I know how this will go, and still I have to do this.
Click or tap to view this dragon in Scenic Mode, which will remove interface elements. For dragons with a Scene assigned, the background artwork will display at full opacity.
Exordium
Animated Statue
Click or tap to share this dragon.
Click or tap to view this dragon in Predict Morphology.
An ancient stone bearing the ancestral rune of the Shadowbinder. Such a find should be kept as a prized possession.
110
Favored Apparel:
Ebony Antlers
Apparel
An impressive set of antlers, but they probably aren't natural.
1450
Notes~
clan leader
stern, grim personality though he cares incredibly deeply for every member of the clan
had a run-in with a band of zealous light-aligned dragons called the Acolytes when he was only a newborn (detailed below); his mother tried and failed to protect her nest and Vesper was the only survivor
cast out from the clan, he learned to survive on his own until he met Nox and Dekishi and formed a close-knit friendship with both of them
founded the Twisted Reach as a sanctuary for those who needed it; Vesper also started a permanent stalemate war with Lux and his Acolytes
Lore~
Terrified by the resurgence of emperors being spotted across Sornieth, there was a small shadow coven that came to a harsh conclusion: Imperials were a threat. After many days and weeks deliberating their options, a single decree was passed out to the residents of the coven. Any elderly or sickly imperial was to be banished immediately, and any imperial showing signs of aging and illness in the future would receive the same treatment. No imperials could die on this ground, the law wouldn’t allow it.
Vesper’s story begins with a mother imperial, looking lovingly over her clutch of eggs. It begins when she briefly left the nest to seek out a bit of food for the day until her mate- a renowned ambassador of peace and diplomacy- returned from his long voyage across the region. What she did not know was of the Acolytes. A band of light-born dragons with only one mission: Eradicate all imperial dragons, as the coven believed the imperial to be blasphemous as a light-aligned breed. The Acolytes were on the move in the area when the mother left her nest.
She’d chosen to nest a few miles from her coven’s villa, as they’d already been wary of bringing new imperials into their clan. However, they’d allowed her to rear her hatchlings among them as long as the children were strong and healthy. For their own safety and with this in mind, the mother had decided that a bit of distance would be for the best. Unfortunately for the young mother, her chosen nesting spot was too far from the coven for anyone there to notice the Acolytes’ arrival in the territory.
As she expertly tracked a large prairie skink across the grassy hills with the skill and power of a hunter twice her age, she was unaware that a terrible fate was about to befall her hatchlings. Meanwhile, in her small hut- designed to keep out rain and greedy predators, a bloodthirsty pearlcatcher with gleaming yellow eyes had easily slipped inside. The black dragon looked down his muzzle at the eggs in disgust and scorn, setting his pearl aside for the moment.
“Both parents are imperials?” He questioned aloud, confirming this with his second in command.
The other dragon took a sniff at the nest, closing his eyes so he could dwell on the scent. “Yes. These hatchlings will all be imperials.”
“Disgusting. I should expect nothing more from pathetic shadow-aligned clans,” the pearlcatcher grumbled as he began to work up a ball of white magic between his hands. He sat back on his haunches, a look of sheer hatred burning in his eyes. The eyes of a zealot who only saw the vices of others and none of his own. “I’ll dispose of these wretched creations before their twisted little claws ever meet the ground.”
One by one, he let loose a bolt of magic into each of the eggs, and each egg visibly decayed, crumbling into nothing and leaving only a heap of compost in its wake. Each hollow egg was dead. One by one, he repeated the process. Four eggs became three. Then two. Then one.
As he geared up his fourth lethal spell, something miraculous happened. The egg shook, and cracked. The earth trembled slightly, knocking Lux onto his back. His eyes went wide with shock and terror.
“It- it’s hatching,” one of the other Acolytes whispered in disbelief.
The earth trembled harder and a circle of glowing purple magic ensnared the egg, a protective shield as the baby dragon inside began to poke and prod its way out.
“This must be that wretched Shadowbinder’s doing,” Lux snarled as he dragged himself to his feet, watching the hatchling emerge from the broken shell. A small black dragon with slit purple eyes. At Lux’s words, his compatriots flinched. Not even they were reckless enough to speak ill of one of Sornieth’s deities. Their leader held no such qualms as he stared at the nest in disdain.
After a few moments, all fell silent.
Across the field, the mother imperial had finally noticed something amiss. She was able to feel the slight tremors in the earth and heard something like a shout of protest. Worried for her nest, she turned back from her hunt and went to make sure everything was safe. What she saw would haunt her long after death.
Each of her eggs were gone, replaced by decayed shells. Only one hatchling remained alive, out of his egg nearly a week early, and he was grasped in the talons of a large jet-black pearlcatcher decorated by glowing runes. His eye and flank had been cut by the larger dragon’s claws, blood dripping from both wounds and pooling on the ground beneath them.
A shriek of rage accompanied her lunge forward, and the mother imperial began to relentlessly tear at each of the five Acolytes who’d invaded her nest. She sank talons and fangs into every dragon who tried to fight her back. Each of the five light-born dragons attacked with ferocity, but it was a hopeless feat against a mother in such fury. The mother ripped into the male pearlcatcher’s hind leg as he tried to fly away, and she sprang up to catch his eye as well. The very same wounds he’d placed on her baby.
“Vassal!” He screamed as the rest of the Acolytes flew into the air, away from the mother imperial.
At his call, a massive white imperial wearing a paper pearlcatcher mask pounced on the mother dragon. He was far bigger than she was and able to pin her with no trouble at all… as she was already exhausted from fighting the others.
“Kill her!” The pearlcatcher ordered. His lackeys were supporting him in the air, careful with his injuries. One of them was already working up a healing spell to at least stop the bleeding.
Silently, the white imperial brandished a sleek white katana, and with one fluid motion, ended the life of the smaller shadow dragon. He sheathed the weapon and joined his master in the sky.
Behind the nest cowered the tiny black imperial, staring, frozen, at what he’d just witnessed in only his first hour of life. It was several hours before he was found by a member of the coven and brought back to the villa to be cared for.
Unfortunately, his story did not end there. Didn’t end with a happy and safe life adopted by an older member of a shadow clan.
One may recall a decree in which the coven banished imperials who showed signs of illness. Due to hatching a week early- even if it was considered a blessing of the Shadowbinder- Vesper, as his clan had dubbed him, had a breathing condition and was not projected to survive into adulthood. So, with no one willing to accompany the young dragon, Vesper was cast out and sent into the Foxfire Brambles, where he was forced to learn to survive alone.
After learning the ins and outs of the frightening shadow territory, Vesper had grown into a powerful young warrior. He would later meet Dekishi and Nox, two small and irritating dragons who convinced him to start a sanctuary after learning his story. Learning of the Acolytes. They convinced him of what he should do next. Protect those who needed it and train warriors who would one day help him end the pearlcatcher who’d started all this.
Vesper had found the Twisted Reach- a squat of underground caverns, lit entirely by the magic of its inhabitants and the bioluminescent fungi native to the Tangled Wood. It was a paradise, and he was certain that the Acolytes would not be able to locate it. Even if they could, no one could navigate and manipulate it like Vesper could. He took the territory as his own and opened his clan to those who needed its sanctuary.
Vesper is a patriarch known for his dark and intimidating demeanor as well as his ability to make difficult decisions. He is a grim, stern leader who does what he must in order to keep his clan- his family- safe.
Art by @RallraxAuri
Art by @hyrultia
Art by @Arinys
Art by @Urslie
Art by @DecomposedCarrot
Scratch
Energy Stone
A low damage scratching attack that generates some Breath.
25
Required Level: 1
Shred
Ability Stone
A medium damage melee attack. The target takes damage from bleeding for a short time.
250
Required Level: 1
Eliminate
Ability Stone
A high damage deadly attack that attempts to finish the opponent off. Refunds breath if the enemy dies.
500
Required Level: 7
Rally
Ability Stone
The target becomes empowered with incredible vigor, increasing their Strength stat for a short duration.
600
Required Level: 5
Berserker
Augment Stone
Grants +5 Strength, +3 Quickness and +1 Agility.
600
Required Level: 17
Ambush
Accessory Stone
Grants a dragon the ability to strike first when a battle begins. After this attack, they will fall to their normal place in the turn line-up.
500
Required Level: 9
Veteran's Eye Scar
Apparel
A close call, and a reminder that only the strong survive. This dragon is a veteran of many battles and has the scar to prove it.
4000
Veteran's Leg Scars
Apparel
A close call, and a reminder that only the strong survive. This dragon is a veteran of many battles and has the scars to prove it.
4000
Ebony Antlers
Apparel
An impressive set of antlers, but they probably aren't natural.
1450
Black Aviator Gloves
Apparel
A pair of durable leather gloves.
0
Swashbuckler's Cutlass
Apparel
This cutlass is used more for decoration than anything else.
0
Swashbuckler's Seaspray Boots
Apparel
A pair of cracked leather swashbuckler boots. They are faded from many days in the sun.
0
Trickster's Magic Cards
Apparel
In the right claws, a mesmerizing deck of cards. The wielder always seems to know just which one you chose! (Trickmurk Circus Holiday Item 2017.)
0
Sanddune Rags
Apparel
Scavenged clothing may sometimes be all that's available. Make do.
0
Spectral Fuchsia Taildecor
Apparel
Glittering jewels of haunting beauty adorn the tail, held in place by metal clasps and chains.
0
Unearthly Onyx Pendants
Apparel
Neck jewelry befitting the classiest soothsayer.
1300
Unearthly Onyx Forejewels
Apparel
The jewels set into this bracelet are said to act as foci in the art of conjuration.
1300
Unearthly Onyx Nightshroud
Apparel
To don a nightshroud is to commit to a life of sneaking and trickery.
1500
Dread Dancer Flightshroud
Apparel
A musty pile of drapes hung haphazardly about the wearer's wings, like curtains in a haunted lair.
1000
Fancy Ring
Apparel
The fanciest.
400
Sinister Vial
Apparel
Poison freshly brewed is doom freshly planned.
0
Animated Statue
Familiar
This peculiar statue wasn't standing there when you last looked, and it certainly wasn't posed in that way either. Don't turn your back. Don't look away.
1500
Scene: Shadowbinder's Domain
Scene
Scenes are colorful backdrops that can be equipped to a dragon to further customize their individual profile.
0
If you feel that this content violates our Rules & Policies, or Terms of Use, you can send a report to our Flight Rising support team using this window.
Please keep in mind that for player privacy reasons, we will not personally respond to you for this report, but it will be sent to us for review.
Click or tap a food type to individually feed this dragon only. The other dragons in your lair will not have their energy replenished.
Insect stocks are currently depleted.
Meat stocks are currently depleted.
Seafood stocks are currently depleted.
Plant stocks are currently depleted.
You can share this dragon on the forums by either copying the browser URL manually, or using bbcode!
URL:
Widget:
Copy this URL to the clipboard.
Copy this Widget to the clipboard.
Exalting Vesper to the service of the Shadowbinder will remove them from your lair forever. They will leave behind a small sum of riches that they have accumulated. This action is irreversible.