C - D
Caffeinated Confectioners
Breeds: Spirals, Snappers, Coatls, Pearlcatchers, Imperials
Primary Colors: Fruit/food colors; specifically Cream, Blackberry, Mulberry, Plum, Grape, Lavender, Pistachio, Mint, Spearmint, Honeydew, Honey, Lemon, Pear, Grapefruit, Banana, Peach, Cantaloupe, Pumpkin, Tangerine, Orange, Caramel, Cinnamon, Latte, Ginger, Chocolate, Cherry, Berry, Strawberry, Cotton Candy, Watermelon, Raspberry, Wine, Bubblegum, and Rose.
Secondary Color: Ice
Tertiary Color: Cream
Primary Genes: Cherub, Skink, Ripple, Iridescent, Petals
Secondary Genes: Facet, Paint, Peregrine
Tertiary Genes: Underbelly, Crackle, Gembond, Glimmer
Lore: Deep within the Tempest Spire, there's a lab were a very particular sort of dragon works, busying themselves near round-the-clock with their experimentation and testing, forever searching for the exact right combination of flavors and chemicals to get the sort of 'zing' they're looking for. Dragons that find themselves assigned to the Confectionery Lab tend to change over time - their colors gradually becoming brightly colored primaries that typically reflect the materials that each individual works with, their wings made pale and icy from being blasted entirely too much with frozen CO2 - and when you work with that much dairy, it's inevitable that the cream gets in your scales, staining and crystallizing permanently upon dragonhide.
Caffeinated Confectioners are, without fail, almost too cheerful, and are known for their bubbly personalities and eccentric habits. While they aren't hoarders, per se, they will get very excited upon finding a material that they think will work for their concoctions, to the point of loud chattering that becomes so high-pitched and fast that non-Confectioners usually can't quite follow what's being said. They don't tend to sleep much...or at all...and yet, somehow, they don't seem to suffer for it, and they're always eager to share their latest creations with friends, and fellow workers! Of course, don't mind your Confectioner's clipboard or the way they scribble furiously as they watch your reaction to the treat you were just fed. It's all just procedure and paperwork, really.
Everyone knows it isn't Real Science until it's written down.
Other residents of the Shifting Expanse tend to be both intrigued and wary when it comes to interacting with these dragons and their tasty treats. If the recipe isn't perfected yet, then strange...things...might happen. One dragon reported that his tongue turned green for two weeks, and another dragon said she had smoke leaking out of her ears for a good three hours after sampling one of the untested candies given to her by a Confectioner. The side effects aren't ever harmful, but they can be a bit...inconveniencing.
Nobody really knows where Confectioners stay when they aren't in the Lab, but they're very rarely seen outside of the Spire. Someone joked once that they might melt if they saw the sun, but the stern looks they received indicated that that might not be too far from the truth...in any case, there's a whole team of Confectionery Interns dedicated to scouring Sornieth for materials to contribute to the Lab's ever-growing hoard of potential ingredients. Each Intern hopes to someday work in the Lab themselves, but many are content just traveling throughout the lands, sampling strange things and bringing home unique, exotic flavors. Those few Confectioners that do leave the Lab for extended periods of time tend to take up residence near the Spire; either in the Lightning Farms or at the base of the Spire itself. Not that they'll ever spend much time in these lairs - there's always work to be done, and while breaks might be nice, the ideas buzzing in their heads won't stay still for long!
Other - Subspecies Variants
There are dragons zipping in and out of the Lab whose colors and appearance don't quite match the dragons working within. Surely they are Interns of some sort, but you've never seen Interns like that, have you?
Confectionery Interns are dragons that are near miss Confectioners. Their genes and colors can vary; either they have the right colors and the wrong genes, or visa-versa.
Their hatchlings often grow up to become true Confectioners, under the guidance of their parents.
If you watch the goings-on in the Confectionery Lab for long enough, you'll notice that some of the dragons working studiously at their stations seem to a bit more sparkly than others. These are dragons that have been working in the Lab so long that the sugar itself is embedded in their hide, giving them a glittery appearance. Prolonged exposure to the chemicals in the Lab can also result in a dragon's hide getting a sort of swirled, multicolored appearance. These Confectioners are considered Senior Staff and are given the highest respect in the Lab - and by 'respect' we of course mean that their younger staff members are constantly getting them to try new things and leaving weird presents on their desk. Listening to them talk, you conclude that they make even less sense than the other dragons busying themselves with creating new treats.
Primary Genes: Iridescent, Petals
Secondary Genes: Facet
Tertiary Genes: Glimmer
Other: Dragons with the above genes count as Senior Staff.
Finally - Candy isn't for everyone, but that doesn't mean dragons who don't have a sweet tooth have to go without treats from the Confectionery Lab. The Healthy Food Initiative might not have taken off with most dragons, but the few that work in this section of the Lab are very dedicated. The more extreme of them even turn their nose up completely at the sugary stuff produced by the rest of the Lab, insisting that so much sweetness is 'unnatural' and 'not fit for consumption'. Most of these dragons are also very skilled gardeners, preferring to grow their own ingredients rather than rely on others to find them.
Colors: Eggplant, Olive, Avocado, Carrot, Pumpkin, Tomato
Other: Healthy Initiative Interns are almost unheard of.
Cannon Keeper
Breed: Guardian, Mirror, Ridgeback, Wildclaw
Primary Colour: Ivory, Sand-Beige
Secondary Colour: Ivory, Sand-Beige
Tertiary Colour: Charcoal - Black
Primary Gene: Ripple, Speckle
Secondary Gene: Current, Freckle
Tertiary Gene: Crackle, Okapi
Lore: These desert natives have found a home with Stormcatcher Industries; their tough nature and determined attitudes made them useful additions to the explosives department. Select dragons are given the task of exalt cannon loaders, aimers, and fire squad. Over the course of their training and following careers the soot becomes well worn into the dragon's hide, enough to become part of them. It has been observed that different positions tend to create varying patterns on the dragons. Those who load gain dark marks on their limbs and even their tails and heads as they may use any part of themselves to shove load larger interns. The aim crew and fire squad tend to stand closer to the cannons when they are fired and therefore bear a more blast like pattern (as well as being a bit hard of hearing).
Other: This subspecies must have Lightning eyes.
Creator: CasualTea96, koujakward
Canyon Crawler
Breed: Aberration
Primary Colour: Sanddollar, Ivory, Metals, Tan, Beige
Secondary Colour: Sanddollar, Ivory, Metals, Bronze, Tan, Beige, Hickory, Ginger, Auburn
Tertiary Colour: Cinnamon-Rust
Primary Gene: Jaguar
Secondary Gene: Rosette
Tertiary Gene: Fangs
Lore: Aberrations are a peculiar species of dragon that had only recently started to migrate throughout Sornieth. Newer generations are starting to emerge among the varied elements outside of the Wyrmwound and the arid sands of the Shifting Expanse are no exception. Given their origin, Aberrations are quite good at evolving and adapting to the various environs they find themselves in and there have been numerous sightings of a new breed accustomed to the sheer cliff faces along the Carrion Canyon. Dragons that make their home along the Canyon have taken to calling these Aberrations "Canyon Crawlers," as their twin tails and dexterous limbs allow them to cling to and scurry along the walls of the Canyon with ease. This habitat has turned out to be perfect for these little scavengers as animals, and sometimes dragons, find themselves trapped in the massive pit. The two heads of the Crawlers allow them to scout out potential prey from multiple angles and hold onto their victims while the sharp spines along their manes dig into the flesh of said prey while they're pinned. Some Crawlers are only capable of catching small prey though, as they have already started evolving toward smaller overall body sizes as being smaller makes it much easier to stay clung to the walls of the Canyon.
But most lairs don't mind these new neighbors. They'll eat just about anything edible they can find that gets thrown into the Canyon, and many utilize them as a sort of garbage disposal. Some Crawlers will even befriend and join the clans of these lairs that feed them on a regular basis, protecting them with their lives, though they much prefer to stay outside, along the Canyon walls they're accustomed to.
It is not uncommon for them to remain extremely small in size (Eternal Youth) even into adulthood.
Special notes: Must have Lightning eyes, as they are adapted to a specific habitat in the Shifting Expanse.
Creator: Ototo
Canyon Zombie
Breed: Ridgeback, Mirror, Wildclaw. Ridgeback is most common
Primary Colour: Sandollar-Ivory, Cinnamon-Stone. Tan is the most common
Secondary Colour: Sandollar, Ivory, Buttercup, Caramel, Sand. Sand is most common
Tertiary Colour: Hickory-Copper. Chocolate is most common
Primary Gene: Basic, Ripple, Tapir. Basic is most common.
Secondary Gene: Spinner
Tertiary Gene: Ghost
Lore: These dragons have adapted to harsh life in the Carrion Canyon, preying upon creatures that either fall in, or foolishly enter on their own merit, only leaving during 'dry spells' to feast upon cacti, stolen goods, and any fauna they come across that is weak and dying, including other dragons if desperation comes. These dragons have adapted to be ambush predators, hiding with the sand and allowing their skeleton-marked bodies to show. They wait for the curiosity of their prey to get the better of them, dark colored 'bones' looking as rare little treasures to scavenge from 'piles of sand', only to find powerful jaws waiting. Canyon Zombies are not very social outside their own kind, keeping to themselves in the small community built inside the canyon's more secretive areas: Dens built of skeletons and dug, hollowed out holes in the sheers walls that surround them. The nests of these dragons are built within a community hub due to the generally small numbers of the Canyon Zombies as a whole, using stolen loot from raids as nesting materials. Out of all Lightning Dragon subspecies, these are the least in-tuned to technology, preferring their more simple and wild way of life, honing their electrical prowess when not on the hunt.
Creator: ClickaClack
Carrion Canyoner
Breed: Any
Primary Colour: Maize, Beige, Ivory, Antique
Secondary Colour: Maize, Beige, Ivory, Antique
Tertiary Colour: Maize, Beige, Ivory, Antique
Primary Gene: Vipera
Secondary Gene: Current, Daub, Eyespots, Stripes
Tertiary Gene: Smoke, Crackle, Okapi, Underbelly
Lore: Carrion Canyoners look like bleached bones, in order to blend in to their eponymous home range: a mesa of sandy white stone, littered with bones and corpses. Canyoners hunt for intruders, and only the hardiest dragons are capable of doing so in such harsh and deadly terrain.
Other: This subspecies must have Lightning eyes.
Creator: DarkMatter
Catalysts of the Deep Dark
Breed: Dusthide
Primary Colour: Phthalo
Secondary Colour: Phthalo
Tertiary Colour: Teal, Cerulean
Primary Gene: Jupiter, Laced, Wasp, Wrought
Secondary Gene: Edged, Lode, Saturn
Tertiary Gene: Spores
Lore:They say that when Dusthides first started spreading their burrows all around Sornieth, there were families who tried to find their new homes at Shifting Expanse. Trying to escape the merciless, ground-piercing currents of Charged Barrens and evade intersecting with the Sandsurge worksites, they burrowed deep, deeper than Lightning dragons ever tried to dig before. And when they burrowed down, they breached the caverns - dark and silent, filled with shimmering and thrumming fungal growth. The electricity didn't reach this place, as if insulated by the fungus - and either enticed by safe, comfortable darkness and eerie, murmuring echoes inside the caverns, or curious to explore new grounds, they stayed. They stayed for a long time, getting lost in the overgrown tunnels, inhaling the spores, and the spores found their home in them, like they found their home in the deep.
True or not, more and more sightings of the unusual, spore-bearing Dusthides emerging from the depth are reported nowadays, all over the Lightning domain. The fungus, shimmering with teal magic, covers them in some sort of symbiotic growth, way beyond the top clusters and seemingly throughout their bodies. Whatever carapace these dragons have not covered by this growth, has bleached out to bone white in the darkness of their home. Their hearing also adjusted to the near-sightless life, they can recognize the tiniest sound now, and can often get irritated by the usual loud, overlapping speech of their breedmates.
The high-pitched thrumming of electricity is what often attracts the Catalysts, and what probably called them to emerge from the deeper levels. Their bodies (or rather, the fungal growth on them) can transmit it, like an organic wire - but more often than not, they'll feel compelled to feed on it, absorbing any excessive (and sometimes necessary) charge. This, in turn, makes the fungus grow and emit more spores than usual, those often taking root on the surroundings. Several working cells of Sandsurges reported finding their power sources overgrown, fungi layer so thick that not a single watt could pass through - with an interloper burrow showing the culprit.
(If the legend is true, some Lightning researches say, maybe feeding on the currents of the Charged Barrens is what made the fungus take root in those caverns in the first place.)
The Catalysts seem to be content with their new symbiotic life, happy to lurk underground and feed their co-host electricity for the magical benefits and spellcasting potential it gives them. The other inhabitants of the Shifting Expanse are not so sure for now - while some start inviting the underground lurkers into their lairs, hoping to discover and prevent possible electricity leaks and overcharges, most dragons feel uneasy around the glowing, almost whispering growth the Catalysts bring, and fear the spreading of this new biota may bring bad omens for Lightning technology.
Other:
Lightning eyes desired (true catalyst-born) but not required
Creator: Ref
Charged Sandstone
Breed: Ridgeback
Primary Colour: Sand
Secondary Colour: Azure-Aqua
Tertiary Colour: Ivory-Sunshine
Primary Gene: Speckle
Secondary Gene: Current
Tertiary Gene: Thylacine, Crackle
Lore: In the center of Ridgeback culture is their concept of borrowing. Borrowing what is essential, and that which is desired, is the taught to Ridgeback hatchlings second only to flying. Sandstones are an integral part of the species’ resource procurement. Sandstones are the dragons responsible for siphoning water from the Sunbeam Ruins. With their massive size, the only way for them to blend in is their coloring. Sandstones, like their name, are colored like the rock and sand prevalent in the Shifting Expanse. This allows them to not be noticed often by overflying dragons while they borrow the liquid of life.
Sandstones revere the Stormcatcher more than most; he’s not only the Boss, but their Father, second only to the spirit of the Desert. Whether or not their lore of the Stormcatcher mating with the Dragon of the Desert, leading to the creation of the Flints and Sandstones, is true or not has yet to be proven. More important work there is to be done.
Sister Species to the Flash Flints.
Other:
This subspecies must have Lightning eyes.
The colour Metals is excluded from the tertiary range.
Creator: SurvivorofFlames
Cleanup Crew
Breed: Any
Primary Colour: Leaf - Chartreuse, Honey - Banana, Orange - Tangerine
Secondary Colour: Silver - Grey, Lead - Charcoal
Tertiary Colour: Black-Midnight
Primary Gene: Crystal
Secondary Gene: Shimmer
Tertiary Gene: Thylacine
Lore: Stormcatcher Industries is a hectic place, full of scientists, inventors, interns, volatile experiments, and heavy machinery. Predictably, this means that there are a lot of messes.
Cleaning those messes up is far from a glamorous job, but the Cleanup Crew take great pride in their work and the knowledge that they keep every corner of Tempest Spire spotless and running smoothly. In fact, they take pride in any number of things, from their excellent response times (facilitated by their bright, reflective scales and distinct markings, which alert other dragons to get out of the way and let them do their jobs) to the wide breadth of training necessary for the speedy cleanup of sometimes-bizarre and frequently-hazardous messes.
As a result, they can be a bit petty when insulted, and higher-ranking employees who suggest that this subspecies' dedicated janitorial work isn't absolutely essential to the success of the flight may find their labs going uncleaned until they apologize.
Other: This subspecies must have Lightning eyes.
Creator: Nelsothy, Count
Corroded Mech
Breed: Any
Primary Colour: Platinum, Silver, Lead, Gold, Tarnish, Copper, Metals, Rust
Secondary Colour: Same as primary
Tertiary Colour: White
Primary Gene: Piebald
Secondary Gene: Paint
Tertiary Gene: Circuit
Lore: Nothing lasts forever; not even the mechanical creations of the Lightning Flight's engineers. After years of service and more repairs than can be counted (on both the Lightning Farms' many spires and themselves) these robotic dragons have fallen to the wayside. The reasons for their disrepair vary: some are outdated, others are extensively (and expensively) damaged in workplace mishaps, and (too) many simply didn't make it to a Foreman in time for needed maintenance. (Dragons of flesh and blood aren't the only ones that hate going to their doctors for regular check-ups, apparently.) Whatever the case, these abandoned androids don't last for long, once their internal power cells are ruptured and begin corroding them from the inside out.
However, it is rarely the corrosion that ends these mechanical dragons. With their battery packs compromised, it is only a matter of time before their energy reserves are permanently depleted. Larger constructs may run through their power in but a few hours, while smaller automatons may last for months. As the power level falls and the corrosion spreads, many experience glitches and bugs in their AI-processors resulting in a wide range of symptoms that only become more pronounced as time goes by. It is advised that other dragons avoid any Corroding Mech they encounter with less than a half-charge, as they have been known to have violent outbursts. Or they may just waste your time with senseless babble. The odds of either outcome are nearly even.
Other: The power levels of a corroded mech can be determined by the mech's eye colour.
Key:
Lightning: Good
Wind: Decent
Light: Low
Fire: Very Low
Plague: Dying
Shadow: Nearly Dead (Indicator light is flickering and going dark.)
Water: Completely Depleted (Indicator light has gone dark.)
Creator: HiccupsLeftLeg
Corona Spark
Breed: Guardian, Nocturne
Primary Colour: Moon, Silver - Grey, Flint - Charcoal
Secondary Colour: Moon, Silver - Grey, Flint - Charcoal
Tertiary Colour: Plum, Orchid - Nightshade, Grape, Ultramarine, Lapis, Caribbean - Cyan, Radioactive, Lemon - Banana, Carrot - Fire, Vermilion - Cherry, Strawberry, Fuchsia
Primary Gene: Ripple
Secondary Gene: Current
Tertiary Gene: Circuit
Lore: The Corona Spark's high contrast of achromatic primaries and secondaries and colourful tertiaries quite often leads to a striking appearance. (A trait which can only be seen as well-fitting for a subspecies of the Lightning Flight.) It is said that whenever a Corona Spark feels an emotion quite strongly, tiny sparks can be seen emitting from their circuits (similar to St. Elmo's fire) and they often appear to be "glowing" with energy. Corona Sparks are usually as fearless and as bold as their circuits suggest, with a strong will and a desire do whatever is necessary to achieve their goals.
Other: This subspecies must have Lightning eyes.
There are three breaks in the tertiary colour range, leaving out colours which are more grey or beige.
Creator: Contra23
Cryptic Caveguards
Breed: Fae, Mirror, Spiral, Pearlcatcher, Skydancer, Nocturne, Coatl, Wildclaw, Bogsneak
Primary Colour: Caramel-Copper
Secondary Colour: Caramel-Copper
Tertiary Colour: Abyss-Spearmint
Primary Gene: Poison, Skink, Petals
Secondary Gene: Toxin, Spinner, Butterfly
Tertiary Gene: Underbelly, Contour, Glimmer, Opal, Capsule
Lore: Science, technology, and innovation are at the heart of Lightning Flight, but not all clans are eager to share their newest discoveries with the world just yet. Some clans prefer to keep their projects a secret; others have dangerous experiments that need to be kept away from inexperienced claws. Regardless of the reasons for their preferences, dependable security is essential to the clans who make their homes in the Shifting Expanse.
Cryptic Caveguards are sentinels who work in pairs to guard the entrances of the Shifting Expanse's many subterranean lairs, factories, and laboratories. They position themselves on either side of the main entrance, taking advantage of the terrain and their own natural camouflage to remain hidden from passerby. When an unfamiliar visitor attempts to approach the entrance, the pair of Cryptic Caveguards will challenge them, using their bright markings to startle and confuse the would-be intruders and thus gain the upper hand in any confrontation that follows.
Proud and devoted to their duties, Cryptic Caveguards are nonetheless as prone to boredom as any other dragon. For this reason they are often overzealous when confronting passerby; many a hapless messenger or delivery-dragon has been set upon by young Caveguard pairs in training, who have so much pent-up energy that they sometimes challenge strangers without pausing to learn about why they are visiting.
Many Caveguards enjoy tinkering with small contraptions and devices while on duty, if their working conditions permit it. It is not uncommon for one member of a pair to take a mental break and work on a personal project for several minutes while their partner maintains vigilance. In addition to providing a welcome respite from the tedium of guard duty, the results of their tinkering are frequently incorporated into the lair's defenses. Motion detectors, laser tripwires, small explosives, and other amusing forms of intruder detection are frequently employed by Caveguards working in high-security lairs, and one-upping each other's defensive creations often becomes something of a spectator sport.
The training of young Caveguards is generally undertaken by their parents, and is considered a subject of the utmost importance. Training starts at an early age, and often takes the form of games that encourage stealth, patience, and cleverness. As young Caveguards age, their training gradually becomes more rigorous. There is no standard course of study, but most young dragons are taught basic combat skills, tracking, and workplace safety in addition to the stealth and concealment skills for which the subspecies is known.
Finding a partner is considered the most important part of a Cryptic Caveguard's training. Because they work in pairs to fulfil their duties, Caveguards are taught the importance of teamwork early on. Partnered Caveguards generally remain together throughout their career, although this is not always the case. The exact nature of the relationship between Caveguard pairs varies between dragons; some pairs are mates, some are siblings, and others are close friends.
Most Cryptic Caveguard dragons are native to the Lightning flight, both because of the advantages that their magic offers in the construction of their booby traps and because of superstitious beliefs that Lightning dragons are less likely to reveal Lightning's secrets to outsiders. Earth dragons are also welcomed among the Caveguards, due to the natural advantages that their magic lends them in concealment and disguise among the rocky lairs of the Shifting Expanse.
Cryptic Caveguards are a subspecies designed to take advantage of the alternative color palettes offered by genes like Poison/Toxin, Skink/Spinner, and Petals/Butterfly, without necessarily focusing on the breeding of perfect XXY dragons. Their lore is based on the paired statues that guard the doorways of some old buildings, and their colors and patterns are based on seemingly "drab" insects, reptiles, amphibians, and birds that will flash bright warning colors in order to deter and confuse attackers.
Lightning dragons are most common among Cryptic Caveguards, but Earth dragons are also valued for the advantages in concealment leant to them by their magic.
Other: This subspecies may have Lightning or Earth eyes.
Creator: ZenithNadir
Crystal Coil
Breed: Imps, Spirals
Primary Colour: Gold
Secondary Colour: Gold
Tertiary Colour: Caribbean - Aqua
Primary Gene: Crystal
Secondary Gene: Facet
Tertiary Gene: Glimmer, Runes, Underbelly
Lore: These dragons are long bodied and swift winged. When not zipping from place to place they are motionless, like statues, conserving their energy. They are the living embodiment of speed, and are capable of converting their body mass to pure energy to allow them to move at near light speed.
They were made after a bet the Stormcatcher made with the Lightweaver. The parameters of the bet were to see who could make the fastest dragon, and so both came up with similar designs based on their knowledge of light magic and pure scientific reasoning. When they realized that their creations were evenly matched, and that neither of them could break the light speed barrier the bet was abandoned entirely and both deities moved on to other, more “important” matters.
There was some intermingling between the original dragons, (most other dragons can’t stand their company for any good length of time - their natures waffle back and forth between “full force” and dull as stones, so they’re hard to keep up with.) Over time they became their own subspecies. Now they’re employed by both flights as glorified light bulb statues or as quick and dirty temp coil replacements in the lighting farm. They’re also rather useful as messengers because of their speed, though understanding either their hyperactive voice or their dull droning voice can be a bit of a chore. Best to send them along with a handwritten note.
Note: this entry won second place in the Light + Lightning subspecies collaboration, commemorating the Science Alliance
Creator: Furrama
Current Rider
Breed: Coatl, Imperial, Nocturne, Ridgeback, Pearlcatcher, Skydancer, Spiral, Snapper (Underbelly only)
Primary Colour: Teal - Turquoise
Secondary Colour: Teal - Turquoise.
Tertiary Colour: Lemon
Primary Gene: Ripple
Secondary Gene: Current
Tertiary Gene: Circuit, Glimmer, Underbelly
Lore: Current Riders are able to physically travel along the powerful currents snaking through The Lightning Farm and the Tempest Spire. The Circuit pattern along their bodies marks the path the current takes when they are "plugged in," which glows intensely as they travel. This feat marks their bodies, which ripple with the patterns of electricity. Some Current Riders prefer to ride 'atop' the current, rather than in the midst of it. These 'riders instead develop a conductive underbelly
Other: This subspecies must have Lightning eyes.
Creators: DarkMatter, lavarift
Dendrite
Breed: Any
Primary Colour: Silver
Secondary Colour: Silver
Tertiary Colour: Any
Primary Gene: Crystal
Secondary Gene: Facet
Tertiary Gene: Spines
Lore: Dendrites are artificial dragons created by the top minds of the Tempest Spire. Their purpose is to carry out the commands given to them by their handlers. They send and receive transmissions from each other and their handlers from the spines on their heads and backs; the colors of the spines denotes their current status and assignment. Dendrites (from Greek déndron, "tree") are the branched projections of a neuron that act to propagate the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the neuron from which the dendrites project. They are often given tasks that are either monotonous or require a high level of attention or precision; their contributions to research and experimentation have been critical to Lightning Flight's success. As such, they are respected as peers and often hold important positions alongside the scientists and engineers of the Flight.
Other: This subspecies must have Lightning eyes.
Creator: Cymas
Desert Succulent
Breed: Sandsurge
Primary Colour: Buttercup
Secondary Colour: Gold - Terracotta
Tertiary Colour: Jade - Spring, Blackberry - Royal, Coral - Rose
Primary Gene: Pinstripe
Secondary Gene: Fissure
Tertiary Gene: Branches or Thundercrack
Lore: Desert Succulents look like the dry aired desert in which they roam, allowing them a camouflage when hunting. Their wings mimic and blend into the rocky and mountainous scenery, flaring over the toned dragons, dispersing heat and keeping them cool. The pinstripe along their bodies follows in predatory styles of using patterns that allows them to fade into the incandescent heat waves that shimmer off of the desert sands like a living mirage.
Naturally known for the species, they will burrow into the sand, covering most of their bodies save for the cranial branches and wings. Lying motionless, blending into the environment and looking only like a rocky outcrop with a lush succulent bush beside would bring the natural species of the desert forth to partake of the foliage. Such subterfuge would provide a delicious and easy snack to the cloaked dragons.
"The Stormcatcher joined the dragons of Sornieth in the Thundercrack Carnivale, enjoying the delicious foods and entertainment the festival provided. The scaled creature was so happy with how the year had passed, being able to now watch the other dragons laughing and playing about. As their laughter grew so too did his, growing into booming waves that resounded like thunder that rumbled over the Charged Barrens. From his joy sparks of lightning discharged from his shaking body that arched towards the ground.
The lightning vitrified the sands around him, turning it to glittering flecks of glass to create beautiful rays of cerulean fading into a deep emerald glow with his fellow festival-goers gathering around to watch this captivating act. The desert trembled, parting the dunes under which these dragons had gallivanted; the lightning from the Stormcatcher calling to ones unseen below, awakening them. In amazement to the onlookers, unfamiliar dragons began to arise from the crackling green electricity and soon these Sandsurges joined the dragons of Sornieth in history.
As time passed the fulminating bursts of lightning lingered, providing them with the energy they would need to explore the world around. Soon though would this ethereal bromide fade in some of these sandsurges, giving way for twisting branches to sprout on top of their crowns.
These gifted brethren were to grow flora to provide a new way of life and society, becoming the hunters and ones who traveled from the dens to help their clan flourish. For the sandsurges that retained their more electrifying gift, they helped their clan by attracting and harvesting lightning strikes when just below ground to send off to the mighty Stormcatcher. The lightning that crackled about the dragons holding the memory of their origins for time eternal."
Other: This subspecies must have Lightning eyes.
Creator: WindSongGrove
Desert Sweepers
Breed: Any
Primary Colour: Teal
Secondary Colour: Tomato, Ruby - Garnet, Blood - Maroon, Red - Strawberry
Tertiary Colour: Tomato, Ruby - Garnet, Blood - Maroon, Red - Strawberry
Primary Gene: Poison
Secondary Gene: Toxin, Facet, Butterfly
Tertiary Gene: Underbelly, Glimmer
Lore: Desert Sweepers are a curious sort. Though they certainly belong into the Shifting Expanse, they are most often seen wandering around the barren wasteland and the yawning canyon rather than spending their time near the Lightning Farms. Though meticulous workers, Desert Sweepers appear to focus their skills towards more combat based usage instead of locking themselves up into a scientific lab. They make extremely skilled survivalists that know their ways around the desert and somehow seem to possess a sixth sense for avoiding potentially lethal lightning strikes. It makes them extremely valuable as scouts, warriors and hunters that do the dirty work for the larger corporations. No worries, though - they enjoy their job.
When Desert Sweepers are born, they are almost always entirely aqua colored and develop their colors and markings over time. Some remnants of their youth remain throughout their years near their limbs, head, tail and wingbones. The unique markings that eventually adorn wings and body mark both their sexual maturity and make it harder to spot them amidst the thunderclouds and lightning strikes when they hunt and scout. Particularly their uncommon red coloration comes with experience, skill and temperament. A more level-headed desert sweeper may display more purple and blue tones, whilst a more aggressive specimen will show notably vibrant reds that are an ode to their battle readiness.
Though they prefer to live solitary lives, they make extremely loyal employees and companions to those that manage to gain good standing with them. The effort to gain their trust is well worth it: there aren't many dragons that are naturally born into roles that ought to be filled in a world that spirals around scientific research and advancing technology. They're those that would stand at the frontline if the Stormcatcher calls to war or risk their life for a fellow clanmate.
Other: This subspecies must have Lightning eyes.
Creator: cybernetic
Current Subspecies director: Lightningbender
