Obscurum

General:
Solis Tenebris are an imperfect sub-species of Solis Occasus-- both are dragons born of pure and mysterious light magic, but where the Occasus are defined by their redwood-patterned hides and the hues of the sunset, the Tenebris encompass all manner of dappled lights from across the breadth of the Lightbringer's domain. To an outsider the difference between the species would seem minimal, but within the close-knit Occasus community the difference is like night and day. Where Occasus embody the Lightweaver's most brilliant and pure essence, the Tenebris variety has muddied and unreliable origins, too close to the Shadowbinder's magic to be considered wholly trustworthy.

The Tenebris have a different take on things; their oldest stories tell of an ancient time when Lightweaver and Shadowbinder were cautiously navigating a truce and the first Tenebris were called into being; magical dragons embodying both Light and Shadow. Which deity was responsible for their creation varies from tale to tale, but it is universally agreed that even these first ambassador-dragons were not enough to heal the rift between the two goddesses. Many attribute the general suspicion they are met with to this rift, as they seem to belong to neither domain and so their allegiance is deemed questionable.

For more information on how Solis dragons are created, check out Hennamae’s Occasus entry.

Lore:
Like their Occasus cousins, Tenebris are not so much 'born' as 'created', as they are dragons of pure magic drawn out of patterns of light and shadow in the environment and manipulated into existence. The secret to this magical technique is closely guarded by all Solis dragons, and 'outsiders' are very rarely permitted to witness the act, let alone to take part in it. The main difference between the Tenebris and their Occasus relatives is the timing and location of their 'birth'-- while Occasus are embodiments of the the brilliant sunset against the bark of the holy redwood trees, the Tenebris are drawn forth at all times of the day and night, in just about any location.

Being such haphazard creations, the general characteristics of any one Tenebris are hard to predict-- they may be jolly and open-hearted if drawn forth at the height of a summer's day, morose if conjured during a sun-shower, secretive if created in the gloom of the woods, and so on. If a general rule can be applied, it would be that most exhibit a playfulness to their characters, be it literally or in their wit, and they tend to have a natural element of underdog charm. Some of this might be attributed to their need to work a little harder to be adopted into some existing clans due to their overall reputation. Being created entirely of magic and light, their energy tends to peak daily at the exact time of their 'birth', when they are most attuned to the world around them both physically and magically.

As they are such immediate products of their environment, Tenebris dragons tend to get very attached to their birthplace, be it an individual tree or boulder or an entire forest. Many Tenebris feel the urge to preserve these places immaculately, and some will even choose to bring forth their offspring in the same location, resulting in very specific 'bloodlines' in which sometimes a dragon's exact patterns are passed on. This can sometimes make exact identification very confusing, as one dragon may look almost identical to its siblings, parents and even older generations.

Relationships:
The bonds between Tenebris dragons are very tight, even tighter if they share a birthplace; many keep in correspondence with their sires and relatives by letter if they are unable to visit personally, and gatherings are always joyous and appreciated. It is rare for one Tenebris to turn away another, due to both their scarcity and their shared experience in social rejection. This intense and often simply accepted close bond can sometimes give the impression that they are 'holding back' in their relationships with non-Tenebris species of dragons, but the truth is merely that they rejoice in being understood without having to explain themselves, something that is considered a rarity in the lives of many Tenebris. It's not unheard of for outside species to be included in their family revels, but it is quite rare.

Their relationship with their Occasus cousins tends to be more strained, however-- despite sharing their magical heritage, there is often too much emotional history or just plain awkwardness between the sub-species to maintain a friendship beyond polite acquaintance. This may have something to with both dragons 'peaking' magically at different times of day, emphasizing their differences.