Arcaneborn

In the wake of the shattering of the Pillar and the birth of the Dragon race, there were those who were determined to learn from history and avoid past mistakes by maintaining harmony between the Flights, no matter how difficult the task might seem. While unable to prevent the constant small conflicts that arise due to the often inimical natures of the Elemental Flights, these peacekeepers have managed to prevent conflicts from turning into all out wars that might jeopardize the safety of the very world. They are remarkable both for their devotion to their Flight and Element, as well as their willingness to leave it and live as an impartial observer and occasional judge in a distant and often hostile realm. The rare individuals chosen are unequaled in loyalty and must possess numerous skills in areas as varied as military, diplomacy, magic, history and reason, just to name a few. While not all individuals possess all such skills in equal measure, they each have something that sets them apart. These are the individuals chosen to watch over the Nature Flight, and all that dwell within its comforting branches.

---

By nature Snappers are studious, picking up as much knowledge as possible in their endless migrations and pondering it at their leisure. Never needing sleep they have far more time to gain knowledge than any other breed of dragon, yet it has its drawbacks as well, for never sleeping means never dreaming. Before she gained the title Arcaneborn, this particular Snapper was obsessed by the concept of dreams. She had formulated the theory that the mind was unable to create entirely new things, that every dragon, concept and image in a given dream were composites of the dreamer’s earlier experiences. She also believed that the eidetic memory possessed by all members of her kind was not a unique phenomenon, rather every dragon possessed this trait and that all a dragon believed that they had forgotten was actually safely stored away in their dreams. Being born to the Arcane Flight meant that her odd theory and naturally curious nature were regarded as highly noble traits and she was encouraged to pursue her ideas.

Everywhere her ceaseless migration took her she made a point of seeking out other breeds of dragons and talking to them about their dreams and experiences. Mirrors dreamed in heat and cold, blood and prey; Tundras had saw a world of scent when they slept with only vague gray shapes muddling through the smells; the dreams of Spirals were convoluted and chaotic, ever changing and running endlessly into each other; the dreams of Guardians were slow and deliberate, dominated by sensations and stark images; Imperials had grandiose dreams, plagued by undertones of fear of the flesh; and when Coatls dreamed they were filled with the buzz of alien music. There were exceptions to each of course, but these were the strongest themes she noticed. Oddly enough she found that specific parts of the dreams fascinated her more than the rest, little bits and pieces that she felt she would find most pleasant if the dreams had been hers. By listening to the dreams of others she found herself building dreams of her own during the times she spent in quiet meditation. The thoughts were fluid at first, as all true dreams are, but over time they began to condense into something solid.

At first there was the great beacon, which could have just as easily been the Observatory that she had seen so many times in her youth as it could have been the Pillar of the World. It was a constant in her thoughts, but over time it changed, softening without losing definition, growing into something greater without actually changing. At first she thought that this trend was in the dreams of others and she pursued it with great enthusiasm, finally finding its source in her own thoughts. With that realization she became able to see other trends. Color for instance, her thoughts tended to be tinged with cooler colors, gentle and soothing to her mind, the sparse bright flashes providing punctuation of a sort. Motion existed as well, soft flickers and flutters with the occasional burst of speed to add interest. It was the realization that she needed to find a specific place to focus her studies rather than traveling the world and picking up bits and pieces here and there. First she had to make a single conclusion based on a known set of experiences, then she could expand it across all breeds and Flights, once she knew what it was.

Her thoughts guided her, revealing that the beacon was the Behemoth in the center of the Viridian Labyrinth and there she set up her place of study, which is not to say that she settled down. True to her nature as a Snapper, Arcaneborn wanders the entire territory of the Nature Flight, talking to all she meets about their dreams, trying to determine if her experience is unique or if other dragons have discovered themselves belonging to two Flights equally. It is fascinating to her, far more so than her earlier studies of dreams alone. She often speaks to the other emissaries from the different Flights, looking to find a common thread between their vastly different experiences. So far her results have been inconclusive, but in the meantime she has found a wonderful place to conduct her research and if it becomes the work of a lifetime, so be it.