Creative Corner

[img]https://i.imgur.com/CVAI6Ly.png[/img] ----- ----- [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/fEnmjR3.png[/img][nextcol][b][font=century gothic][color=transparent]____________________________[/color][size=5]INTRODUCTION[/size][color=transparent]_____________________________[/color][/font][/b][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/fEnmjR3.png[/img][/columns] ----- [center]Welcome to the story archives of the clan of Rara Avis! With such a rich history and a diverse cast of clanmembers, it is only natural that there are many a tale to tell about both. Included here are stories of the clan's past and present, as well as tales told about the dragons themselves! All stories, existing and planned, will be detailed down below. Some are about the history of the clan, while others are character pieces that will offer a deeper insight to the way a dragon thinks or acts. Things may move around a lot! If you want to be kept up on the thread, feel free to leave a comment! I'd love to hear feedback and answer any questions you may have. All stories will be linked below for easy reading. If the contents of a story ever confuse or leave you wanting more, you can go to my lair and check out the bios of the dragons mentioned. It'll probably give you some insight! If you want to know more about Rara Avis, check out its directory [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2417453]here![/url] If you like my lore and would like me to write something for you, check out my [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/art/2452976#post_2452976]lore shop![/url] Currently, the pinglist includes: Praetoria, MahuruRaji, EevyernDracaneon, Petall, Silverhame, Bearinator, Leukowii, Maevepanda, Aetherstorm[/center] ----- -----

----- ----- [columns][img]https://i.imgur.com/fEnmjR3.png[/img][nextcol][b][font=century gothic][color=transparent]__________________________________[/color][size=5]GUIDE[/size][color=transparent]_____________________________________[/color][/font][/b][nextcol][img]https://i.imgur.com/fEnmjR3.png[/img][/columns] ----- [b][font=century gothic][size=4]HISTORY[/size][/font][/b] [size=3]Stories pertaining to the creation and growth of Rara Avis.[/size] [columns] [item=unhatched arcane egg] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33514153]BY THE WILL OF THE GODS[/url][/b] [i]Nerien has a talk with her father, and discovers a truth about herself.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=silver pocketwatch] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33516232]PLACE OF BERTH[/url][/b] [i]Elurra finds a good place to stay.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=harpy masque] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33544930]UNWANTED[/url][/b] [i]Melpomene makes preparations to leave her home.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=long form poetry] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33550250]STRONGER IN THREES[/url][/b] [i]A council makes their first decision.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=aviar fragment] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271/2#post_33712307]SPECIAL DELIVERY[/url][/b] [i]Arlen sets up to enact a special scheme.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=rusty pickaxe] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271/2#post_33780705]ALL THAT GLITTERS[/url][/b] [i]Galasi discovers something in the underground caverns.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=pink chalcedony] [nextcol][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271/2#post_34025308] [b]THE GROWING EARTH[/url][/b] [i]The Bounty of the Elements throws a welcome stick in Bedek's plans.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=duelist hilt] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271/3#post_34127746]FIGHTING WORDS[/url][/b] [i]A group of once-criminals gets a life-changing offer.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=arcanist meteorite miniature] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271/4#post_34486660]SPIRIT OF THE STARSTONE[/url][/b] [i]An unexpected newcomer throws life at Rara Avis into disarray.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=clay fertility statue] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271/4#post_35051269]HEIR TO THE THRONE[/url][/b] [i]The king and queen hatch a nest.[/i] [/columns] ----- [b][font=century gothic][size=4]CHARACTER PIECES[/size][/font][/b] [size=3]Stories pertaining to the dragons that live in or around Rara Avis.[/size] [columns] [item=gold ore] [nextcol] [b][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271/4#post_35461152]GOLD TOOTH[/url][/b] [i]Nerien seeks to remedy a flaw in her appearance.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=analogous pigment blend] [nextcol] [b]CHILD THIEF[/b] [i]Momoka's mother sends him on a mission he cannot complete.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=stag figurine] [nextcol] [b]CALL OF THE WIND[/b] [i]Arlen tells her father a story.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=shadowbinder onyx idol] [nextcol] [b]FROM WHENCE YOU CAME[/b] [i]Raisa follows the message of one of her visions.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=chimera relic] [nextcol] [b]THICK AS THIEVES[/b] [i]Rhyolite's buisness deal goes a bit awry.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=raptorik talonblades] [nextcol] [b]BATTLE CRY[/b] [i]Ghostling hunts for suitable companions.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=dire wooden toy] [nextcol] [b]HALL OF THE DEAD[/b] [i]Elturgard begins a special ceremony.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=black tulip] [nextcol] [b]LOVESICK[/b] [i]Raisa and Arlen try and help their brother with his feelings.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=greatowl feather] [nextcol] [b]OLD FRIENDS[/b] [i]Oceana writes a letter to an old companion.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=multi-lens magnifier] [nextcol] [b]PENNY JAR[/b] [i]Runewing inspects a most unusual bit of treasure.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=sakura owlet] [nextcol] [b]BLESSING OF THE FLOWERS[/b] [i]Saikura has ain interesting encounter with some Nature magics.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=even more beautiful boulder] [nextcol] [b]ROMEO + ROMEO[/b] [i]Holanthrus attempts to win a heart.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=stingless bee] [nextcol] [b]BEEKEEPER[/b] [i]Tamarix comes upon an odd clearing in the woods.[/i] [/columns] [columns] [item=softly glowing pendant] [nextcol] [b]TILL DEATH DO US PART[/b] [i]Ghostling meets up with a familiar face.[/i] [/columns] ----- -----

[center][size=2][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_2451271]introduction[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33513672]guide[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33516232]next[/url] - back[/size][/center] ----- ----- [columns] [item=unhatched arcane egg] [nextcol] [font=century gothic][size=5][color=darkmagenta]BY THE WILL OF THE GODS[/color][/size] by rainphee [/columns] ----- Something had been bothering Nerien as of late. It was something she had noticed much younger, but now it nagged at her incessantly, a little thought at the back of her mind that begged to be answered. The simple fact of the matter was that she was red, and her family was green, and she had no idea why. She sat in the shade of her family’s rather pitiful den, scratching at the dust idly with her claws. Her clan wasn’t very impressive— a small cave with a few undercaverns. She could see the entirety of their territory from her spot here: The cave, the well, and a patch of trees that somehow managed to have enough pheasants inside for them to eat. In the distance, the creeping tendrils of the Wandering Contagion could be seen, the air above shimmering with a slick heat from the rotting flesh. Nerien was glad that they didn’t live closer; she had no stomach for the Plague territory’s disgusting smells. “Pushing stones, Nerien?” came a voice from behind her. She turned to see her father, Hessian, emerge from the depths of their cave and stand next to her, looking out over the landscape. “Why don’t you go play with your siblings? It’s a lovely day.” Nerien huffed through her nose as a response, and her father laughed. He had a nice laugh, rich and deep, and when he laughed his eyes sparkled. One of them was red— the one nearest to his nose, on the bottom right. The rest were purple, like hers. He said it was because he was raised on the border of Arcane and Plague, and wasn’t really one or the other. Nerien was never sure if he was being truthful about that or not. “Father,” she asked, and he cocked his head to look at her. “Why do I look different than everybody else?” All the mirth went out of Hessian’s four eyes. He settled closer, and drew a wing out over her, a comforting gesture that she suddenly became apprehensive of. When she looked up, he was staring at her, and at that point she almost got scared. “Nerien,” he said softly, like he was trying to tame a spooked familiar. “Please don’t be mad with us, okay? We didn’t try to hide it because we hate you. We love you very much.” The blood was roaring in Nerien’s ears. “Nerien, you are not our child.” The breath she hadn’t known she had been holding nearly got punched out of her. She had thought of this option, lying awake at night with her mismatched siblings, but for it to be confirmed [i]true[/i]... She wasn’t sure how to feel. “Whose child am I, then?” she whispered, hoping her mouth was working. “No one’s. Nerien, you are a progenitor. Your egg was created by the Arcanist himself, and given to us to raise. You’re [i]special[/i], my little rose.” Special. She was no foundling, or an abandoned egg, or a poor orphan. No, she was [i]special[/i], a dragon created by the will of a god, sent down to Sornieth by their own hand. Nerien had heard of these dragons before, passed down through word of mouth and scraps she had read during the family trips to the larger clan nearby. They were heroes. Blessed by the gods, they made history: clans, wars, uprisings. Progenitors were the movers of the world around them, and built societies with their bare claws. The thought that she could be one of them— a mover, shaping Sornieth with her own talons and her own mettle... it was nearly dizzying. But not quite. Nerien grinned. ----- -----

[center][size=2][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_2451271]introduction[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33513672]guide[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271]next[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33514153]back[/url][/size][/center] ----- ----- [columns] [item=silver pocketwatch] [nextcol] [font=century gothic][size=5][color=darkmagenta]PLACE OF BERTH[/color][/size] by rainphee [/columns] ----- “We’ve been walking for days.” “I know,” Elurra replied, watching her feet as she plodded along. The grass here was different than the tough shrub of Dragonhome, from where they had just came. Here, it glittered internally, shot through with miniscule streaks of purple and ever so slightly luminous when it got dark. Step, step, step. She was going somewhere. On her back, Amaranth shifted restlessly, poking their claws into Elurra’s summer coat and running their paws through her mane. Even though they were young— not too much older than a hatchling, really— living with the ever-travelling cartographer had given them just as much a heady helping of wanderlust as their guardian. The only difference was, Elurra was fine with the [i]wander[/i] part of wanderlust. Amaranth always wanted to know where they were going. “We could fly, you know,” they said a moment later, drumming their tiny paws on her head. “Get to wherever we’re going faster. Not that you’ve told me where it is.” “We might miss something,” Elurra said, keeping her eyes resolutely ahead of her. The Starfall Isles really were beautiful this time of year. “It’s all about the journey, Am. I’m surprised you haven’t learned that yet, you’ve been with me for almost three moons now.” “It’s hard to learn when you’re hungry, and tired, and haven’t seen a clan since a creepy death-obsessed group of Snappers in the Cairnstone Rest,” Amaranth griped. The truth of the matter was, Elurra hadn’t told them because she didn’t know where they were going. Simple as that. She often did things like this; the deceptively easy act of going where your feet took you. What most dragons didn’t know was that few, if any, truly wandered. It was hard to learn how to do it. You had to teach yourself, and unlearn things too, so you could let fate lead you instead of the maps in your head. Maps. Ha ha. Elurra chuckled deep in her throat. She had plenty of maps in her head, to put them on paper and keep them as paths. No, the maps most dragons used were maps made of memories, and Elurra— like all Tundras— had gaps where memories should have been. Step through the gaps and into the places on the map where ink did not run, and then, and only then, could one truly wander. “There’s something up ahead,” Amaranth said, flicking one of her ears in their customary signal when they wanted her to look up. She did, inspecting the environment with a keen eye. Grasses, the sea in the horizon, and the spikes of the Crystalspine Reaches... Ah, so that was what Amaranth was talking about. Sunk into the ground, so low and large and overgrown that it nearly blended into the plains, was an enormous crater. They might not have seen it at all, had there not been a crown of chalcedony circling it like great teeth, or, if she was being fanciful, the spines of an old skeleton. In between the great spikes grew irises and thick brush, fading outwards into the scenery. As Elurra watched, activity suddenly started in the crater. A pink Guardian rose out with a flap of his massive wings and, looking slightly overwhelmed, began to try and clear away some of the growing brush. Amaranth sat up straight on Elurra’s back— as a Nature dragon, they had some talent in manipulating plant life. She grinned at their silent eagerness. “Looks like you got your answer,” she said, and turned her feet back in the lines, to head for a newborn clan. ----- [center][size=2]Pinglist: @Praetoria[/size][/center] -----

[center][size=2][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_2451271]introduction[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33513672]guide[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33550250]next[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271]back[/url][/size][/center] ----- ----- [columns] [item=harpy masque] [nextcol] [font=century gothic][size=5][color=darkmagenta]UNWANTED[/color][/size] by rainphee [/columns] ----- She had been unwanted for a long time. It just took her a while to accept it. Her mother hadn’t understood her passion for... well, for ever. She was a knight, and knights dealt in swords and claws and armor, not the subtle storytelling of the stage. And there were so few actors in the Burrow that Melpomene, who was naturally a loner, felt lonely. She had learned her trade from the troupes that made their rounds once a year, and that was the only time she truly felt at home. Her den was a small thing, one of the tinier ones tucked away in a curve of the Burrow’s tunnels. There wasn’t much. A bowl of water, a dip that served as a bed, a miniscule collection of short scripts that she used to practice. She knew them so well that she could read them with her eyes closed, listing the words and characters with infallible accuracy. It was a shame that they were only ever performed here, in the quiet silence of her den. Her only audience was a harpy’s mask— a bone-whittled item, far too small for a dragon’s eyes, given to her as a gift by her mother one day. It was barely a present, just a spoil of war that Ivy had wanted to be rid of. Its empty eyes watched, now, as she threw a bag on the pile of furs that had served as her bag, and poured out the water into a hole in the floor. Yesterday, an embassy had arrived, consisting of an excitable Skydancer and very little else. She had offered gifts and sweet words from her Queen, and Fallon had accepted them. Today, the white Skydancer would be flying home, and Melpomene intended to follow. Although few ever noticed Melpomene, she had been nearby when the Skydancer had made her claims. Her clan was young and growing, but strong, and knew that allies would make it even stronger. Queen Founder Nerien was brave and determined, and their area was rich in resources. They would be able to offer much as they blossomed. However, only one of those things was important to Melpomene. [i]Growing.[/i] A growing clan needed dragons, needed culture and members. They needed a dragon to act out the plays that honored the gods during festivals, and one to sing the songs of ancestors gone to fly for their Flights. They needed someone like [i]Melpomene[/i]. It wasn’t like anyone here needed her, anyway. With her bag packed, the harpy mask staring up at her from the top, she drew the strings closed and slung it across her back. The room she had spent hours upon hours in, her voice echoing off the walls and reaching no ears, looked startlingly bare without its old decorations. The only thing that remained was the bowl, and that was empty too, unfilled with water that once she had used to recite soliloquies. In her claws was another mask, this one different from the one that once had belonged to a harpy. This one was a gift Melpomene truly treasured, a symbol given to her by the troupe that had taught her what they knew in their brief time at the Burrow. It was a performer’s halfmask, rarely used in plays itself, but worn as a symbol to those around of your profession. If Melpomene wanted to travel as an actor, she’d have to wear it to truly step into the role. Above, she could hear the clan beginning to wave that Skydancer goodbye. She’d have to get going soon if she wanted to track her. A smile— something rare on her face— slid across her snout. Maybe Rara Avis had a stage. She placed the halfmask over her eye, and left. ----- [center][size=2]Pinglist: @Praetoria @MahuruRaji @EevyernDracaneon[/size][/center] -----

@rainphee

Oh my goodness, I love this! It's great to get little snapshots of your clan! I can't wait to read more!!!

@Petall Thank you so much! The next one should be up today or tomorrow.

@rainphee I'm so excited!!!

[center][size=2][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_2451271]introduction[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33513672]guide[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271/2#post_33712307]next[/url] - [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2451271#post_33544930]back[/url][/size][/center] ----- ----- [columns] [item=long form poetry] [nextcol] [font=century gothic][size=5][color=darkmagenta]STRONGER IN THREES[/color][/size] by rainphee [/columns] ----- Yuzu thought they might throw up. The council hall was still new, and still dusty, Galasi’s magics having hollowed it out not long before. Everything tasted fresh, too, the space not worn down with claws yet. The top of the cave had arcane stones in it, casting a warm glow over the scene below, which was nearly austere in its simplicity: two small stories, one on the floor with a rug hastily thrown in the center, the other shaped with a long table-like surface out of the stone, five spots circling the rug. The middle one, for the Queen Founder. Her right-hand side, the King Founder. On her left, Henare, and the other two spaces? For them and Hokaka. The prospect of sitting up there amongst all those important dragons, making choices that affected the life of the dragons below, was dizzying. They reached over to worry at the ring on their claw. “Yuzu?” hissed a voice in their ear, and Yuzu felt feathers tickle on their ruff. Their familiar, the harpy Imena, had arrived, and immediately she made them feel safer. Imena had been with them for years— long before Yuzu had left the Sunbeam Ruins to see the world for themself. Her presence was familiar, and for all the love Yuzu had in their heart for the unknown, familiarity meant safety. “The rest are coming,” Imena whispered again as she took her customary spot in between their wings. “Galasi is with them. I think she wants to inspect the room again.” “Thanks,” they replied, and just like that, Yuzu heard voices from behind them. “The room is nice enough,” Nerien said, her husband trailing behind her and Galasi on her other side, “but a bit drab. Any way to fix that?” “I ain’t an interior decorator,” Galasi drawled, the Imperial’s great head nearly brushing the ceiling. “Oceana might have a better idea than me. The room’ll get more personality as time goes on, though. I’m sure you’ll figure somethin’ out, ma’am.” “I am the Queen for a reason,” Nerien mumbled under her breath as Galasi took her leave. She spotted Yuzu standing rather awkwardly, and her eyes lit up. “Yuzu! Right on time. Here, your place is on the far left, next to Henare.” Yuzu nodded, gulping and hoping nobody heard it. Imena shuffled her wings, but stayed silent. Behind Nerien were two dragons that Yuzu would have to know very well in the coming months: Henare and Hokaka. They knew of them already, of course, but none of them had been particularly close. Henare was an old, wise Guardian, draped in ghostly cloth and with her Charge, a book, always strapped to her waist. Her purple eyes scanned the room, and snagged on Yuzu for half a moment, but it was enough to set their heart pounding. Next to her was Hokaka, the white Wildclaw with eyes of Wind-green. The feather on his cap nearly flopped in front of his eyes, but he took his seat on the veranda with a delicate grace that did not match his wrinkled clothing. At his throat, the band of gold he always wore shone in the light. With a start, Yuzu realized that they were expected to take their place too. They scrambled up and sat nearly breathlessly, shuffling the cushion provided under their legs. Imena settled next to them, her sharp harpy eyes watching every move the other dragons made. “Well,” Nerien said, resting on her gold cushion. “Isn’t this nice. Our first council meeting! With any luck, this will bring great prosperity to our clan. Hear, hear!” “Hear, hear!” they all chorused. “Now our first issue is simple, and I’ll let you go after we’re done. The Starfall Celebration is approaching fast, and the clan members want to know if we should take special precedence to the Arcanist— as he is our patron god— or devote the same amount of time to the festivities as all the rest. Any ideas?” Suddenly, Yuzu realized that they [i]knew[/i] the right answer to the problem. They had been talking about it with Luster just yesterday! And it wasn’t an opinion shared by only him. Yuzu had been around, they had listened and learned, and now they knew the voice of the clan. “We should devote the same amount of time to it as the other ceremonies!” they cried. Henare cocked her head at them, surprised at the outburst. “The clansmembers are from all over Sornieth, many raised in different clans. We should give the same reverence to all the deities!” As Nerien mulled it over, Henare caught Yuzu’s eye with her stony stare. At first they thought she was mad at them, but then as they met her gaze, the corners of her mouth pulled up in a smile, and she nodded— nearly imperceptible, but it was there. Yuzu beamed with pride. They nearly tuned out as the discussion went on around them, but something warm had kindled in their heart. They did have strengths! They were useful here! They may not be as wise as Henare, or as charismatic as Hokaka, but they listened to the clan’s troubles. They could be their voice in this council. Yuzu held their head high in the room that just a few minutes ago had made them feel small. ----- [center][size=2]Pinglist: @Praetoria @MahuruRaji @EevyernDracaneon @Petall[/size][/center] -----

@rainphee

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful update! I just love the spirit of festivals and I'm glad they are on board to celebrate them all! It certainly makes it exciting!