Terra Cotta Cliffside Brown Atsath

Reddish brown dust cloaks this large brown dragon in the lightest of russet hues. He is all sharp edges and blocky lines, heavy bone structure and sinewy muscle carved from stone. From wide jaw to sharply backswept headknobs his terra-cotta hide is sun-kissed; tawny brightness until browridges leave his narrow eyes cast in shadow. Down his arching neck, irregular neckridges are like crumbling steps that lead down into the deeper colors of his torso and deep chest. Ancient ruins seem to cluster beneath the shelter of his wings, darker lines hinting at shapes that would be almost too geometric if they didn't deteriorate back into obscurity. Like a craggy cliffside his muscled legs support this decaying city with varied hues that lead down into blunt black claws. Above this the spread of his wingsails is even wider than required, dried brick brown translucence lined with cave-dark spars. From muzzle to tailtip he is strong and stable, his form speaking of enduring solidity rather than delicacy and elegance.


Egg Name and Description

VesseloftheVanishedEgg.gif

Vessel of the Vanished Egg
Round and squat, this egg is palest grey speckled with darkness as though mottled by age. In stark contrast to the stone-colored majority, charcoal designs slash across it, bold geometrics creating an artistry so complex it looks as though someone snuck out to the sands with a paintbrush in their skilled hands. A row of square-shaped spirals surrounds the narrowest end, leaving the top clear like an open mouth. Beneath this runs a circle of dainty black dots while the majority of this vibrantly decorated shell is made up of alternating triangles of black and white filled with diagonal lines and abstract shapes. And so it goes around the entire shell, light and dark like some ancient bit of artwork lost to obscurity.


Hatching Message

Vessel of the Vanished egg trembles and a cascade of sand spills from the half-buried egg. Bit by bit the contrasting shades are revealed, like some prize archeological find being unearthed by careful hands as shivers knock the surrounding sand away.

Finally freed from the confines of the sandy mound it has been half-buried in, Vessel of the Vanished egg works up enough momentum to topple sideways. The impact pairs with the persistent nudging from within and hairline fractures split across the shell, shattering the geometric designs like broken pottery.

Vessel of the Vanished is covered in a web of cracks, and the rhythmic rocking continues. There is a pause, a gathering of strength, and with a lurch the entire egg disintegrates. A large, gangly brown hatchling blinks up at the bright light, flicks oversized wings and peers around in satisfaction. 'That worked rather well,' the pale Terra Cotta Cliffside brown's expression seems to say.


Mindvoice

Ceremonial Cadences
Atsath is pervasive, ever present in the back of your mind. In the quieter moments he is only the low beat of drums in the distance, a rumble that never quite goes silent. When his touch is purposeful the drums build and are joined by the scent of fire and herbs, occasionally roasting meat or the wash of intoxicating drink. The flicker of fire, rhythmic shadows cast by dancing forms, the obscuring veil of smoke or steam, all of these might tinge the imagery he sends. Atsath's voice itself is a melodious tenor, as measured as the ritual drumbeats that underly it.


Inspiration

Egg: http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/tips/images/indianartifacts_02.jpg
This is just one example of traditional Ancient Pueblo pottery. This dark coloring on pale ceramic is typical of the group that inhabited Mesa Verde in the four corners region.

Hatchling: The hatchling description/name is based on the Ancient Pueblo (aka Anasazi) cliff dwellings. Specifically, this image of a cliff palace:
http://www.crystalinks.com/anasazinicole.jpg. The mindvoice is based on the ceremonies that might have taken place, general pictures of the rituals of many ancient cultures involving drums and chanting, fires, and food.

Dragon Name: Atsath comes from "Atsah" which is Navajo for eagle. Though the Ancient Pueblos had their own language the word "Anasazi" comes from Navajo and I thought eagle was a fitting word to use.

For more information on this culture and the artifacts they left behind, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Pueblo_Peoples


Credits

Name Terra Cotta Cliffside Brown Atsath
Dam Gold Seryth
Sire Bronze Kinseth
Created By Enkavir
Impressee M'ren (Malren)
Hatched April 15, 2009
Xanadu Weyr
PernWorld MUSH

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License