Aurrunen

Uh-oh, looks like this landscape artist wandered a little too far from her home lair (570686, LabyrinthianLost), and now she's off to see the world! If ever you feel the need to exalt, she'd really appreciate it if you could just return her to the home lair, or to the 'Dragons Off To See The World' thread, here. This is not necessary, but she would be very grateful!

Owners I've Had:

LabyrinthianLost
Alligatorsight
Ecliptique
KnightOfAres
/ grxndsxn
Lirillith
NecroticroseQT
perfectoranges
Kiln
(put your lair/username here)
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Born within the walls of Cragenmire Cavern, Aurrunen was one of three, and painfully overlooked according to her. She had an eye for art, accompanying Tethys on trips to the various underground bodies of water one could find within the tunnels. While Tethys studied the ripples and creatures within, Aurrunen instead sketched the scenes to the best of her ability. Though she would by no means call herself incredible, her art evolved over time, taking on a mind of its own.

Aurrunen didn't dislike her siblings, but she found Aerona, her older sister, far too obsessed with the strange magical stones littering the cave. It was mostly just plain weird when her sister came back one day with a bunch of eyes all over her body. Lachris seemed happy as a clam to just follow Aerona around in doing, well, whatever it was they were doing. She found herself increasingly frustrated at their antics and stumped on finding new things to draw, or ways to improve. But, when their father Derecho left, things just clicked into place for Aurrunen. She could travel, just like him!

The stories Derecho would tell before bed were retellings of efforts to become stronger. Aurrunen would instead tell stories of artistic drive - of passion in it's truest form. She found herself yearning to leave, unable to recognize the source behind the frustration she'd been feeling up until that point. It was both wonderful and annoying. She knew her mother wouldn't care, and her siblings were probably too busy poking rocks to stop her, so she packed some food, art supplies and scrolls and took to the skies. Already she could feel the inspiration coming to her in waves. One day she'd be the most famous artist in the world - mark her words.



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Aurrunen was still a young hatchling, but the young skydancer was just learning about being a traveler. She was visiting her 3rd lair since having her traveler's passport. In a Water Flight Clan known as Alligator Clan the young sky dancer decided to enter in the hatchling challenge and attempt to break the record for the most traveled hatchling. At that time, the record was nine lairs and she had already visited 3.



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She arrived at The Solaire Archives, dazzled by the bright sunlight all around her. It lent her a comforting warmth that she enjoyed throughout her visit. Aurrunen stayed with this clan for a while, until she became an adult. The day she did, Sanddollar, the dragon who had been showing her around, gifted her a verdant sage shawl. With her artist's eye, Aurrunen could tell it was an exquisite piece of apparel. She could only imagine how long it had taken to embroider the delicate designs. She thanked Sanddollar for the beautiful gift and decided she'd best be off. Putting on her new souvenir, Aurrunen was excited to explore the rest of the world.



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She wasn't quite ready to give up the chance to use the clear and dazzling light of the Lightweaver's domain for her painting, so she rented a room at an inn called the Helianthus Haven, bought an easel and art supplies, and set out to paint. She wasn't going to have much money left unless she sold a few paintings, and she'd been told adults were expected to pay their own way much more than she'd done as a youngster. And besides, she wanted to paint. This place was paradise for her: the grand marble ruins; the sunflowers, golden redwoods, and gentle rolling fields; the slender spires and soaring arches of the cities.

She'd paint until dark, then drag herself back to the inn, suddenly aware of her aching neck and back, her cramped wings and stiff fingers. But she knew she could always get a hot cup of coffee or a cold smoothie, show off her day's work to an interested audience, and often as not make a sale. Seldom a completed canvas, though a few of those went onto the Haven's walls in lieu of rent, but her rough sketches and studies seemed to be popular with those who couldn't afford a proper painting.

She became friends with a few of the clan's other artists, and forged a mutually beneficial relationship with Rinin, an art collector who became her patron. No more rushed canvases when her room rent came due; with Rinin's patronage she bought a tree near the clan compound and built a nest of her own.

It was a comfortable niche, and she settled into it for quite some time, but eventually she felt her art was beginning to stagnate. She'd been painting the same things, in the same ways, for far too long. She needed a change of scenery, quite literally. At least her closest friends were all fellow artists who understood her reasons; she said her reluctant goodbyes, packed up her brushes and paints and all her savings, and set off in search of new scenery.



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Aurrunen eventually found herself landing in a large domain called The Necropolis. It was a large vast land of many types of dragons. When she arrived, she was greeted by the clan's greeter, and then had her name and record recorded by a young coatl. She then was able to rest and spend some time in The Shadescale Inn, the place where travelers visiting The Necropolis go to visit.

Aurrunen enjoyed her time visiting this land. Many types of dragons with many different traits and features gave her a warm welcome and greeting. It seemed that the Necropolis was used to regular visits by different clan's dragons, or just travelers in general. Aurrunen felt that the Necropolis was a nice place to rest, but she eventually continued to move on in her journey.



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While enjoying a meal at the Shadescale Inn, Aurrunen overheard a pair of dragons at an adjacent table discussing a beautiful seaside retreat they'd visited. Entranced by the idea of revisiting the Sea of a Thousand Currents - she hadn't been since she was a hatchling, after all, and her skills in painting had greatly improved - Aurrunen plunked herself down at their table and asked for directions.

Their directions were pretty unclear, and Aurrunen overshot, ending up at Churnscar Wharf before she was able to find her way to Sunbeam Grotto. While in port, she picked up a newbie traveler named Anafiel, who she thought she'd take under her wing after spotting him looking entirely lost atop a signpost.

Truth be told, Aurrunen had expected to be pulled in to painting a more conventional scene: a vista of the sea, a view of the bamboo forests towering on the cliffs above, or maybe even a study of some of the curious creatures that made the tidepools their home. What caught her eye instead was a hole in the wall - literally - that served as a sort of window from a cozy library nook out into a less-traveled hallway. The scene within was so picturesque, Aurrunen fetched her folding easel and paints right away to get started!



Once her painting was complete, Aurrunen packed up her things from the travelers' dens, loathe to leave so soon but eager to gain a fresh perspective somewhere else. Anafiel offered to join her, acting as if he was doing her some big favor by accompanying her. Aurrunen couldn't help but laugh - as if he really thought she would leave without him!



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✦

On a migratory path along dragonhome, Anafiel and Aurrunen found a strange sight while flying overheard. A duo of pearlcatchers stood around a lifeless draconic body of an indeterminate breed. It rested on a pile wood in the middle of line made from quartz shards. The lines wove together, and it was clear that it was some form of magic circle.

The was as large as a gaoler, with spirrallic horns, and an odd-number of twisted limbs. It's body was black, as if completely burned once before.

The smaller pearlcatcher placed his pearl in front of the wyrm's head, and knelt himself down before it. His orange eyes glowed like embers as he concentrated. While the other pearlcatcher, with a dark cowboy hat stood guard with something metallic in her hands.

"I don't want any trouble," Anafiel warned, "Let's fly a little faster."
As he spoke, the pearlcatcher's pearl began to glow. Curiosity had gotten better of Aurrunen, and she began to slow down. She was in the sky, so she figured that they weren't in any danger.

Before she could reassure Anafiel, the great wyrm's eyes shoot open.

Red. Blue. Orange. Green.

And the pearlcatcher's pearl went flying through the air. Anurrunen felt her soul plummet, faster than she could act--

Anafiel however, had no hesitation. He threw himself into a dive and snatched the pearl from the sky. He felt the spell imbued within the pearl fizzle in between his claws. It was fire magic, hot, bright and angry, threatening to burn him. Meanwhile below them, metallic shards pelted the creature, and the faes could hear the dark-brimmed pearlcatcher swear as she twirled her blades, and activated tiny shard-shooters in her gauntlets. Anafiel and the ember-eyed pearl made eye contact.

And Anafield dropped the pearl, over the wyrm's dead.

Once the pearl made contact-- Everything went white--

✦

"So you're travellers." The dark-brimmed pearl spoke, while carrying Anafiel on her back. Her name was Mithi. The stoicism in her eyes perfectly opposed the wide, guilt-ridden expression on her partner, Tao. Tao's pearl was now returned safely into its personal satchel. As the healer of the dup, he thanked the two faes profusely and wrapped bandages dipped in healing salve around Anafiel's hands.

"We've been travelling together for a while now." Aurrunen answered.

"For what purpose?" Mithi continued to quiz her. Aurrunen supposed it was more likely Mithi's actual nature, than any malicious intent.

"Oh, I'm an artist, and I specialize in landscapes. I'm from Cragenmire City, and I'm always looking for a fresh scenery."

"Ah, I've heard things of that place... I would like to visit it some day." Mithi hummed thoughtfully, before turning to Anafiel,

"Oh, I'm mostly sight-seeing, heh."

"Well... Me and Tao are heading to the Colannades, I'm sure you're familiar with it, Aurrunen. Taking you there would cause us no burden. I'd like to treat you two to dinner."

"Oh wow! Thank you!"

✦

The faes and the pearlcatchers ended up parting ways. The pearlcatchers explained that there were more demons for them to vanquish, and wished them all the best in their travels. In the next few months, Aurrunen restocked on the paints she was running low on, while Anafiel posed for her for potraits and reflected on how it felt it have someone else's flame burning within his claws.
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Log Aurrunen's travels here!



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Aurrunen's Art -


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