Flight Rising Discussion

shadow eggs are full of glowing fluid, so when the babies come out, they all glow!

the static electricity from lightning eggs effect dergs with feathers and fur, whenever a tundra baby hatches in a lightning nest they are just a ball of frizzy fur

nature nests are always in the sunniest part of the lair, because the eggs actually photosynthesise nutrients for the hatchlings within

The eggshell of water eggs is very thick and heavy around the bottom to prevent them from drifting in the currents, its usually not needed because water dragons tend to use sheltered coves and underwater cave systems for their nests, but in the few cases that something bad happens to the nesting area water dragons are very grateful for their eggs anchor like abilities

lightning eggs are fashioned after plasma balls (a thing i have literally just realised) so i imagine that as the eggs get closer to hatching, the potential inside gets higher and higher. the membrane is like a semi conductor in reverse bias, and the spires around the nest make sure that when the eggs reach the breakdown voltage, which is about when theyre ready to hatch, theres a ground connection that isnt able to be electrocuted. a dead egg decreased in voltage instead, and never reached the breakdown voltage.

@47616 I love the idea that the dragons keep these geode-like hatching crystals their whole life. I wonder if some make them into wind chimes or mobiles that catch the light, or into sculptures? Art as memoirs?

@orpington Every Shadow hatching is secretly a rave full of glow stick hatchlings? Sounds sick as heck! What music do you think they play?

@CyanDog A Lightning nest is definitely a center for bad hair and feather days! I love the idea that Nature eggs photosynthesize, they already look so much like flower bulbs it just makes sense. And on the Water eggs, that would actually be an awesome adaptation! Do you think some Water parents might even nest around underwater volcanic vents for warmth?

@DilsDoes Plasma balls are cool but also for some reason upset my brain but man I didn't realize they were supposed to be plasma balls until you said that, I feel like a smooth brain. And that would make sense that they would need to be grounded if they have a lot of potential! Do you think ungrounded Lightning eggs that hatch might be accompanied by a strike of lightning or just... a whole lot of shocky business?

@ZinnSolis i also felt smooth brained i literally just realised that was the look when i wrote that. also i think that'd be a common misconception in other flights. lightning strikes probably hit the spires around the nest very often, but if there's no easily accessible paths to ground, then the egg might end up striking an object directly above it, or a cloud that has an opposite charge. it looks like a lightning strike, but more often than not, the egg is the high potential point, so it's technically the other way round.

Hatchlings don't crack their way out of Nature eggs - they dig. Tunneling through the thin layer of dirt and onion-like paper skin ensures the babies don't come out of the egg 'til they're good and ready and able to survive outside.

Plague eggs, on the other hand, are described as "A slimy, writhing pustule, [incubating] a twisted, twitching, virulent creature inside its translucent membranes," so I like to imagine that they're already viral as soon as they're laid, and serve as sort of a first gauntlet/immune-system prep for the hatchling. The eggshell itself is soft but deceptively tough, and takes a lot of claw (and sometimes tooth) work to break out of, serving the same sort of purpose as the Nature eggshells.

Here's what I've always imagined when hatching them:

Nature: The brown husk slowly curls away as the plant leaves on top grows. When the hatchling is ready the leaves peel back and there's some small flowers nestling the new dragon

Earth: The hatchling knocks some pebbles loose, and the outer shell crumbles/breaks away.

Fire: When first laid the eggs are all hard, solid lava. As the egg matures lines of molten lava forms cracks in the surface. When the hatchling is ready the outer shell is nearly all molten lava and flows away.

Ice: The hatchling chips away from the inside, shattering the rather thin shell. These are the most delicate shells, but parents often dip the eggs into freezing water to help thicken the shell.

Light: Bright flash of white light, some glittery motes.

Lightning: Bright flash of blue light, some static electricity jumping to nearby objects. Do not touch the egg while hatching or you may get an unpleasant shock!

Plague: The shell is soft and kind of squishy to the touch, the hatchling inside is somewhat visible through the shell as it grows (think butterfly chrysalis) Hatchling is born with a lot of goopy fluid from the egg.

Shadow: The greyish parts crumble away like dust. The blue orbs remain behind and are often used to decorate edges of pathways, as they continue to glow.

Wind: The swirls are not nearly as solid as the official artwork looks. The eggs have a continuous swirl of fog inside until the thin shell cracks and dissipates out.

Water: The thickest egg, as many eggs are placed in tide pools where the irregular water levels and occasional tossing about by the waves needs a thicker shell. Marine animals (lke barnacles and limpets) attach to the shell, in effect helping to protect the egg. There's quite a bit of salty seawater like solution inside when the hatchling cracks the egg.

Arcane: Burst of pink light, the rings spin faster the closer the hatchling is to arriving.

[quote name="StaticSeraph" date="2020-07-24 16:20:49" ] You have to crack open a earth egg like a geode [/quote] *grabs hammer* time to give birth

Based on the lightning nest, I believe the cables and lightning rods act as something that harnesses the electricity, giving the egg the energy it needs to thrive, grow, and, eventually, hatch. (Unhatched eggs simply come with the energy needed.) They also make sure any electrocution incidents never take place, maybe there's a low-power setting where the parent just uses its energy for a while? When they hatch, the egg simply explodes in a shower of sparks and eggshell, the sparks clear, the eggshell kinda looks like a dead egg, and, well, you have your new hatchling.