Nelson

Partner: Renly Best Friends: Baruch, Roscoe Relatives: Rhys Elemental Alignment: Arcane Alignment: Lawful Good MBTI Type: ESTJ Theme Song: White Cedar Name meaning: Irish. "Son of the champion."

Pronouns: He/Him/His Role: Clan historian/bookkeeper Likes: Campfires, herbal tea, string music Dislikes: Apathy, sweet teas, cold weather Hobbies: Aviation Hoard: Record books, acid-free pens "If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it."

Home's resident bookkeeper, Nelson is the one who keeps track of everything from hatchling medical records to years-old electricity bills. Gifted with a photographic memory and a mind like a steel trap, he can take one look at any of Home's residents and tell you their hatchday, summarize their medical records, and rattle off every grade they've ever scored on exams. Nelson likes to keep himself out of the spotlight, but everyone at Home knows he's a passionate and dedicated dragon who cares about his work.

- Biography
Born in Dark Sclera society, Nelson was lucky to get out when he did. He never fit in well, anyway - designated a member of the sect of Dark Sclera dragons believing themselves born of the Shade, he wasn't well suited to a demonic life. He couldn't stand the cruel attitudes and unkind words and untrustworthy temperaments of his fellow Dark Sclera dragons, and he balked at even the more unimportant aspects of their society (like the penchant for hoarding and clutter). A stubbornly kind dragon despite his upbringing, he was raised to be a warrior, and remains a talented magician and fighter, although he chooses to rarely put those skills to use. Originally named Alastor, he changed his name when he left. He joined Home's leadership due to a desire to give hatchlings the childhood he never had, and is determined to keep his family safe. Since coming to Home, Nelson has managed to form a loving family of his own with his husband, Renly, and their son, Rhys.

- Life at Home
Nelson largely stays behind the scenes when he can, filing and organizing and making sure things are in order, and he's famous for being the only one Lothur completely trusts with important documents and files (not that the rest of the faculty board is untrustworthy, it's more that Nelson is just ridiculously reliable). When he's not busy with his bookkeeper duties, he can be convinced to teach aviation courses and courses in advanced magical techniques for gifted students, rarely having the patience or time for beginners. He can be a bit strict and a stickler for the rules, though he's well-known for being lenient when he thinks dragons under his watch are justified in breaking rules. Along with his husband Renly, Nelson is one of the first picks for Home's residents to go to when they think they're justified in doing some rule-breaking.

- Relationships
Nelson can often be found spending time with his Renly and their son Rhys. Renly and Nelson are a bit of an opposites-attract sort of relationship, with the soft-spoken and gentle Renly often smoothing out Nelson's rougher edges. Nelson dotes on their son, and Rhys was always ahead of his peers when it came to flying. Nelson teaches classes on a rarer basis than most of Home's other staff members, but most residents still know him as a dragon they can count on to get them out of scrapes. He's known for his level-headed and pragmatic personality, and few dragons have ever seen him get ruffled.

- Personality
Organized and meticulous, Nelson is typically outspoken, well-spoken, and solemn. His flying is hampered, the result of wing scarring from a battle in his youth, and as a result he is always extra-cautious when teaching dragons to protect their wings during fights. If it were not for a lot of practice and skill, he would be a simply horrible flyer as a result of the old injury, and is still much slower than dragons of similar skill levels. He has a very deadpan sense of humour and is known for being able to keep a straight face in the most absurd of circumstances. Nelson is also surprisingly sentimental, and is known for getting attached very easily. He is one of the only dragons at Home to know literally everyone's hatchdays. Nelson is devoted to helping train Home's young dragons and keep them safe as well as maintain order around Home. A very bright dragon, he loves working with Home's most gifted students. Younger students are often intimidated by his gruff and formal personality, but the truth is he simply knows what he's doing and how to do it, making him seem meaner than he is when he's really just trying to concentrate. He can often come across as terse or even unkind without realizing it, but he's also fiercely loyal and devoted to his job (and, though he tries to hide it, one of the nicest dragons you'll ever meet).

Husband

Son

Friend

TRIVIA Nelson loves herbal teas. He has an amazing sense of hearing. He has an excellent memory for names and dates but a terrible memory for faces.

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Nelson's Journal Notes on Dark Sclera Clans and other peculiarities Dark Sclera eyes Before getting into the Clans themselves, we must first understand what Dark Sclera eyes are and how they manifest. They are not the most unusual eye type on Sorneith, but I hope I'm not being self-congratulatory when I argue they are perhaps the most interesting. Dark Sclera manifests as a dark ring around the iris, where most other dragons have white scleras or scleras of a colour consistent with their element. In addition, the elemental colouration of the iris is typically lighter, and the pupil itself is a vertical slit. Because of this different pupil shape, Dark Sclera dragons reap several benefits. Slit pupils allow for more dramatic dilation, allowing for better vision in low light. We have enhanced depth perception and are better at judging distance. It also allows for horizontal movement to be seen in more dramatic contrast, meaning that Dark Sclera dragons living in non-Dark-Sclera Clans may notice their Clanmates thinking them to have better overall vision as well as faster reflex times. This does not mean that Dark Sclera dragons have perfect vision; we may be near-sighted, far-sighted, and everything in between. We often have eyes weak to bright light and are prone to suffer light-triggered headaches. Hereditary Nature The Dark Sclera eye type is, to my knowledge, unique among the eyes of Sornieth's dragons in that it is hereditary. The eyes seem to be a dominant trait and might be very easy to pass down to a dragon's offspring, though it might be argued that selective breeding might play a role in this as well. Either way, this makes the eye type unique in that entire Clans can be formed consisting of nothing but Dark Sclera dragons, and in which nearly every hatchling born exhibits the eye type. The few hatchlings born without the eye type are often outcast from Dark Sclera Clans as hatchlings. Folklore and Clans I do not know if the folklore grew with all-Dark-Sclera Clans or if they developed independently of each other, but the myths and tales surrounding Dark Sclera dragons are deeply ingrained into Dark Sclera society. Most Dark Sclera dragons grow up never seeing a dragon with a different eye type, and these Clans are large enough that they might never interact with dragons outside their sect for years. There are two differing opinions on how Dark Sclera dragons came to be. One sect holds they were created of the Shade; the other holds they were created of divine essence left over from the First Age. I cannot tell you if either is true. I can tell you that Dark Sclera dragons believe it true. For the most part, most Dark Sclera dragons actually believe both origin stories to be true, leading to a deep rivalry between the two sects. The sects might begrudgingly interact, but do not get along, and most Dark Sclera dragons will distrust those of the opposite sect on principle. Both sects have a practice of raising hatchlings communally; that is, hatchlings never know of any familial ties other than to their Clan as a whole. Demons Demons are the sect of Dark Sclera dragons believing themselves to be created of the Shade. Outside of their upbringing in Dark Sclera society, there are few signs to outwardly mark a dragon's sect. Dragons raised in demonic Dark Sclera society do believe themselves created of the Shade, and are socialized to match. They are encouraged to develop a specific personality. These dragons are typically taught to be ruthless and distrustful, and they are often rude and prone to bicker on principle. However, they are also taught to ask many questions and not take anything at face value, which isn't a bad lesson. When among normal dragon society, they are encouraged to live up to their demonic reputation (out of the belief that encouraging fear of them will prevent non-Dark Sclera Clans from bothering them) and commit whatever mischief they can, which can be funny in some cases and downright cruel in others. If they leave Dark Sclera society, these dragons tend to over-correct by being unfailingly loyal and forsaking clutter. Angels Angels are the sect of Dark Sclera dragons believing themselves created of divine essence. Like demons, they are subject to strict socialization and personality control growing up. They are taught to be unquestioning and loyal, and often have a holier-than-thou attitude, especially towards demons. They are often cold, rigid, and strict, and forsake creature comforts entirely. It is important to note that, despite the name 'angel,' these dragons are often taught to prioritize coldness and loyalty to their kind over being kind or loving. If they leave Dark Sclera society, these dragons tend to over-correct by being very kind, gentle, and sometimes even hedonistic. Leaving Leaving Dark Sclera society is not easy. These dragons are brought up to be perfect warriors, and the intense distrust fostered in them of the opposing sect makes it difficult to have doubts. Clan leadership keeps a close eye on members, and they do not simply send rude notes when disappointed. The best way to get away from the angelic sect is to ask too many questions; from what I've heard the leadership will either kill you or send you away themselves. The demonic sect exiles members less frequently, and the best way to escape is to defect and fly away as fast as you can. Attributes What makes a Dark Sclera dragon? Aside from the eyes, these dragons can be identified by a few other traits - perhaps genetics, perhaps selective breeding, perhaps something else. Dragons with very strong heritage will often have striking markings resembling Peacock or Crackle genes, though this is less common among demons. Many Dark Sclera dragons present a Cherub/Seraph/Peacock gene spread (in modern breeds), and the vast majority have at least one of these genes, though all genes are possible. Those with the strongest Dark Sclera heritage might have feathered wings regardless of their breed. This was extremely common a few generations ago, but much less so nowadays. Most notably, Dark Sclera dragons will exhibit magic that appears to be entirely neutral and is extremely powerful, not aligning with any known elements. They can do things such as transmute objects, create light, and the most powerful can warp reality and even briefly pause time in a localized area. Especially among angels, their magic is known as "miracles." I typically use this powerful magic to miracle more marshmallows into my hot chocolate, though there are many other uses. It is rare for dragons with strong Dark Sclera heritage to have eyes and magic matching the Flight of their birth - magic ascribing to known elements is somewhat unreliable in these dragons, indicating that Dark Sclera dragons have loose connections to natural elemental magic at best.