Darigan

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SUMMARY

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Darigan is the spirit of the land Hestia's hearth resides on. He takes the form of a Guardian dragon at will, and when Hestia arrived looking for a place to set up her sanctuary he realised that he had met his match. Darigan is devoted to Hestia and committed to her vision of a sanctuary for all dragons who desire one. Some fear him for his otherworldly nature, others find comfort in his quiet and unassuming presence, but all respect him for his hard work around the lair and the fierceness with which he guards their home.

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PRE-CLAN HISTORY

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For many years Darigan was the incorporeal guardian spirit of the mountain, meadows and woodland on which the lair now resides. He was the numinous embodiment of the place and its protector. Under his watch the land remained pristine for many years, and the flora and fauna flourished. The Gladekeeper was impressed with his work gave Darigan the power to become a dragon at will, on the condition that he continued to guard the land and encouraged life to grow there.

Darigan enjoyed his new form but often returned to formlessness to rest amongst the wildflowers and grasses or move amongst the trees and sigh with the leaves. As time went by he began to wonder what other dragons were like and whether he would ever meet them. He even grew lonely, though his spirit was intimately connected and interwoven with all the verdant life around him. He began withdrawing more and more to the interior of the mountain, existing as a shadowy figure invisible in the gloom. Life in the valley mourned his pain and missed his presence, and its brilliance began to fade.

The Gladekeeper saw what was happening but could not be angry at Darigan. Instead, she began to twist the threads of the lives under her care together until one day Darigan was awoken by the sound of other dragons approaching...

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THE CLAN IS FORMED

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Hestia and Ceph appeared in the entrance to the mountain cave and were surprised by movement in the darkness. Unsure of himself now, Darigan edged forward until they were close enough to see each other properly. He was impressed by the strong, handsome Guardian before him and something about her resonated deep within him. For the first time in his life he felt unsure of himself and his lair. Did he act and live like most dragons? Would she judge him or find him wanting? He wished he knew more about dragon kind and how to act around them. All he knew was how to be Darigan.

Luckily, it seemed that Hestia and Ceph did not judge at all as he invited them to sit in the unfurnished cave he had been living in and tried to play the part of host. He stumbled through an explanation of who and what he was, to which the others responded with surprise but also acceptance and interest for which he was grateful. And then it was Hestia's turn to explain their presence in his land. She spoke at length about their plans for a hearth where all dragons could come to find peace and belonging and to nest in safety. As she spoke, Darigan knew that Hestia's idea was perfect for his land and would help him to keep his promise to the Gladekeeper. When she finally ran out of steam he couldn't help but blurt out his idea that they should make their home there, where they could both fulfil their Charges. He, of course, would make a new home in the forest to give them room.

Hestia was thrilled with the offer and accepted immediately. The land would be perfect and her devotion to the Gladekeeper meant that she longed to see the meadow bloom again the way Darigan had described it to her. She looked up at him shyly and said, "of course, you would have an honoured place in the hearth if you would like to make your home with us."

The look that she gave him melted his heart and he felt a lump in his throat as he took a moment before nodding solemnly and murmuring "I would like that, thank you. If you're sure."

And so the three of them set about strategising how best to organise the space and get the word out. The lair was cleaned and made larger, and Ceph set out to the most local groups that they had met on the journey to inform them of the hearth's location. Hestia and Darigan grew close as the weeks went past and romance started to blossom between them. The meadows began to bloom again and the woods were vibrant and luscious. As dragons started to trickle in, Darigan felt like he had been given everything he had ever wanted.

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LIFE IN THE CLAN

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Darigan is a quiet, steadfast presence in the lair. For many he feels like the still centre around which the bustling activity revolves, while at the same time his ethereal nature means he always seems a little apart from the mundane life of the hearth. At sunrise and sunset he can be found sitting at the boundary to the woods, keeping watch over the land. In the half light he is not easy to look straight at, the edges of his shape wisping out into pure spirit, but the clan are so used to this now that many are not perturbed by it. Everyone feels safer with him around, and life in the valley is rich and lush.

Darigan is known as a safe harbour for anyone who is timid or shy and is happy to sit in companionable silence or to listen to those who wish to bare their souls. Often those who are most in need of comfort and healing are naturally drawn to him and feel peace in his presence.

He is a devoted and caring mate to Hestia and would give her all of Sornieth if he could. They are very happy together and find great joy in being each other's closest confidantes. Spending time together is always wonderful and the best part of every day are the affectionate nose bumps, cheek nuzzles and wing brushes they steal whenever they see each other.