Sangue

Birth Clan - Oakrest Element - Earth Gender - Male Pronouns - He / His Orientation - Grayromantic Asexual Goes by - Sangue

A solitary creature, more silence than sound, Sangue's charge is the memory of the fallen. Many of the clan have gone on to serve their lord Earthshaker, and some have fallen in his service as they defend against the Shade. Those who have died in this service have some small portion of bone or hide returned to the caverns. These pieces, once returned to their clan, are interred in a special chamber. Sangue recounts the stories of his kin and clanmates - their bravery, their fears, their loves and their failures. He will not let any go unremembered. At gatherings, he is aloof. He is most likely to listen and observe, to learn the stories he may one day need to impart over a Remembrance rather than to create them on his own. He is most at peace among his charges, and while he does not seek out company, nor does he drive it away. He also has an excellent baritone singing voice.

"I remember them well." Guardian of the Dead Undertaker and memory keeper of the fallen STATS STR ██████████ DEX ██████████ CON ██████████ INT ██████████ WIS ██████████ CHA ██████████

Bordeaux - Sangue's great-grandfather on his mother's side, Sangue takes after him in his reticence. The patriarch of the clan spends little time within Oakrest itself of late, and Sangue spends little time outside. Though the two do not see each other often, they hold each other in high esteem.

Chandra - Sangue's great-grandmother on his mother's side, Chandra spends a good deal of time visiting the tokens of the fallen which Sangue keeps enshrined. Her memory, though typical for a tundra, is stirred by the scents and sights of the dead. She often says that a few feathers or a fragment of bone stirs more memories than the sight of the living ever had.

Copperlight - Though they are cousins, Copperlight and Sangue behave more like brothers than anything else. They respect each other and the opinions each has very deeply. Copper will often come to Sangue for his opinion regarding sensitive matters, and Sangue is happy to oblige. Sangue hates the idea of politics, however, and is happy to tend his shrines in peace.

Butternut - Sangue's cousin, Butternut is a bit brusque. The two don't always get along, but rather than bicker they simply acknowledge the other has a different life to live and go their separate ways. They do not often run in the same circles, except when Copperlight is around.

Salica - Sangue's nephew, Salica is a healer with the Wild Orchard Clan. Gentle and dedicated to his craft, Salica joined his new clan early in his life. Sangue feels fondly towards his nephew, though there is little the two have in common besides their approachable natures.

TRIVIA - His name comes from the Portuguese word for 'blood' - He is one of the few of Chandra's descendants who remained in Oakrest who are not Stonetouched

APPEARANCE NOTES - He is large, even for a guardian - He shuffles his steps, rather than taking them deliberately

GOALS - A beautiful cavern where all of the fallen may be enshrined together, rather than several smaller shrines. Many will visit here to pay their respects to those who came before them, and the dead will not be forgotten.

---

When the Quartz Kingdom ruled, Cairnstone Rest was nothing more than a few family tombs scattered among the hills. Their days were when dragons were new, and the beastclans had been driven out of the territory around the Pillar of the World, so much so that aside from a few bold Longnecks, most dragons had never seen another sapient creature besides their own kind. It was in this time that Almarra was born.

The younger daughter of King Vantry and Queen Elscott, Almarra lived her days in splendor and peace among the Quartz Kingdom. She enjoyed fishing in mountain brooks with her sister, Kienn, and practicing her dances for the upcoming festivals. Her favorite foods was freshly caught crickets, and she collected agate stones that looked like forests, since she had never seen one before.

Almarra wanted more than anything to travel. She knew that she would likely not inherit the throne when her parents passed, as Kienn was older and more responsible than she. But there was no jealousy between them, and she loved her sister dearly. Almarra spoke constantly with pilgrims from other lands and traders from other clans, hoping to live vicariously through their stories. But her parents would not agree to let her leave, saying she was too young to travel unaccompanied, no matter how prepared she thought she was.

So when a young pearlcatcher named Xyro arrived as an emissary from a foreign land, Almarra became quick friends with him. She admired his stories of daring and bravery as he described his journeys through the Scarred Wasteland where he was born and the Tangled Wood where he made his home. The two swiftly became very close friends, and Almarra was rarely found without Xyro.

They were known to take evening walks in the palace gardens together, enjoying the companionship of good conversation and the sight of the stars above Dragonhome. So when King Vantry called Almarra in one evening, she was surprised. But she was an obedient daughter, and she followed her father through the winding tunnels beneath the palace and into the crypts below.

"Just a little farther," he kept promising her, and Almarra didn't turn back, because by then her curiosity was piqued.

Her father brought her to a large room that was covered in ten bloody plinths. Only one remained unsullied. Almarra turned to ask her father what was going on, but never had the chance.

Her disappearance, along with the disappearance of the pearlcatcher, led many to believe she must have run away and gone on adventures. Queen Elscott and Princess Kienn never suspected that Almarra's disappearance had anything to do with King Vantry's renewed vigor and sudden magical prowess. They spent the rest of their days worrying about young Almarra and hoping she would write.

Years later, when Kienn was wandering Cairnstone after her mother's death, she found Almarra's favorite bracelet flecked with blood. Nearby, she found her sister's earrings near the skull of a young spiral. The rest of the skeleton was so dismantled as to be nearly unrecognizeable as a spiral. Kienn had her sister interred with full burial rights.

What happened next is a mystery to historians. No further record of Princess Kienn can be found, and traces of King Vantry soon vanish as well. Though a large number of accounts begin soon after of disturbances near the Quartz Kingdom's royal crypt. The Kingdom itself was left leaderless, and soon assimilated into nearby clans and territories.

And though Almarra's body was lain to rest, her spirit never truly did.

---

Xyro was a young cutpurse from the Scarred Wasteland who eventually made his way to the Tangled Wood. There, he pleased the local duke with his guile and bravery, and he was welcomed into the duke's inner circle as a member of the gentry.

He lived some time among the court intrigue and the backstabbing, and he quite enjoyed it. Over the years, he grew into the favor of Queen Umbra as well. In time, she entrusted him with a special mission - to head to another land and find her son a respectable bride. She gifted him with some of the briars from their homeland, so that if he needed it, he could call on them for protection.

Xyro travelled for a long time. He knew the prince well, and he knew the best match would come from similar personalities. But he also knew that the girl he found would best be of royal birth and a stunning beauty.

Eventually, he travelled to the far northern mountains of Dragonhome, and there he found the Quartz Kingdom. Ruled by King Vantry and Queen Elscott, the older sister, Kienn, was being groomed to rule when her parents passed. But the younger sister, Almarra, was a charming and refreshing dragon, especially after listening to so many royal snappers recount their family lineage while Xyro struggled to remain awake.

It didn't hurt that she was beautiful and well-versed in dance. And she enjoyed being out of doors and under the open sky just as much as she enjoyed courtly gossip and intrigue.

Xyro was careful in his approach to her parents. He was quite up-front with Almarra herself, as he thought it would be of no detriment for the girl to know he came with the intentions to marry her to another. But he had not quite managed to broach the subject with her parents, as they frequently reminded Almarra of how young she was. Xyro knew he would have to write to his queen and the prince himself and see if there was interest in negotiating a dowery.

While he waited for a reply, he took comfort in Almarra's presence. She was everything he hoped to find for his prince and more. And while some among the Quartz Kingdom whispered that Xyro had intentions for Almarra, the truth was that Xyro had no interest in romancing the girl. He was here on business, and as charming as she was, he was not foolish enough to try to charm his prince's future bride away from him. His very survival depended on a friendship, and he would become a dear and trusted friend of this young spiral.

It didn't hurt that her conversation topics were all well-educated and insightful.

They frequently took an evening walk, where Xyro would tell Almarra about the beauties of the Tangled Wood, his adventures as a cutpurse in the Scarred Wasteland, and his travels to other courts in other realms. He loved to watch her eyes light up and dance as he regaled her with tales that were mostly true, and he knew that the intrigue of Queen Umbra's court would suit her well.

One night, Almarra's father, King Vantry, called her inside far earlier than was their usual. Almarra bade a gracious farewell, but Xyro's curiosity was piqued. He followed at a distance.

Through tangled tunnels and paths Xyro had never guessed existed within an earth palace, he tailed the royal pair. Eventually, he found himself among the family crypts of the local clans, but he was too unfamiliar with old draconic to guess which way to turn.

Almarra's screams pointed him in the right direction. Fearing something unspeakable, but knowing he must protect the girl who might one day become his queen, Xyro raced towards her.

He found he had come too late. Almarra's body lay still upon a stone plinth, her still-steaming blood flowing to the floor. And there, amid eleven other bloodied plinths, King Vantry met his eye.

The light that burst between the plinths was searing hot, then cold as Shade. Xyro felt his heart thunder in his chest, and the bramble that Queen umbra had given him twisted and snaked to try to protect him. He saw Vantry's flesh strip off, and heard what he swore was the king's soul snuff away.

Xyro turned to run, but he never got far.

For at the end of the hall, Vantry stepped out of the empty air, his mouth just a knot of knives.

"You know," was all Vantry said.

Xyro stopped, his legs quaking beneath him. The brambles tried to protect him. The brambles failed.

Everyone assumed Xyro and Almarra had run off together. While the Quartz Kingdom mourned the loss of their young princess, everyone cursed the name of Xyro. And while the Quartz Kingdom did not last another generation, Queen Umbra's realm is said to still exist. To be called a "Xyro" is a traitor most foul and a grave insult, even to this day.

---

Shula has never been as hale as her peers - blood pressure and circulation difficulties have plagued her all her life. Her heart, perhaps, never developed properly while she was an egg, despite the warm clime of her home clan. She knows her days are numbered. Every moment of vertigo or grey-out reminds her. She is not a very good flier, but is quite skilled at gliding, even when feeling faint.

Shula is very gifted in fire magic. Some suspect that what she has lost in future years has been exchanged for her talents. Shula does not agree. After all, some very talented mages live a very long time.

She is very aware of her mortality. It gives her a resigned sense of urgency, and a drive to do as much as possible while she may. Like many imperials, she chooses to spend her limited time making art. She is known for the great caverns she claims and fills with wax sculptures. Any shady nook she can find that does not serve another purpose receives one of her pieces, each one made of wax from her beehives.

Shula loves her bees, almost as much as she loves her own children. She is a devoted beekeeper, and she is careful to set hives near the local wildflower fields that dot the mountains in spring. Brightwork, her mate, sometimes worries about her long flights that take her to the hives, but she insists that they need her and the trip is worth the effort.

She also lends her hand where she is able in the protection of Oakrest. She uses her fire magic to enchant clothing for the hunters, so that they are wreathed in flame when they head down to Cairnstone. She has quite a few different spells at her command, and she is careful to make sure Torch, Hodges, and Ink are ready for whatever fight may come their way.

On occasion, she smiths items for the clan, but it really isn't where her heart lies. She is prone to be asked for something very utilitarian and wind up making something of the same function but far more whimsical. She simply cannot stop her art, even if she tried.

Regarding the other imperials who call Oakrest home, Shula finds them amiable but not really worth investing the effort of friendship. Meadowtouch is too fey, and Bernice is a bit stand-offish by her own rights.

By and large, Shula is happy in Oakrest. She is glad her skills are useful and that others find her work enjoyable, even if it is a bit odd. She hopes to have filled an entire cavern with the likenesses of her clanmates by the time she dies, but it will take very many more seasons for the bees to make that much wax. Perhaps she won't make it. She's come to terms with that.

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Scry:

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Bio (except as credited), oak leaves, acorns, & layout by ixris / 26035 - all edits by later users
Horizontal dividers by Mibella / 47497