Paradisa App
Dec. 30th, 2013 05:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
firethroatCHARACTER NAME: Firethroat
SERIES: The Unicorn Chronicles
CANON POINT: Returning to her caves after dropping Lightfoot and Cara off with their friends
LOSS: The gift of tongues. This is considered the greatest magic that dragons possess. Losing this ability would mean that she could not speak to any pets or creatures in Paradisa, nor understand languages outside the castle's common tongue. It also means she would be unable to pass the gift on to others, removing the option as a boon.
ABOUT THE CHARACTER:
There was once a time when dragons and unicorns roamed the Earth, back when it was young and wild. Like the unicorns, no one knows where dragons came from or how they came to Earth. Perhaps this is because they showed up too early in Earth’s history to remember. However they arrived, dragons lived on Earth for a long time. There they thrived and created their own rich culture.
In time, humans evolved and came into power within the world. As they did, humans began hunted other creatures for food or sport. Men started hunting dragons long before they began hunting unicorns, since dragons seemed more of a threat at first. Many men tried to kill dragons to impress their fellows or loved ones. Later when rumors of vicious unicorns emerged, men went after dragons in much fewer numbers, distracted by the lure of the unicorn’s horn. Yet dragons kept being hunted, including Firethroat.
By this point, Firethroat was already a dragon of great age and beauty. She had grown quite large by dragon standards, with a head the size of a car and eyes the size of windows. Her claws were large enough to grab a human or horse like a hand would grab a fruit. Her talons were smooth and unbreakable, pointed on the ends like swords. These talons and her teeth could be used to kill her foes. Firethroat therefore defeated most of the hunters that went after her quite easily. However, she was wise enough to be wary of these humans. Firethroat knew that one day when her mind was distracted one could sneak up on her and end her.
Therefore, she planned an enchantment to protect herself. With a team of magic users, Firethroat removed her heart and had it placed inside a golden casket. While the heart was inside it, she could not be harmed. However, the cost of the enchantment was that should someone ever get a hold of the chest, Firethroat would have to do their bidding. She accepted this risk and took the casket to her treasure room. Hidden in her lair, none dared to try and take it.
When the hunters had grown too numerous and the magic of the Earth started fading, Earth’s dragons decided to move to a new place. The magician Bellenmore opened a gate to a parallel world for the dragons to enter. Not everyone agreed to go. Some felt bound to their first home and did not wish to leave. Firethroat was one of those few. Eventually though, Earth’s magic waned so low it was dangerous for dragons to live there anymore. Firethroat and the other remaining seven realized that they had no choice but to leave. The gate to the first world had already closed, but Bellenmore once again helped open the door to a new land.
Thus the last dragons moved to Luster with the unicorns, both exiled from “old” Earth. While unicorns were the ones originally intended for the move, they did not mind sharing this world with others in need. Luster was young and full of magic, the prefect home for dragons. Firethroat was the first dragon to arrive in Luster. She moved into a cave within a snow-capped mountain range not far from what would later become Grimwold’s Cavern. The mountains and surrounding region became her new territory. With her, Firethroat brought the golden casket and other old treasures. These were moved into a large cavern room deep within the cave. There she has stayed for the rest of Luster’s history.
Soon she had settled into a relatively peaceful life in this new land. However, like all dragons, Firethroat had not forgotten her original homeland. Sometimes, she longed for the old days when Earth was freely open to her. While she could sometimes visit Earth, thanks to the unicorn queen’s promise that the doors were to remain open, she could not stay long nor go near where humans live anymore.
Yet life in Luster suited her well. Firethroat still had her hoard and a fine territory. She could hunt there with ease. The land also gave her plenty of room to fly, which brought her great joy. Firethroat would often fly over the mountain peaks to keep watch of her territory. She considered everything within the region to be hers and guarded it carefully from other hunters. Although occasionally a trespasser would enter it, most were respectful and fearful enough of her to not cause trouble. The only major annoyance in her life was the species called delivers. Delivers were nasty goblin-like creatures which came to Luster after her arrival. They dug and burrowed into the land with little respect for it. Over time, though, the delivers learned not to enter her territory for she would eat them quickly. After many hundreds of peaceful years, Firethroat took longer and more frequent flights. While only small number of humans around, she had nearly forgotten the dangers they could pose.
Then, one day a small band of travelers entered the outskirts of her territory. They were a strange mishmash of creatures and humans. However, when she flew closer to inspect them, they stopped and waited for her judgment as many wise travelers were in the habit of doing. Curious, she allowed them to pass. She suspected that they were on their way to visit Grimwold, since they had a unicorn in their group. She watched them from a distance, but they did nothing to offend her. This seemed a normal enough event to Firethroat that she almost brushed it off.
However, soon she felt a great dread unrelated to this party. Firethroat hurried back to her cave but arrived too late. While she had been watching the group of travelers, a Hunter had climbed the mountain and entered her lair. The Hunters were a family of humans who wished to kill every last unicorn. This man had gone back to her treasure room and found the golden casket. Now he could command her as he wished. The Hunter said he would only give Firethroat her heart back if she did what he said, a weak promise when she already had little choice in the matter. He wanted her to bring him the girl Cara, who was traveling with the group. However, they had already reached Grimwold’s place by the time the order had been given to Firethroat. She could only wait, humiliated and rather afraid. While the Hunters had no great desire to kill dragons, it would not be hard for the man to do so with her heart in his hands.
Two days later, the group reentered her territory using a secret path that Firethroat and Grimwold had planned together. With little choice, Firethroat swooped down and grabbed both Cara and the unicorn. Then she took them safely to the cliff in front of her lair, where they could not run away. She spoke to Cara before the Hunter, explaining the situation and her position to the young girl. Despite how annoyed and humiliated she felt, Firethroat still held no ill-will towards Cara. They were both in a similar situation, for the man who held Firethroat’s heart also metaphorically held Cara’s. He was her long lost father. Firethroat responded to this revelation with understanding while the others reacted with horror. Although she did not wish the Hunters to get the amulet that Cara was carrying, which would let them pass into Luster unhindered, there was nothing she could do to stop this man while he held her heart.
She was resigned to defeat, when suddenly Cara did something unexpected. The girl tricked her father into letting go of the casket and grabbed it herself. As the two fought over the golden chest, they tumbled over the cliff and fell. Firethroat quickly took wing and grabbed Cara, who then unintentionally commanded the dragon to save her father as well. Obeying the command, she snatched both humans. Then after dropping Cara off at her lair, Firethroat brought the Hunter to a remote part of Earth where she left him safe and sound. She then returned to her cave, and Cara gave back her heart. Overcome with grief and exhaustion, the girl ran into the back of Firethroat’s cave to sleep. Firethroat did not mind the trespass after what Cara had done for her and allowed her to rest there for the whole day.
As Cara slept, Firethroat mused over the debt she owed this girl and what boon would be a suitable payment. Dragons are honorable creatures and do not like being in debt to others. Firethroat was well aware that the girl could have kept her heart and made the dragon her slave. Yet the girl did not hesitate to give her back her heart, and Firethroat was touched and extremely grateful for it. When Cara finally awoke, Firethroat offered to give her the gift of tongues as her boon. Cara accepted, and Firethroat led the girl into the privacy of her treasure room to give her the boon. This shows the level of trust she placed in Cara, since normally Firethroat would not allow others to see her hoard. Firethroat now considered this human a friend. After a long discussion, Firethroat offered to take the three visitors back to where they last saw their friends. Once the trip was over, she returned once more to her cave, where she likely kept close to her heart casket.
Out of the seven dragons in Luster, Firethroat is the oldest. She says her age is “more thousands of years than she cares to remember.” It is possible that she is from before the age of humans, making her over 200,000 years old. This also makes her one of the wisest beings within Luster, certainly the wisest dragon. Even in her early years she had been smart, and many years of experience have matured her youth’s shrewdness into wisdom. Thus, she is widely respected by Luster’s inhabitants. Often the title Lady or Madame is attached to her name, even when she is nowhere nearby. This shows that this respect is not simply born out of fear. However, many people do indeed fear her reputation and avoid her land. This is not without its reasons. She, like most dragons, feels fiercely protective of what is hers. People advise against messing with her territory or hoard since it would likely get you eaten. She is also rumored to not be fond of fools or uninvited company.
While it is true that testing her patience would be unwise, many of the rumors about Firethroat are contested by her actions. Indeed, Firethroat acts rather peaceful for a dragon, possibly because of her age. Unlike younger dragons, she is not quick to jump in and scare off interlopers if they seem to be respectful of her land. Instead she prefers to watch them from a distance. Even when a small furry creature from Cara’s group ran into her cavern, the dragon hardly bothered with the small annoyance. While she is known to change her mind, she does not seem to do so without reason. What's more, although she generally does not approve of changes to her land, she has made exceptions like Grimwold’s tunnels. As neighbors, she has long made peace with the dwarf. When he went to her about the possibility of building his underground tunnel below her territory, not only did she allow it but she suggested making the hidden exit leading directly in her territory for emergencies. Considering how confident Grimwold seemed in the safety of this path, she likely would discretely guard those taking this path on their way to the Queen. This would not be terribly surprising since Firethroat does not mind unicorns.
Despite her fearsome reputation, Firethroat can be remarkably calm and gentle. When the Hunter commands her to bring him Cara and Lightfoot, she grabs both girl and unicorn without so much as scratching them. She places them on the ledge of her cave in much the same manner. Also when she speaks to Cara, Firethroat takes care to speak softly since her full volume would not only deafen the human but also knock her off the cliff. While this could be attributed to the Hunter’s wishes to keep his daughter safe, Firethroat continues this behavior even after she is no longer under his command.
However, Firethroat still shares many qualities with other dragons. For example, she still retains a level of mistrust to outsiders. This might be tempered slightly from the relative peace in Luster, but her vulnerable heart still gives her good reason to be wary. If someone seems untrustworthy, she is more likely to respond to them negatively. How she will react depends largely on her mood at the time, with a bad mood making violence more likely. However, she still gives people plenty of warnings in advance, like breathing fire into the sky.
There are a number of ways to get on her good side however. Courtly language pleases her, since she has grown to expect a certain level of respect. Dragons also love bargaining with people. When offered a bargain, a dragon will always stop to consider it. While treasure is more traditional, services might also work as a bargaining chip. This is likely how Grimwold gained Firethroat’s trust and permission to build into her territory. However, dragons can be choosy about what does in their hoard. If a treasure does not seem adequate for the bargain though, the dragon will return it to the owner. It is not the way of dragons to kill and then steal an offered bargaining chip. They feel bound by their word, so being betrayed by a dragon is rare. This is part of the reason why Firethroat does not particularly like humans, who she views as deceitful even amongst their own. That they drove her from her homeland does not help her impression of them. However, she is not as bitter towards humans as Ebillan, the youngest dragon. She acknowledges that they have their own gifts and talents, especially making useful and beautiful objects. So long as they leave her alone or at least treat her respectfully, she holds no animosity towards humans. She is even on good terms with a few like Cara.
Still, it is unwise to push ones luck with a dragon, even Firethroat. They can be wily creatures. Even though she keeps her word, ambiguity and body language can be read incorrectly or even changed to suit her needs. Also despite their honor code during bargaining, dragons are still quite dangerous. If they killed someone who tried to fight them, dragons would feel no guilt in taking that person’s valuables once they were dead. The body would then be eaten. After all, dragons are carnivorous and prefer not to waste meat. While Firethroat might be calm and well respected for a dragon, not even a fool would claim that she was perfectly safe.
ABILITIES:
Since Firethroat is a dragon, she has all the abilities that you would expect a dragon to have. Her impressively large wings allow her to fly. Firethroat can fly quite fast for her size according to Cara’s observations. She can also fly great distances and great heights, though not quite so far when carrying heavy loads or passengers, like a unicorn.
Her hearing and sight are extremely sharp, allowing her to notice even the smallest change in her territory. While canon does not explicitly mention it, we can assume her sense of smell is also good, since dragons on the whole are renowned for their hunting capabilities and can tell generally where a person is without seeing them. Her senses must only be able to pick up smells and sounds from a certain distance though; otherwise the Hunter could never have snuck into her lair. It is possibly that flying also dulls her senses, creating a distraction from the world below.
Fire-breathing is another dragon trait that Firethroat possesses. Firethroat can breathe a column of fire at least as long as a human being, if not more. Typically dragons use this ability to light torches, give trespassers warnings, display intense emotion, fight, or roast their food. Her body generates a great deal of heat, even when not producing flames. Cara comments that she is able to stay warm near Firethroat even high in the mountains where she should have felt cold.
Luster’s dragons have the capability to travel between worlds. However, there are some limitations to this ability. In order to be able to do this, there must already be an existing connection between the worlds. For example, Firethroat is able to travel to Earth since there are still gates connecting it to Luster. However, when the gates to the first parallel world were shut, no dragon could enter or leave it. Firethroat does not need to actually use Luster’s gates, since she was able to place the Hunter on Earth without revealing the gates’ location. This won’t be usable within Paradisa though, since there are no gates between worlds.
Dragons also have the gift of tongues, meaning that they can understand and be understood by all creatures. This is their primary form of magic. This magical common tongue is different from dragon’s natural language, and they can switch between the two with ease. They are also able to pass on this gift on to other beings. Drinking three drops of hot dragon’s blood will give someone the gift of tongues. However, the blood must come from a live dragon. Firethroat has given four humans this ability to date.
The most distinguishing ability of Firethroat is her invulnerability. Her enchanted heart ensures that she cannot be killed. While text say it keeps her from being harmed as well, what extent it protects her is up for questioning since she was able to injure herself to gather blood. Either way, this only applies so long as her heart remains within the golden casket. If someone took it out, they could kill Firethroat by attacking her or her heart. However, the spell also came at a cost. If someone holds the casket, she must do as they command. Even if she obeys though, she is not compelled to agree or enjoy it. It is for these reasons that Firethroat guards this casket closely, though perhaps not as well as she should. Since she just dealt with a close call, she will likely be more careful in Paradisa.
THIRD-PERSON WRITING SAMPLE:
At the break of dawn, the world was just beginning to awaken once again. The rising sun illumined the bottom of the mountain range, slowly creeping up it as its rays spread throughout Luster. When the morning light finally reached Firethroat’s cave, the sun had already risen well above the horizon. Its golden rays fell into the dimly lit cavern, the only light besides the faint glow of flames coming from the dragon’s nose as she breathed deeply.
Her eyes flickered at the light’s approach, like a window blind slit halfway open. Deeper in the cave, her tail shifted and the movement set off a tinkling noise as gold coins became displaced from their piles. ‘I should be more careful,’ Firethroat thought drowsily, ‘when sleeping so close to the treasure room.’ The noise and light was enough to bring her out of her slumber though. Firethroat stirred and then rose to her feet, making her way towards the mouth of the cave. Stooping a little to duck under the low roof at the cave’s entrance, she stepped out into the morning glow. Her colossal body was an impressive sight to behold. The sunlight reflected off her scales, revealing more colors of deep red and gold then you would find in a fire opal. Regrettably, no one was there to see this sight, for none dared enter her territory unannounced, let alone climb the steep cliff to the lair’s entrance. It was as Firethroat wished. There, far from Man, she was safe.
Of course, few humans in Luster were inclined to threaten her as they had in the old days of Earth. Most were wiser than to bother a full grown dragon, especially when they were so few in number already. So when Firethroat spread her wings, she worried little for her personal safety, nor the safety of her hoard. The sky called to her, and she was eager to greet it.
FIRST-PERSON JOURNAL SAMPLE:
http://dear-mun.dreamwidth.org/10452902.html
http://dear-mun.dreamwidth.org/10453054.html?thread=314443582#cmt314443582
INTENT:
After seeing Desolation of Smaug, I wanted to try my hand at playing my favorite childhood dragon. I miss seeing dragons in Paradisa and am curious how a more traditional dragon will take to the game. She’s too big to fit within the castle so I will have to acquaint myself to the world outside Cair Paradisa more. I’m excited to find ways to fit her into the Paradisa setting.
As for my goals with Firethroat, I am hoping to slowly rebuild her life in Paradisa: get her a cave, build a hoard, and perhaps find a new “territory” to call her own. I also want to see how she will take to living near people, since although she is relatively friendly for a dragon she is used to living alone.
SERIES: The Unicorn Chronicles
CANON POINT: Returning to her caves after dropping Lightfoot and Cara off with their friends
LOSS: The gift of tongues. This is considered the greatest magic that dragons possess. Losing this ability would mean that she could not speak to any pets or creatures in Paradisa, nor understand languages outside the castle's common tongue. It also means she would be unable to pass the gift on to others, removing the option as a boon.
ABOUT THE CHARACTER:
There was once a time when dragons and unicorns roamed the Earth, back when it was young and wild. Like the unicorns, no one knows where dragons came from or how they came to Earth. Perhaps this is because they showed up too early in Earth’s history to remember. However they arrived, dragons lived on Earth for a long time. There they thrived and created their own rich culture.
In time, humans evolved and came into power within the world. As they did, humans began hunted other creatures for food or sport. Men started hunting dragons long before they began hunting unicorns, since dragons seemed more of a threat at first. Many men tried to kill dragons to impress their fellows or loved ones. Later when rumors of vicious unicorns emerged, men went after dragons in much fewer numbers, distracted by the lure of the unicorn’s horn. Yet dragons kept being hunted, including Firethroat.
By this point, Firethroat was already a dragon of great age and beauty. She had grown quite large by dragon standards, with a head the size of a car and eyes the size of windows. Her claws were large enough to grab a human or horse like a hand would grab a fruit. Her talons were smooth and unbreakable, pointed on the ends like swords. These talons and her teeth could be used to kill her foes. Firethroat therefore defeated most of the hunters that went after her quite easily. However, she was wise enough to be wary of these humans. Firethroat knew that one day when her mind was distracted one could sneak up on her and end her.
Therefore, she planned an enchantment to protect herself. With a team of magic users, Firethroat removed her heart and had it placed inside a golden casket. While the heart was inside it, she could not be harmed. However, the cost of the enchantment was that should someone ever get a hold of the chest, Firethroat would have to do their bidding. She accepted this risk and took the casket to her treasure room. Hidden in her lair, none dared to try and take it.
When the hunters had grown too numerous and the magic of the Earth started fading, Earth’s dragons decided to move to a new place. The magician Bellenmore opened a gate to a parallel world for the dragons to enter. Not everyone agreed to go. Some felt bound to their first home and did not wish to leave. Firethroat was one of those few. Eventually though, Earth’s magic waned so low it was dangerous for dragons to live there anymore. Firethroat and the other remaining seven realized that they had no choice but to leave. The gate to the first world had already closed, but Bellenmore once again helped open the door to a new land.
Thus the last dragons moved to Luster with the unicorns, both exiled from “old” Earth. While unicorns were the ones originally intended for the move, they did not mind sharing this world with others in need. Luster was young and full of magic, the prefect home for dragons. Firethroat was the first dragon to arrive in Luster. She moved into a cave within a snow-capped mountain range not far from what would later become Grimwold’s Cavern. The mountains and surrounding region became her new territory. With her, Firethroat brought the golden casket and other old treasures. These were moved into a large cavern room deep within the cave. There she has stayed for the rest of Luster’s history.
Soon she had settled into a relatively peaceful life in this new land. However, like all dragons, Firethroat had not forgotten her original homeland. Sometimes, she longed for the old days when Earth was freely open to her. While she could sometimes visit Earth, thanks to the unicorn queen’s promise that the doors were to remain open, she could not stay long nor go near where humans live anymore.
Yet life in Luster suited her well. Firethroat still had her hoard and a fine territory. She could hunt there with ease. The land also gave her plenty of room to fly, which brought her great joy. Firethroat would often fly over the mountain peaks to keep watch of her territory. She considered everything within the region to be hers and guarded it carefully from other hunters. Although occasionally a trespasser would enter it, most were respectful and fearful enough of her to not cause trouble. The only major annoyance in her life was the species called delivers. Delivers were nasty goblin-like creatures which came to Luster after her arrival. They dug and burrowed into the land with little respect for it. Over time, though, the delivers learned not to enter her territory for she would eat them quickly. After many hundreds of peaceful years, Firethroat took longer and more frequent flights. While only small number of humans around, she had nearly forgotten the dangers they could pose.
Then, one day a small band of travelers entered the outskirts of her territory. They were a strange mishmash of creatures and humans. However, when she flew closer to inspect them, they stopped and waited for her judgment as many wise travelers were in the habit of doing. Curious, she allowed them to pass. She suspected that they were on their way to visit Grimwold, since they had a unicorn in their group. She watched them from a distance, but they did nothing to offend her. This seemed a normal enough event to Firethroat that she almost brushed it off.
However, soon she felt a great dread unrelated to this party. Firethroat hurried back to her cave but arrived too late. While she had been watching the group of travelers, a Hunter had climbed the mountain and entered her lair. The Hunters were a family of humans who wished to kill every last unicorn. This man had gone back to her treasure room and found the golden casket. Now he could command her as he wished. The Hunter said he would only give Firethroat her heart back if she did what he said, a weak promise when she already had little choice in the matter. He wanted her to bring him the girl Cara, who was traveling with the group. However, they had already reached Grimwold’s place by the time the order had been given to Firethroat. She could only wait, humiliated and rather afraid. While the Hunters had no great desire to kill dragons, it would not be hard for the man to do so with her heart in his hands.
Two days later, the group reentered her territory using a secret path that Firethroat and Grimwold had planned together. With little choice, Firethroat swooped down and grabbed both Cara and the unicorn. Then she took them safely to the cliff in front of her lair, where they could not run away. She spoke to Cara before the Hunter, explaining the situation and her position to the young girl. Despite how annoyed and humiliated she felt, Firethroat still held no ill-will towards Cara. They were both in a similar situation, for the man who held Firethroat’s heart also metaphorically held Cara’s. He was her long lost father. Firethroat responded to this revelation with understanding while the others reacted with horror. Although she did not wish the Hunters to get the amulet that Cara was carrying, which would let them pass into Luster unhindered, there was nothing she could do to stop this man while he held her heart.
She was resigned to defeat, when suddenly Cara did something unexpected. The girl tricked her father into letting go of the casket and grabbed it herself. As the two fought over the golden chest, they tumbled over the cliff and fell. Firethroat quickly took wing and grabbed Cara, who then unintentionally commanded the dragon to save her father as well. Obeying the command, she snatched both humans. Then after dropping Cara off at her lair, Firethroat brought the Hunter to a remote part of Earth where she left him safe and sound. She then returned to her cave, and Cara gave back her heart. Overcome with grief and exhaustion, the girl ran into the back of Firethroat’s cave to sleep. Firethroat did not mind the trespass after what Cara had done for her and allowed her to rest there for the whole day.
As Cara slept, Firethroat mused over the debt she owed this girl and what boon would be a suitable payment. Dragons are honorable creatures and do not like being in debt to others. Firethroat was well aware that the girl could have kept her heart and made the dragon her slave. Yet the girl did not hesitate to give her back her heart, and Firethroat was touched and extremely grateful for it. When Cara finally awoke, Firethroat offered to give her the gift of tongues as her boon. Cara accepted, and Firethroat led the girl into the privacy of her treasure room to give her the boon. This shows the level of trust she placed in Cara, since normally Firethroat would not allow others to see her hoard. Firethroat now considered this human a friend. After a long discussion, Firethroat offered to take the three visitors back to where they last saw their friends. Once the trip was over, she returned once more to her cave, where she likely kept close to her heart casket.
Out of the seven dragons in Luster, Firethroat is the oldest. She says her age is “more thousands of years than she cares to remember.” It is possible that she is from before the age of humans, making her over 200,000 years old. This also makes her one of the wisest beings within Luster, certainly the wisest dragon. Even in her early years she had been smart, and many years of experience have matured her youth’s shrewdness into wisdom. Thus, she is widely respected by Luster’s inhabitants. Often the title Lady or Madame is attached to her name, even when she is nowhere nearby. This shows that this respect is not simply born out of fear. However, many people do indeed fear her reputation and avoid her land. This is not without its reasons. She, like most dragons, feels fiercely protective of what is hers. People advise against messing with her territory or hoard since it would likely get you eaten. She is also rumored to not be fond of fools or uninvited company.
While it is true that testing her patience would be unwise, many of the rumors about Firethroat are contested by her actions. Indeed, Firethroat acts rather peaceful for a dragon, possibly because of her age. Unlike younger dragons, she is not quick to jump in and scare off interlopers if they seem to be respectful of her land. Instead she prefers to watch them from a distance. Even when a small furry creature from Cara’s group ran into her cavern, the dragon hardly bothered with the small annoyance. While she is known to change her mind, she does not seem to do so without reason. What's more, although she generally does not approve of changes to her land, she has made exceptions like Grimwold’s tunnels. As neighbors, she has long made peace with the dwarf. When he went to her about the possibility of building his underground tunnel below her territory, not only did she allow it but she suggested making the hidden exit leading directly in her territory for emergencies. Considering how confident Grimwold seemed in the safety of this path, she likely would discretely guard those taking this path on their way to the Queen. This would not be terribly surprising since Firethroat does not mind unicorns.
Despite her fearsome reputation, Firethroat can be remarkably calm and gentle. When the Hunter commands her to bring him Cara and Lightfoot, she grabs both girl and unicorn without so much as scratching them. She places them on the ledge of her cave in much the same manner. Also when she speaks to Cara, Firethroat takes care to speak softly since her full volume would not only deafen the human but also knock her off the cliff. While this could be attributed to the Hunter’s wishes to keep his daughter safe, Firethroat continues this behavior even after she is no longer under his command.
However, Firethroat still shares many qualities with other dragons. For example, she still retains a level of mistrust to outsiders. This might be tempered slightly from the relative peace in Luster, but her vulnerable heart still gives her good reason to be wary. If someone seems untrustworthy, she is more likely to respond to them negatively. How she will react depends largely on her mood at the time, with a bad mood making violence more likely. However, she still gives people plenty of warnings in advance, like breathing fire into the sky.
There are a number of ways to get on her good side however. Courtly language pleases her, since she has grown to expect a certain level of respect. Dragons also love bargaining with people. When offered a bargain, a dragon will always stop to consider it. While treasure is more traditional, services might also work as a bargaining chip. This is likely how Grimwold gained Firethroat’s trust and permission to build into her territory. However, dragons can be choosy about what does in their hoard. If a treasure does not seem adequate for the bargain though, the dragon will return it to the owner. It is not the way of dragons to kill and then steal an offered bargaining chip. They feel bound by their word, so being betrayed by a dragon is rare. This is part of the reason why Firethroat does not particularly like humans, who she views as deceitful even amongst their own. That they drove her from her homeland does not help her impression of them. However, she is not as bitter towards humans as Ebillan, the youngest dragon. She acknowledges that they have their own gifts and talents, especially making useful and beautiful objects. So long as they leave her alone or at least treat her respectfully, she holds no animosity towards humans. She is even on good terms with a few like Cara.
Still, it is unwise to push ones luck with a dragon, even Firethroat. They can be wily creatures. Even though she keeps her word, ambiguity and body language can be read incorrectly or even changed to suit her needs. Also despite their honor code during bargaining, dragons are still quite dangerous. If they killed someone who tried to fight them, dragons would feel no guilt in taking that person’s valuables once they were dead. The body would then be eaten. After all, dragons are carnivorous and prefer not to waste meat. While Firethroat might be calm and well respected for a dragon, not even a fool would claim that she was perfectly safe.
ABILITIES:
Since Firethroat is a dragon, she has all the abilities that you would expect a dragon to have. Her impressively large wings allow her to fly. Firethroat can fly quite fast for her size according to Cara’s observations. She can also fly great distances and great heights, though not quite so far when carrying heavy loads or passengers, like a unicorn.
Her hearing and sight are extremely sharp, allowing her to notice even the smallest change in her territory. While canon does not explicitly mention it, we can assume her sense of smell is also good, since dragons on the whole are renowned for their hunting capabilities and can tell generally where a person is without seeing them. Her senses must only be able to pick up smells and sounds from a certain distance though; otherwise the Hunter could never have snuck into her lair. It is possibly that flying also dulls her senses, creating a distraction from the world below.
Fire-breathing is another dragon trait that Firethroat possesses. Firethroat can breathe a column of fire at least as long as a human being, if not more. Typically dragons use this ability to light torches, give trespassers warnings, display intense emotion, fight, or roast their food. Her body generates a great deal of heat, even when not producing flames. Cara comments that she is able to stay warm near Firethroat even high in the mountains where she should have felt cold.
Luster’s dragons have the capability to travel between worlds. However, there are some limitations to this ability. In order to be able to do this, there must already be an existing connection between the worlds. For example, Firethroat is able to travel to Earth since there are still gates connecting it to Luster. However, when the gates to the first parallel world were shut, no dragon could enter or leave it. Firethroat does not need to actually use Luster’s gates, since she was able to place the Hunter on Earth without revealing the gates’ location. This won’t be usable within Paradisa though, since there are no gates between worlds.
Dragons also have the gift of tongues, meaning that they can understand and be understood by all creatures. This is their primary form of magic. This magical common tongue is different from dragon’s natural language, and they can switch between the two with ease. They are also able to pass on this gift on to other beings. Drinking three drops of hot dragon’s blood will give someone the gift of tongues. However, the blood must come from a live dragon. Firethroat has given four humans this ability to date.
The most distinguishing ability of Firethroat is her invulnerability. Her enchanted heart ensures that she cannot be killed. While text say it keeps her from being harmed as well, what extent it protects her is up for questioning since she was able to injure herself to gather blood. Either way, this only applies so long as her heart remains within the golden casket. If someone took it out, they could kill Firethroat by attacking her or her heart. However, the spell also came at a cost. If someone holds the casket, she must do as they command. Even if she obeys though, she is not compelled to agree or enjoy it. It is for these reasons that Firethroat guards this casket closely, though perhaps not as well as she should. Since she just dealt with a close call, she will likely be more careful in Paradisa.
THIRD-PERSON WRITING SAMPLE:
At the break of dawn, the world was just beginning to awaken once again. The rising sun illumined the bottom of the mountain range, slowly creeping up it as its rays spread throughout Luster. When the morning light finally reached Firethroat’s cave, the sun had already risen well above the horizon. Its golden rays fell into the dimly lit cavern, the only light besides the faint glow of flames coming from the dragon’s nose as she breathed deeply.
Her eyes flickered at the light’s approach, like a window blind slit halfway open. Deeper in the cave, her tail shifted and the movement set off a tinkling noise as gold coins became displaced from their piles. ‘I should be more careful,’ Firethroat thought drowsily, ‘when sleeping so close to the treasure room.’ The noise and light was enough to bring her out of her slumber though. Firethroat stirred and then rose to her feet, making her way towards the mouth of the cave. Stooping a little to duck under the low roof at the cave’s entrance, she stepped out into the morning glow. Her colossal body was an impressive sight to behold. The sunlight reflected off her scales, revealing more colors of deep red and gold then you would find in a fire opal. Regrettably, no one was there to see this sight, for none dared enter her territory unannounced, let alone climb the steep cliff to the lair’s entrance. It was as Firethroat wished. There, far from Man, she was safe.
Of course, few humans in Luster were inclined to threaten her as they had in the old days of Earth. Most were wiser than to bother a full grown dragon, especially when they were so few in number already. So when Firethroat spread her wings, she worried little for her personal safety, nor the safety of her hoard. The sky called to her, and she was eager to greet it.
FIRST-PERSON JOURNAL SAMPLE:
http://dear-mun.dreamwidth.org/10452902.html
http://dear-mun.dreamwidth.org/10453054.html?thread=314443582#cmt314443582
INTENT:
After seeing Desolation of Smaug, I wanted to try my hand at playing my favorite childhood dragon. I miss seeing dragons in Paradisa and am curious how a more traditional dragon will take to the game. She’s too big to fit within the castle so I will have to acquaint myself to the world outside Cair Paradisa more. I’m excited to find ways to fit her into the Paradisa setting.
As for my goals with Firethroat, I am hoping to slowly rebuild her life in Paradisa: get her a cave, build a hoard, and perhaps find a new “territory” to call her own. I also want to see how she will take to living near people, since although she is relatively friendly for a dragon she is used to living alone.
