Euphotic

b i r t h


Euphotic was born in the warm waters of the Lanterlea Port to a small clan of Light-aligned Veilspun. Born in the month of the Wavecrest Saturnalia, Even from a young age there was something that kept him connected to the water.

b a c k s t o r y


The Veilspun clan who dwelled in the waters of the Lanterlea Port was undoubtedly a strange one. They came from an ancestry of Shadow, yet were all aligned to Light, and even still, lived much of their lives aquatically much like Water dragons. Given their Shadow heritage, the Light dragons in the area already would have distrusted them, but all of this strange behavior made them a strangely feared sight by the shores of the port.

Euphotic grew in a world that lived between Flight cultures, and was told since he was small that the best dragons would not limit themselves to the lifestyle expected of their flight. When he asked the elders of the clan what, exactly, that meant, it was explained that the Light magic coursing through their bloodline's bodies could illuminate the darkest depths of the sea, and they had used such adaptations to live comfortably among the water and make coin by guiding dragons passing through or over the water in the dark of the night.

Unfortunately, time had worn down the relationship between the angler Veilspuns and the residents of the port, and such a partnership no longer existed. But used to living under the water, Euphotic's family remained.

As a very small clan and tightly knit family, their way of life was a simple one. They hunted in pairs, illuminating the dark seas for one another and returning home with rather bounteous netfuls of fish. In their submerged cave, they would gather nightly to pray to the Lightweaver, before sleeping in a pile much warmer than the now cold waters of the nighttime sea. Still, it was a life where many days were very much like the next, and isolated away from the other dragons who regarded them with such suspicion. Euphotic had never thought much of it. It was all he had known.

But as expected of a young dragon, as he grew into adolescence, Euphotic became restless. He had listened to all the stories of the family's jobs and interactions with the port residents long before their relationship had soured, and grew frustrated such a vibrant and interesting community was so near, yet so apparently forbidden. The stories of his ancestors guiding sailing and soaring dragons alike captivated him. The lifestyle had sounded so free, so interesting, so full of potential to really see Sornieth.

The elder members of his family were not concerned by the behavior--the restlessness was, apparently, a thing they had all experienced growing up. It was so common, in fact, that when Euphotic voiced his desire to interact with the dragons onshore as his ancestors had done, his family was shockingly agreeable, though they warned him the results of such exploration had seldom been pleasant.

They had been right. Euphotic had tried multiple times to go onshore and visit shops, perhaps offer guiding services to dragons as his ancestors once had, but each time he hardly got far before he was chased off into the water again. A maturing and naturally restless young dragon, he quickly went from feeling content to utterly trapped in his life. He was, quite literally, stuck between a life of isolation with only his small family nearby, or countless useless attempts to reclaim the lifestyle that was part of his heritage... supposedly, at least. The way the residents of the port treated him and his family, Euphotic sometimes doubted there had ever been anything more than animosity between them.

So, in the culmination of all his frustration, Euphotic just... left. His family didn't put up much of a fight towards his leaving, but simply encourage him to be safe and write home when he could. And so, Euphotic set off on a journey to find a place where a dragon of such mixed heritage as himself could live happily. Traveling by sea, as the generations of living bound to the water had left his family line with quite weak wings, he set his sights on the Sea of a Thousand Currents, hoping to use the strait between the Windswept Plateau and Ashfall Waste as an access point. Given the lifestyle he was raised into, gunning for the water territory seemed like his best bet at reclaiming the adventurous life of his forebears. Surely, someone there would need help lighting the sea's darkest depths!

Getting there was certainly easier said than done, though. He was already taking the long way around avoiding traveling inland, and much of the waters near the coast of the Shifting Expanse had taken on an electrical charge that he needed to give a wide berth. Like it or not, even a dragon as accustomed to water as him tired after some time, and so finally came ashore near the Flintlock Fumaroles. The thick ash forced him to stay close to the water's edge while he rested, but he was content to stay like that.

While he was resting, however, the sound of furious coughing brought his attention further inland. Out of the plumes of ash suddenly came stumbling a towering Guardian, covered in unnerving, blinking eyes. He froze, unsure of what to do--he had seen seldom few dragons in his life, and every non-Veilspun he had met had been hostile before. Now here was this monstrous beast with all its strange, grotesque eyes that was over ten times his size and staggering right for him. He was seconds away from fleeing back into the sea, tired or not, when he was shocked to hear the large dragon greet him not with growls or bared teeth, but softspoken words.

The dragon thanked him, much to Euphotic's confusion. As the massive beast lay down on the beach, dipping his head in the water, he breathlessly explained to the Veilspun that he was a cartographer who was updating his map of the Ashfall Waste, but had gotten lost in the clouds of ash. The glow of Euphotic's body had apparently cut through the ash, however, and the dragon had followed the light to what he hoped was safety. And safety it was! As the Guardian gave him another hearty thanks for potentially saving his life, a great wave of pride washed over Euphotic. His ancestors would surely be proud... even if he didn't actually do anything.

The two talked as they now both caught their breath, and Euphotic told his story to the curious Guardian when prompted. He talked of his conflicting feelings about home, about a lack of connection with himself and his heritage, a general feeling of confusion in who he was meant to be, and his hope for a greater purpose that had led him on this journey. The Guardian listened carefully all the while, and when he finally finished his tale, only asked one thing: would he consider himself an outcast?

That was very much true, to Euphotic at least. Having no place he felt that he truly belonged in, at least belonged in where he could be himself freely, he agreed and "supposed he would consider himself an outcast".

The Guardian smiled, stood up, and gently explained that he came from a clan up in the Scarred Wasteland, some ways away. His great-grandfather and great-grandmother were the clan founders, apparently, and it had been founded off the principles of giving the spurned, discarded dragons of the world another chance. He asked Euphotic if, perhaps, he would like to find his footing there. Perhaps a bit too eager, but willing to jump on any opportunity for a new, free life, Euphotic heartily agreed, and the two waited together until the Guardian had enough strength left to fly them both to the Scarred Wasteland.

p r e s e n t


The Scarred Wasteland, a place talked about with much fear by nearly all dragons across Sornieth, was not where Euphotic was expecting to end up, but so desperate for a new and better place to belong, the offer to join the clan was one he couldn't be refused. Peepers, as he learned the Guardian was called, introduced him to his great-grandparents who ran the clan, and upon hearing Euphotic's story and dreams of living the life of his ancestors, he was delighted to find the clan leaders were very open to a guiding light, especially with one of their own descendents vouching for him.

Now, Euphotic is exploring the world like he's always wanted to, following dragons to and from The Clan of the Wounded's lair, using his angler bulbs and Light magic to ensure their way to whatever destination they may seek is always well-lit. As a relatively new clan member, he does not yet know many other clan members, and his past experience with other non-family dragons has him hesitant to introduce himself, but he hopes to get there some day.

r e l a t i o n s h i p s

Peepers, as the dragon who first brought Euphotic here, is the only dragon Euphotic truly knows well. They bond over their itch to see the wider world and of all the dragons who need his help lighting their way on the road, Peepers is by far the dragon he is the most enthusiastic to see return for his services.

While they do not interact often, Euphotic and Lisbet's hearts both belong to the water. Though Euphotic is no sailor, he did dwell in the shadows of a port town, and knows some of what she is talking about. On rare occasions, the two slip off for late night swims near the Sea of a Thousand Currents.