to move freely. These are kept carelessly tucked at his sides, the effortlessness of their loose rustle emblematic of deep inner strength and more than middling arrogance. When stretched for flight, they are things of fear and beauty both, star-spangled leading edges ruined by a stormclouds splattered violently across their breadth. Their undersides seem at first to be the deep, empty darkness of a starless night, but when light shines through them a complex knotwork reveals itself to any that might take shelter beneath. A similar pattern circles each paw in rings so tight and close they resemble gloves, deep, dark sapphire interrupted only by sharp silver claws at their very tip.

Egg Name and Description

Mist and Ashes Egg
Standing out from its peers, Mist and Ashes Egg has the singular distinction of being surprisingly tall and narrow despite being obviously ovoid. At first glimpse, one might consider it awfully dark and gloomy, but when looked at closely, a doorway to a place of phantasmal enchantment can be found. One where there is hardly no day, nor hardly no night, where there's things half in shadow, and halfway in light. At the base, hues of the deepest black stretch into lissome tendrils reaching into the star-flecked blues of its midnight center. Upon those towering peaks of darkness, shadows cavort, leaping from darkness to light quicker then the eye can follow. Crowning the egg’s starry expanse, wisps of pearl and smoke twist and curl as they billow outward to catch the light.

Impression Message

Steam rises up from the sands in a haze of mist, each breath drawn comes heavy on the tongue with the metallic tang of lightning as rain — rain — begins to fall, begins to wash away the very fabric of who you were with the perennial lullaby of new beginnings. The roar of the crowd hushes into the dull thrum of distant thunder, echoes through the canopies of ancient trees in this deep, dark, ancient forest where you find only solitude, only peace, only your own thoughts rising in nebulous curls of smoke around you. « If you were here all along, why did you not call to me? » There's amusement in that husky voice that fills up those empty spaces, replete with pride in you and an unshakable confidence of what you two will be together. « They call it telepathy, my Alida. » And for a moment, everything is still, pearls frozen in their descent around you, as eerie, and alien, and odd yet beautiful as this strange place. As this quiet place. As this safe place. « I am Jorynth. Now you must rise, my most noble steed, for every minute the future is becoming the past. »

Mindvoice

Home Is Where You Make It

Cool mists hang heavy in a dark pine forest, the very air his mind is borne upon laden with fog, chilled where it presses against yours. It's hardly uncomfortable, these ponderous curls of nebulous thought, but rather different, foreign, alien in a way that's difficult to describe. This place is ancient, far older than Jorynth will ever be, trees dense, undergrowth layered, floor cushioned as though to protect even the harshest of falling thoughts from true injury. This is a safe space, dark and sheltered, a hushed haven for those whose thoughts are too loud, too injurious for normal consumption.

His voice is an interesting mixture between this sense of quiet understanding and the bold statement made by his physical form. It is a deep, husky voice, loud less in volume than in the commanding way he speaks, self-assurance reading as ringing pride in his tones. As with his eyes, slight laughter always seems to edge his words, as though enjoying a private joke that very few will ever be privy to, maybe not even Alida at first.

Why? Because deep down, beneath all his strength, power, and general prowess, Jorynth is a whimsical beast. As his comfort with you grows and develops, he will begin to share the childish games he plays with himself, such as summoning thunderstorms into his mindvoice just to watch a clutchsibling fall off their couch when lightning flashes bright along with his words, or calling down a hailstorm of thoughts just to enjoy your sense of wonder when you realize they're not made of ice, but pearls instead. He'll let them spin about your thoughts like quicksilver fish in a playful mood, allow them to bob serenely like iridescent fireflies when he's smug or pleased, or dump an entire bucketful upon your head, more than willing to cause you a literal headache if it'll turn your thoughts away from bad habits and on to being frustrated with him instead.

In the end, though he's his own beast and will generally allow people to see any aspect of his mind that he chooses, these pearls will take on a deeper meaning between himself and you. Even if he might flash them at others, they're always some manner of message for his Alida to pick up on. No matter what he's doing, no matter who he might be talking to, he's still thinking of you. Know that if he could tuck a single pearl into your pocket, he would, but that being less than possible, he'll settle for using their image to remind you of just where and to whom you belong.

Personality

Thor: Yes, well that’s a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one: You’re all not worthy.

Oh, Alida. Did you ever expect it would wind up like this? You on the sands, pinned beneath storm-dark bulk; him, sitting on your stomach, totally heedless of what his weight might be doing vis-a-vis crushing your ribs into your spleen? Did you lie awake at night, staring at the ceiling, or stone, or perhaps the stars and think to yourself, this, this is the kind of dragon I aspire to spend my life tethered to? If you did, we offer you blessings and our sincerest condolences for the loss of your sanity and bid it a fond farewell, for whatever scraps of it might have lingered are now spiralling to Hel, borne upon the Rainbow Bridge.

For from the moment that Jorynth hatches from his shell, there will be a confidence about your blue that bespeaks arrogance. He is not a cruel dragon, not by any stretch of the imagination, but in his youth he is prone to being cocky, brash, brazen, throwing around concepts of valiance and worth with no understanding of the experiences one must go through in life in order to earn the right to behave as he does. His ego only inflates when he is proven right about his own prowess. Again. And again. And again. Don’t look at him like that. He can’t help that he excels where his other fragile, fairer siblings doth fail.

Your Jorynth was made for this after all, is a warrior through and through: he's proud, he's strong, he knows his limits and isn't afraid to push them. He values strength, courage, and loyalty above all else, and the only thing in this life that he cherishes more than victory, more than the thrill of a battle, more than that rush of a flight or the cuddling of those glowing-hided greens is you. Just you. You are his Mjolnir, his Valkyrie, his lightning and his thunder and for you, dear Alida… for you, he will be your Avenger.

Odin: That’s pride and vanity talking, not leadership. You’ve forgotten everything I taught you! About a warriors patience.
Thor: While you wait and be patient, the Nine Realms laugh at us! The old ways are done! You’d stand giving speeches while Asgard falls!
Odin: You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy!
Thor: And you are an old man and a fool!

Weyrlinghood will probably be an interesting aspect of his youth, as you will find that Jorynth tends towards fearlessness. It comes along with that aforementioned arrogance, with a cocksurity he holds in a manner that is so very puzzling to find in a blue, lending him swagger and an arguably winning disposition that draws in friends, foes, and all those little green ladies. Nobody ever said that weyrlinghood would be easy, though, and that goes double for you, as you not only have to adjust to having such a vibrant and dominant personality in your head all of the time, but you have to help your Jorynth learn the finer nuances of humility. He’ll start out somewhat self-centered and selfish, not in a manner that sees to him being cruel, but certainly in a way that means he isn't always aware of the fact that his actions can and sometimes do have repercussions for others. If he sees a goal and he wants to attain it, he powers towards it undeterred and single-mindedly, focused on the discipline it will take to get him there on his own, or in convincing others to join him, to strive for a common goal.

This means that he will work himself tirelessly and push you to keep up with him. Weyrlingmasters might say you’ll be some of the greats, but for him, 'some of' just isn't good enough. Your Jorynth wants to be remembered for being the greatest; he wants the thrum of cheering crowds in both of your ears, to be the first to make that perilous flight by himself, to be strong enough to bear your weight before any of his clutchmates can, to lead and show by example even if it means that sometimes your dragon is more warrior than lifemate in his pursuit of being the best. Jorynth doesn't just believe that he can, he knows that he can — and so he does. He does it in his own time, sometimes against the better judgement of his superiors, sometimes against the recommendations of dragonhealers, sometimes just to prove to himself (and everybody else) that he can. Just watch out for him as best as you can, because he can be a bit reckless in his endeavors, and there is almost nothing worse to your Jorynth than having to sit things out on the sidelines (even worse if it's coupled with the humiliation of a failure).

Thor: Do I look to be in a gaming mood?

On top of that, his youth means that he's a bit more brash, a touch more hot-headed, and a lot more prone to knee-jerk reactions that sometimes land you both in trouble. He is a pinnacle of justice and righteousness — not so much so that he thinks every minute of every second of every day has to be consumed by morality and the prim and proper expectations set by a society that was once militaristic in nature, but just enough that if he feels there is a wrong that he’s capable of handling, he will try to right it. The only thing that will stand in his way is a queen, and even then, your Jorynth will let his disdain for inaction be known. It doesn't mean that he's right, Alida; it just means that he thinks that he's right. Sometimes (more often than not, if we're being honest), Jorynth has a very hard time understanding the more political aspects of everyday life. He is a warrior, after all, not a politician. He sees only in the now, in the shades that are set before him instead of grasping the whole picture, and even you will be hard pressed to reason with him when he's gone and set his mind on something that he perceives needs doing.

He's protecting you, after all. He's protecting all of you. Which means that, despite what some might percieve as Jorynth's shortcomings, he always has the best intentions at heart. He might not apply the purest heart to get him there, or step back long enough to separate emotion from logical inclination, but he always means well. Always.

Thor: I would rather be a good man than a great king.

And that will likely become a facet of his personality that persists into early adulthood. Incapable of ever becoming king (or the Pernese equivalent, weyrleader), he will instead settle on being a good person. Dragon. Whatever. This is almost the more worthwhile endeavor, one that might well earn him his way into the hearts of the people in the end anyways. He wants to be everyone’s friend, but his interest is not selfish as it is with some dragons, no. He wants to be their friend because he finds something of interest in every human he meets, something of value, and tries to see the best in them even when they might not be deserving of his attention. He’s a fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me kind of dragon in this, willing to give his trust and attention, and just as willing to give up when it becomes clear their chances have run out.

This is true of all except his Alida. For you, his patience is infinite, his esteem, inexhaustible. This doesn’t mean he’ll never butt heads with you, or give you flak when you’re making a piss-poor decision in his eyes - he will, and it might well end up in a cold war of stubbornness evenly matched - but he’ll never, ever give up on you. He sees you for all you are, knows you for what you’ve been, what you’ve seen, what you’ve done. He knows how this can change a person, make them desperate for anything to achieve normalcy - he sees you, he knows your worth, and it is endless as the sands of time. There’s a reason he chose you above all others, a reason your soul belongs to his, and that’s worth fighting for - for better or for worse. He’ll have your back even when you don’t want him to, and that’s just how it is.

Moreover, he’ll have your back even when you aren’t aware of it. Though far from a worrywart, your Jorynth is entirely too aware of the places, things, and times that make you uncomfortable, that set your pulse racing, anxiety kicking, palms sweating, heart suddenly too large for your chest. These are the times he tries to be the most present, physically if he’s capable, and mentally if he’s not. He’ll enshroud her mind with those soft, cool mists of his in times of stress and worry, when renegades are rumored to be close, or too much scrutiny is paid to her or her past. He’ll watch over her in her sleep if she needs, guarding her so she can put her demons to rest in the safety of the space beneath his wings. He will seem to prattle nonsense, tell her stories of his day, tales that he stole from someone else, or that he made up just to put her mind at ease and lull her into rest, more than willing to lose sleep himself to guarantee safety for her.

But this only goes so far, more out of respect for the woman that Alida is than anything else. He knows his lifemate is strong, able, more than capable of overcoming every obstacle in her path, including herself, and this is part of the reason he refuses to call her anything but her given name. No Leeta. No Lee, or Li, or Ali, or any other combination of nicknames that anyone might come up with. This might become problematic if she ever chooses a profession where an undercover name is required - he will more than likely blunder it up and call her by her real name out of ancient stubborn habit and then wilt like a dying flower when he realizes his mistake - but at least it’ll be funny? Sort of?

Thor: This drink, I like it. ANOTHER!

Your Jorynth will develop a pretty wicked sense of humor, Alida — even if it takes a little time, and tends a little towards dry. At first jests might be beyond him (What did you say about his mother?? Come say that to his face, blackguard!!) as a creature of literal meaning and intent, but he’s a smart dragon and a fast learner. Believe us when we say that he’ll have a talent for sarcasm, and you just might find yourself on the receiving end of it a couple of times. What, did you think that just because he loves and treasures you, that you’d be spared? Hohoho, don’t make him laugh!

"I swear I left that candidate right here."
« Right here on the path, or right there where the building is being demolished? Great planning. »
"How was I supposed to know? I can’t see into the future. I’m not a witch."
« No? Then why do you dress like one? »

In addition to a dry wit, he’s also got a talent for harmless pranks. He’s more than happy to use his mind and his body to spook other dragons, for everything from leaping out from behind boulders to scare them (« BOO! The weyrchildren taught me that, is it not charming? ») to staging elaborate ruses with his amenable clutchsiblings to lure someone into a trap (« GET HELP! My brother, he’s injured! He needs help! HAHA! Oh, your faces when I threw him at you. Hilarious. ») That weyrling that slips bugs into beds, tunnelsnakes beneath cots, leaves love notes and drooly, crumpled flowers for someone to find and puzzle over a mysterious admirer? That’s him. Through and through. At least you’ll get to enjoy a very, ah, colorful retelling of it later?

Thor: [about Loki] There was one time when we were children, he transformed himself into a snake, and he knows that I love snakes. So, I went to pick up the snake to admire it, and he transformed back into himself and he was like, "Mblergh, it's me!" And he stabbed me. We were eight at the time.

This will make for a rather… Interesting dynamic with his clutchsiblings honestly. Each one will view him a little different, and despite his outwards and apparent love for all of them, he’ll likewise develop opinions about their character and worth. Some will be funny. Others… not so much… Seyunestudath, for example, he’ll simultaneously respect for her self-love and her willingness to engage him in a friendly wrestling match. But Qhatiratrixth….

« I thought the world of you. I thought we were going to fight side by side forever. But at the end of the day, you’re you and I’m me. I don’t know, maybe there’s still good in you. But let’s be honest, our paths diverged a long time ago. »

Well… maybe some relationships are just best left unexplored after weyrlinghood is over…

Thor: For the first time in my life, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do…

Despite his bravado, his charm, his talent, his wit, and the esteem others might hold him in, there will be times when even your strong, brave Jorynth struggles himself. As all young adults do, he will likely face a crisis of faith, a pondering of just how he actually fits into this world. What role does he play in his society? What purpose does he serve, a king trapped in a blue’s body? What path is his to tread, how do you fit in, how should he prioritize his desires - over yours? Equal to? He just doesn’t know…

In these times Alida will need to help him. He will need her to kick his ass, nurture him, guide him in the same way he does her, giving him no slack and holding him responsible for himself and his actions, but also to be gentle with him when he needs that, too. It’s an important dynamic in love, after all: the selfless give and take when one’s partner is in need. This is no different.

Surtur: You cannot stop Ragnarok. Why fight it?
Thor: Because that’s what heroes do.

The good news is, he will only come out stronger for the fall. There’s little that keeps him down for long, and there’s always a lesson to be learned from failures. He’ll come out of the other side of his inner conflict with more resolve than ever, comfortable in his knowledge that no matter what, he cannot fail, because he has you at his side.

« Well, sometimes you have to get captured just to get a straight answer out of somebody. »

Besides, sometimes you just have to fail in order to find what you’re best at. Perhaps their first attempt at a wing results in disastrous failure - this beautiful future that you imagined, this great destiny that you imagined might well fall flat on its face, but along the way you assuredly learned something new. Made connections. Developed an inexhaustible work ethic. And most importantly, taking all of your past experiences and pouring it into something new. His previous « GET HELP! » antics might well come in handy if you go into the search and rescue wing, for example, having developed his strength as well as his talents of bait-and-switch deception. Sure, this might make him over-confident sometimes, and might end up with him on the wrong end of a bruising for it, but hey. More learning material, right? Right!

Dr. Stephen Strange: Thor, I sense a great change in your future. Destiny has dire plans for you, my friend.
Thor: I have dire plans for destiny.

In the end, that is what matters, for him and for you: that you’re always changing, always growing, always seeking to be the best that you can be. Is that in developing your warrior prowess? Your mental health? In how the both of you approach the weyr at large, learning its dynamics, the cogs of the machine, that you might work together to change it for the better? Yes. Any. All. For while your Jorynth is a good soldier, it is not at the cost of personal growth. He will always strive to be better than he was the day before, physically, mentally, and morally. It is truly only when your Jorynth feels that a decision made is somehow detrimental or inherently wrong that he will speak up. He is not too shy or reserved or willing to blindly follow to stand his ground, and that can (and perhaps, will) be of use to both of you in the future.

But that… that is a destiny for you to write, together.

Physicality & Flights

Thor: You people are so petty… and tiny.

Alida, your Jorynth might be a blue, but he's not small by any stretch of the imagination. He is handsome, he is masculine, he is all muscle and hard lines that promote confidence in his Ultimate Wooing Technique and — yes, okay — strength. He will not have any trouble in the beginning stages of life doing those things that are demanded of both of you. He will be stable and sturdy on his feet, confident, moving with a kind of swagger that pays ode to just how capable he is. He will listen to the direction of WLM's and AWLM's alike, take heed and make note of those elder dragons and just what it is that they do with their bodies, how they move, to try and replicate their abilities and enhance them with practice, practice, practice, practice.

Drax: He is not a dude. You’re a dude. This is… this is a man. A handsome, muscular man. … It’s like a pirate had a baby with an angel.

And with such practice, such attention to his physical form and just what is needed to build it to its peak is… well… Let’s just say he’s not scrawny. In fact, if Pern had a belief in deities, one might consider him practically godlike. There's little lack for words as can be used to describe him, truly, for he is a creature of raw inspiration. To look upon him is to realize that dreams really can come true, hopes truly can truly be actualized, and even the smallest might one day become mighty in their own right. He lends this comfort through visage and countenance alone, form large, body strong, wings draped against his sides with casual carelessness. His stride is full of purpose, as though his arrival was as inevitable as the storm he so resembles, an eventuality one must accept and weather as best one might.

Thor: My God, you’re a Valkyrie. I used to want to be a Valkyrie when I was younger, until I found out that you were all women. There’s nothing wrong with women, of course. I love women. Sometimes a little too much. Not in a creepy way, just more of a respectful appreciation.

And how best to exert this physical prowess than in participation in flights? For Faranth, does he love the ladies. He loves them oh-so-very-much, even right out of the shell, when flights are not yet a thing that he can aspire to or claim to understand; when the appeal behind those fairer-sexed is a curiosity of intrigue. Give it time for him to come into his own, but in the beginning, one might call it a casual enjoyment.

As he ages, this becomes less and less so. He enjoys the feminine form, might wax poetic to you about the quality of Luyillath’s coloration, or how he’ll gladly forsake his duties of the day to pay a visit to Xanadu Weyr, because my, but isn’t Iczobyth poetry in motion? He would practically pay for the privilege to watch her bleed a herdbeast dry. Why won’t she look his way, Alida? Is he being too bold? Whatever is he doing wrong?

No matter how he might appear to lust, his commentary is always some manner of respectful to the one he is discussing. He isn’t crude about his desires, your Jorynth, a gentleman to the last, but he also won’t hesitate to let you (or the object of his fascination) know just how he feels. Yasminath is the stuff of legend. Yonder Ysleth makes his heart soar. They deserve to know, sharditall, and so he’ll project it far and wide. On land. In the sky. As he’s actively twining forms on the occasion he is lucky enough to catch one of these beauties for himself. It’d almost be a little embarrassing, really, if only one didn’t know he meant every single word of it. Alas, his blessed, earnest little heart that beats the cadence of a closet romantic. Hopefully he finds a lady who loves to be wooed.

Inspiration

HELLO ALIDA, and welcome to weyrlinghood! We hope you’re half as excited as we are!

Egg: The egg theme this cycle was ‘Musicals’ and the Mists and Ashes Egg is based on the musical Mary Poppins. The egg and its touches were written by Z’tan.

Dragon: Based on your requests for a dragon (warrior, strong, but still funny and light-hearted) we only had one option of a person to theme your dragon after: Thor, God of Thunder! We took him from the MC Universe over the old tales simply because his militaristic, guardian-like attitude is pretty great, and his sense of humor even more so!

His name was, thematically, taken from several Norse-based names: Mjolnir, for obvious reasons, Bjorg (meaning ‘to help, to save, rescuer’), and Brynjar (warrior in armor). These all seemed appropriate descriptors of your new best friend and brother in arms!

As always, this is merely a guideline and springboard for you and your dragon - please change anything as you see fit, for he’s yours to play as you will, now!

We wish you all the best and hope you love him half as much as we loved making him.

— Siobhan and Leia

Credits