DarkSea

DarkSea

All knowledge is worth having.





DarkSea is a teacher and scholar for the clan, a quiet and refined dragon who loves order and learning. Although upon a first meeting he can come off as cold, formal, and even a little stiff, it's merely because he values manners, and would find it crass to be overly familiar with a new acquaintance. To those who know him well, especially the other members of the clan of which he has been a longtime member, he is friendly, cultured, witty and intelligent. He teaches the hatchlings, and the adults too if they wish to learn, all about Sornieth, and the places and creatures in it. He also tends to a small library, one kept very carefully away from anywhere a stray breeze might scatter the precious papers, and encourages the dragons of the clan, whatever age they are, to seek him out whenever they wish if they have questions.

Many Light dragons are drawn to seek the scholarly pursuits, and DarkSea was no different. However, unlike those who preferred to spend all their time in solitary research, he found a deep enjoyment in sharing that which he learned. Teachers in the Sunbeam Ruins are a dime a dozen, but he knew that a true Light scholar's learning would be prized in some other region, and set out to find a clan that would appreciate it. He was rather picky about where he wished to settle down. Traveling to several regions, he examined and then dismissed them. The dragons of the Earth region of Dragonhome had a fine appreciation for history, but the land was too rocky and barren for him. The lightning filled Shifting Expanse was too fraught with wires, sparks, and danger, and the dragons there cared more for their mechanical pursuits than his more abstract knowledge. The Starfall Isles were beautiful, but the strange, mutated beasts that inhabited it offended his sensibilities.

Finally he arrived in the Windswept Plateau, whose softly rolling green landscape, gentle breezes, and inquisitive occupants seemed perfect to him. He stayed with a young clan for his first few nights there, one led by a seafoam green tundra who was happy to talk about clan she hoped to build here, one with all the carefree joy Wind flight had to offer, who would extend an open hand of friendship and acceptance to any who chose to take it. In turn, he was asked to talk about where he had been. Wind dragons adore traveling, and they adore stories of travels just as much. His tales of the different regions he had been through captured their attention, and they seemed equally appreciative of the knowledge he added to the story, talking about the individual climates, customs, and geography of each region. He realized that this new clan was one he could share his knowledge with. When he asked if they might be in need of a teacher to join their clan, the answer was an enthusiastic yes.

DarkSea teaches the hatchlings and adult dragons of the clan alike, because he believes that no one is ever too old to learn something new. He teaches the hatchlings about the world they live in, and the different types of dragons and creatures who inhabit it. If any dragon wishes to leave the clan and strike out on their own, he is happy to tell them all about each region, so that they can decide where to go. He himself is always expanding his knowledge, and he eagerly reads any new books that fall into his possession, or talks to strangers who come through and might be an expert on something he doesn't know about. Since Wind flight tends to be a hub for travelers and trade, and his new clan often offers hospitality to those passing through peacefully, he is never without new sources of knowledge to enjoy.

Although it's not the size of a proper Light flight library, which can take up entire, massive, multi-story buildings, DarkSea is still proud of the small library he curates within the clan. It's full of eclectic topics, whatever he happens to be interested in or that other clan members might be interested in learning. However it also contains a solid collection of encyclopedias and textbooks, so that no matter what a dragon of the clan might want to know more about, there is at least a starting point. He keeps it meticulously arranged, so that even a young hatchling can find something if they care to search for it, because he believes it should always be easy to learn. The library also contains a few books he's written himself, on a variety of topics. He would never point that out, however, since it would be too much like bragging.

DarkSea can sometimes seem a little old fashioned, because he considers it important to stand on ceremony and proper manners. When he first meets someone, he is rather formal with them, using proper addresses and respectful language. It never does to slight someone with poor manners, he always says. Even if they seem ignorant and unimportant, you can never tell what they might know or who they might really be until you're properly acquainted. He never gossips, even though so many Light dragons consider it valuable informational currency. He always takes care to behave in a way that could never be described as boorish or crass. Around those he knows better, however, he warms up and allows familiarity to make up for formality. He enjoys nothing more than discussing something of great interest to his conversational partner, and hearing all they have to know about it delivered with their own enthusiasm for the topic. Although he can be squeamish in other matters, when it comes to knowledge, nothing is too distasteful or unpleasant.

DarkSea's mate is MadameRed, the clan's refined teacher of manners and hostess. When he first met her, he was smitten by her grace and elegance, and the comportment with which she carried herself. She was every inch the true lady. He set out to court her in the most proper fashion, beginning with a formal declaration of his intentions and request for her favor, then a present of flowers, letters expressing his admiration of her, a genteel walk about the gardens... She was, he could see, a lady above reproach who appreciated his careful attention to propriety. She saw that his efforts to adhere to what was proper weren't because he was stuffy or uninterested, but because he cared enough to make sure he was doing everything right as much as he could. To his delight, she returned his affections, in as measured and proper a way as he offered them. The two of them have been mates for some time, and couldn't imagine being apart, a gentleman and his lady