The out-of-universe reason for why Ancients can't wear apparel is to allow for more unusual dragon designs, as well as to make new breed releases faster because drawing new apparel on them isn't required.
But have you ever considered the potential in-universe reasons?
For me, here are a few of my thoughts:
- Maybe it just wasn't common for dragons to wear clothing in the era before Ancient breeds were discovered to the public, and Ancient breeds find it unusual for dragons to consider wearing clothing. For some particular breeds, this is especially understandable because of their lore - for instance, Gaolers might not think of clothing as "part of the Icewarden's design" (they also may not see a reason to wear clothing when they have fur), and Auraboa might not be used to the concept of clothing as dragons who were once part of a hivemind (also, as mentioned in another point, Auraboa might not be able to wear leg apparel anyway).
- Parts of the out-of-universe reason might be true in-universe, of course. Some of them can't wear certain kinds of apparel (or, at the very least, it'd be hard for them to) because of how many of them have anatomy different from Modern dragons. Sandsurge can't wear most wing apparel, Banescale can't wear most arm apparel, Auraboa can't wear most leg apparel, Undertides can't wear most limb apparel, Aberrations might struggle to decide which head of theirs gets to wear a hat ("Wait! Here's an identical hat! Now you can both wear it!"), and Aether might have to buy extra arm/leg apparel because of their six arms/legs. Some Ancients are even much larger/smaller than other breeds - Veilspun, for instance, are smaller than Fae - and may have trouble finding clothing in their size. And that's not even taking linebreaking tertiary genes into consideration!
- In-story, Ancient breeds likely can wear clothing/accessories (as seen with Glass and Gloss), and I do imagine a few of my Ancient dragons occasionally accessorizing, especially as there are skins/accents for Ancients that include clothing - but clothing/accessories probably look quite different for them, often with the aforementioned accommodations.
The out-of-universe reason for why Ancients can't wear apparel is to allow for more unusual dragon designs, as well as to make new breed releases faster because drawing new apparel on them isn't required.
But have you ever considered the potential in-universe reasons?
For me, here are a few of my thoughts:
- Maybe it just wasn't common for dragons to wear clothing in the era before Ancient breeds were discovered to the public, and Ancient breeds find it unusual for dragons to consider wearing clothing. For some particular breeds, this is especially understandable because of their lore - for instance, Gaolers might not think of clothing as "part of the Icewarden's design" (they also may not see a reason to wear clothing when they have fur), and Auraboa might not be used to the concept of clothing as dragons who were once part of a hivemind (also, as mentioned in another point, Auraboa might not be able to wear leg apparel anyway).
- Parts of the out-of-universe reason might be true in-universe, of course. Some of them can't wear certain kinds of apparel (or, at the very least, it'd be hard for them to) because of how many of them have anatomy different from Modern dragons. Sandsurge can't wear most wing apparel, Banescale can't wear most arm apparel, Auraboa can't wear most leg apparel, Undertides can't wear most limb apparel, Aberrations might struggle to decide which head of theirs gets to wear a hat ("Wait! Here's an identical hat! Now you can both wear it!"), and Aether might have to buy extra arm/leg apparel because of their six arms/legs. Some Ancients are even much larger/smaller than other breeds - Veilspun, for instance, are smaller than Fae - and may have trouble finding clothing in their size. And that's not even taking linebreaking tertiary genes into consideration!
- In-story, Ancient breeds likely can wear clothing/accessories (as seen with Glass and Gloss), and I do imagine a few of my Ancient dragons occasionally accessorizing, especially as there are skins/accents for Ancients that include clothing - but clothing/accessories probably look quite different for them, often with the aforementioned accommodations.
Tobias | He/Him |
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Regarding forum games, please only select dragons who have familiars - those are the permanent residents of my lair. Feel free to look through the hibernal den, too
I like the one part of the Gaoler encyclopedia page:
[quote]The idea of creature comforts and building a cozy abode is foreign to them, and they feel such things make other breeds of dragon soft. Gaolers who join mixed-species lairs often carve out a utilitarian space for themselves, and try and keep that area free of the knick-knacks and useless decoration of their clanmates. They do not maintain hoards.[/quote]
because it's pretty easy to just apply that to their idea of apparel as well. Clothing is pointless and armour is too bulky- so why bother?
I like the one part of the Gaoler encyclopedia page:
Quote:
The idea of creature comforts and building a cozy abode is foreign to them, and they feel such things make other breeds of dragon soft. Gaolers who join mixed-species lairs often carve out a utilitarian space for themselves, and try and keep that area free of the knick-knacks and useless decoration of their clanmates. They do not maintain hoards.
because it's pretty easy to just apply that to their idea of apparel as well. Clothing is pointless and armour is too bulky- so why bother?
i agree with the first one-- I like to think some sort of cultural exchange between the beastclans and dragons led moderns into wearing apparel. ancients, on the other hand, didn't communicate much with them (and they went into hiding for a long time) so they just can't work with the idea of it.
i agree with the first one-- I like to think some sort of cultural exchange between the beastclans and dragons led moderns into wearing apparel. ancients, on the other hand, didn't communicate much with them (and they went into hiding for a long time) so they just can't work with the idea of it.
[quote name="colorscapes" date="2024-02-28 08:24:56" ]
i agree with the first one-- I like to think some sort of cultural exchange between the beastclans and dragons led moderns into wearing apparel. ancients, on the other hand, didn't communicate much with them (and they went into hiding for a long time) so they just can't work with the idea of it.
[/quote]
This is where I'm coming from! Clothing is: [LIST=1]
[*] a big $status$ thing absorbed from the beastclans (former fiber artist here quivering at the thought of the sheer amount of resources that go into one dragon coat!) and
[*] a tool copied from the beastclans that enables dragons to equip themselves for the environments of different Flights. Somebody draw me a cartoon of a Fire Dragon huddled in furs on a happy spring day in Wind.
[/LIST]
colorscapes wrote on 2024-02-28 08:24:56:
i agree with the first one-- I like to think some sort of cultural exchange between the beastclans and dragons led moderns into wearing apparel. ancients, on the other hand, didn't communicate much with them (and they went into hiding for a long time) so they just can't work with the idea of it.
This is where I'm coming from! Clothing is:
- a big $status$ thing absorbed from the beastclans (former fiber artist here quivering at the thought of the sheer amount of resources that go into one dragon coat!) and
- a tool copied from the beastclans that enables dragons to equip themselves for the environments of different Flights. Somebody draw me a cartoon of a Fire Dragon huddled in furs on a happy spring day in Wind.
they're just too old for this hip concept of "clothing" all these youngsters are talking about
they're just too old for this hip concept of "clothing" all these youngsters are talking about
Aether would probably eat the clothing apparel. They're moths, they eat books, they'll probably eat clothes as well and I stand by this headcanon.
Aether would probably eat the clothing apparel. They're moths, they eat books, they'll probably eat clothes as well and I stand by this headcanon.
personally 1 is what I’ve always thought; dragons didn’t really need clothes in the time of Ancients. like the gods dont wear clothes so, they don’t.
however point 2 is also really close to what happens irl and how if you fall outside of Body Standards its really hard to get clothes bc, no one makes clothes for you. I have no consistent dress size because I have the gall to be a Tall Female and I basically have to special order my shoes bc good luck finding a women’s 12 anywhere in the stores—this would make decent sense for ancients though. like it costs more materials and manufacturing to Also make this same garment in a way that would fit breeds like auraboas and undertides, AND theyre a small portion of the population so. maybe dragons just say Nah to tailoring for them; not ALWAYS, just in general.
personally 1 is what I’ve always thought; dragons didn’t really need clothes in the time of Ancients. like the gods dont wear clothes so, they don’t.
however point 2 is also really close to what happens irl and how if you fall outside of Body Standards its really hard to get clothes bc, no one makes clothes for you. I have no consistent dress size because I have the gall to be a Tall Female and I basically have to special order my shoes bc good luck finding a women’s 12 anywhere in the stores—this would make decent sense for ancients though. like it costs more materials and manufacturing to Also make this same garment in a way that would fit breeds like auraboas and undertides, AND theyre a small portion of the population so. maybe dragons just say Nah to tailoring for them; not ALWAYS, just in general.
they all have bad allergies
they all have bad allergies
They aren't able to wear most clothes made for modern breeds due to different anatomy and don't really care about them anyways
They aren't able to wear most clothes made for modern breeds due to different anatomy and don't really care about them anyways
also since they were made specifically for their environment, clothes would be unnecessary and probably uncomfortable-a gaoler is already perfectly crafted for the southern icefield and wearing any kind of extra layer would make them sweat to death up north. aberrations in particular might also scoff at clothing-"what, you think we're not strong enough to handle a little snow?"
also since they were made specifically for their environment, clothes would be unnecessary and probably uncomfortable-a gaoler is already perfectly crafted for the southern icefield and wearing any kind of extra layer would make them sweat to death up north. aberrations in particular might also scoff at clothing-"what, you think we're not strong enough to handle a little snow?"
