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Rich, dark jades brocade over this green's lithe form, flowing elegantly over each limb and appendage much like a gown would, blending seamlessly into each curve. Hints of gold dust delicately about her headknobs, dominated about her neck by folds of deep emerald. Although her coloration appears to be overall uniform, a line of paleness drifts down her chest toward her belly, retreating into darker pine-greens that gather to fall about her haunches and feet. Wings, when folded, blend almost perfectly with the rest of her hide, and when opened, each membraneous wingsail reflects a kaleidoscope of bright, shimmering greens of different hues, varying from the very dark to the very light. Talons are, if possible, darker than the rest of her, as is the very tip of her tail, where the hues seem to pool, as though ending a long, swishy train.
*Image by Samantha
Egg Name and Description
Nebulous Shirrings of Fluff Egg
Feathery, powder-blues swirl around this average-sized egg, marbling the shell with their gentle hues. Hints of off-white and cream peek out from between each layer of color, gradually pooling near the base of the ovoid. Although the dominant dappling of soft blues creates a mostly unmarred pattern over this egg, there's a spot near the apex that's slightly darker than the rest. Here, a thin line of darker blue curves around toward the edge of the ovoid. If one didn't know better, one might even say that the pattern of the line resembles teeth marks, of sorts.
Hatching Message
Quaking in its sandy hollow, Nebulous Shirrings of Fluff Egg shivers a little, twitching a bit to either side. Then again, it could merely have been a trick of the light, for the egg doesn't seem to have moved much at all, really.
This time, there's definitely movement as Nebulous Shirrings of Fluff Egg begins a steady rocking motion. Back and forth it moves, gaining momentum and speed as it does so. Large cracks begin spreading over the surface of the shell, movements clearly visible beyond the thin film separating the creature within from the world. Not long, now.
Finally, the shards of Nebulous Shirrings of Fluff Egg crumble and fall around the newly Hatched dragon within, structure failing as Maitresse des Danseurs Green is unleashed upon the sands. For a few moments, she sits within the remains of her home, gooey head lifting to regard those before her with a keen, sharp eye.
Impression Message
A deep seated sense of pride suddenly floods your senses, bringing shadows and hues of green with it. For a moment, your vision beholds nothing but darkness, illuminated only by a few spotlights here and there. « Eiriana. » As your name is spoken, the lights grow brighter, suddenly throwing you into the midst of whirling skirts and finely executed movements, likely those of dancers. « /You/ are the one I have been seeking, » a firm alto declares. Your vision clears, suddenly filled with the dark green dragonet that has settled in front of you on the sands. « I, Balmaith, will show you the ways of the world. But my first order of business needs to involve food. Shall we? »
Personality
"We take particular pride in the excellence of our ballet, monsieur."
From the very beginning of your time together, it will be obvious that Balmaith is an extremely complex being. Straight from the shell, she can be haughty, harsh, and downright serious, but as you witnessed at the moment of Impression, she also cares, deeply and fiercely. On many different levels, she's also a very proud dragon, and this is something that is evident in her bearing and manner toward others. On one level, this pride can be intensely personal — she's proud of what you and she have accomplished together, whether it's a successful first flight in weyrlinghood or perhaps watching new batches of weyrlings graduate into the ranks of full riders. On another level, it is clear that her pride extends to her siblings, as well, for all of them, collectively, have the potential to do great things, and truth be told, she believes that there are no others out there who could equal the nine of you.
Excellence, too, is an ideal that she holds fiercely to, even from hatching. In you, Eiriana, she saw the potential for great excellence, a beautifully innocent, young woman who could grow into a self-confident, empowered rider with her by your side. During weyrlinghood, she will demand excellence from you both, working many long hours to exercise her wings properly before flying for the first time, encouraging you to study so that you, too, can do well, or even nudging you multiple times if you start to nod off during a lecture. As an adult, she will maintain this ideal, constantly badgering you to strive for your best. Her constant reminders (more like nagging, at times) may very well take effect, and if you happen to get promoted to wingsecond or wingleader in the process, so much the better!
Andre: I see why - especially with that little blonde angel!
Mme. Giry: My daughter, Meg Giry.
Firmin: And /that/ exceptional beauty? No relation, I trust?
Mme. Giry: Christine Daae. Promising talent, Monsieur Firmin, very promising.
Andre: No relation to the famous Swedish violinist?
Mme. Giry: His only child. Orphaned at seven, when she came to live and train in the ballet dormitories.
Firmin (clearly interested): An orphan, you say?
Mme. Giry: I think of her as a daughter also.
Balmaith cares deeply and fiercely for those whom she holds near and dear. Most especially, she will be protective of you, first and foremost, since you are the closest and dearest one she has in this uncertain world. This protectiveness will always extend to her siblings as well, no matter where life takes you or takes them. She will naturally be drawn toward weyrling dragons, and feel compelled to take a hand in their training. Fortunately, Balmaith is well-suited for serving as a weyrlingmaster or weyrlingmaster's assistant, should you ever decide that one of those posts would be well-suited for you, as well. As a matter of fact, she will probably start suggesting that you consider such a position at some point. Whether you actually attempt to obtain such a post or not — well, that's in your hands. If you ever do, she will take the teaching of those weyrlings extremely seriously, and snap out orders and lessons briskly. Despite her high expectations of them and her firm, no-nonsense manner, it is clear that she very much cares about them, as well, and will protect them with her very life, if necessary.
Those who speak of what they know find too late that prudent silence was wise. Joseph Buquet, hold your tongue! Keep your hand at the level of your eyes!"
Among everything else, Balmaith is also a very cautious dragon. Others will probably gravitate toward her to tell her their secrets, for she plainly takes everything said in utmost confidence and keeps it there. Perhaps this is most evident to you, as your secrets will never see the light of day again unless you specifically ask her to relay one of them to another. Gossip, to Balmaith, is something that should not exist in the world, and she frowns severely upon those who choose to engage in it, harshly denouncing them in private conversation with you.
Her wrath is certainly something that no one wants to incur. When Balmaith gets angry, she has no inhibitions about letting anyone know that she is, and the reason(s) for it. That pedantic, mental tapping of hers turns positively livid, culminating in an angry SNAP! and a harsh snarl to accompany it.
ROn the whole, Balmaith is a very sensible dragon, possessing common sense in droves. Not so surprisingly, her sensibility also extends to her eye for males. Despite the fact that she will rise way more frequently than her golden sister, she is incredibly picky, and evaluates each male dragon who comes her way with a sharp, judgmental eye. If he isn't honest, genuinely caring, and able to keep secrets, she won't give him the time of day. His appearance doesn't matter much to her, for it's what inside that is truly important, she believes. These are things that she will even consider even while in heat, causing her to draw out her flights as long as she can, waiting until she's aware that she can't fly more than three more beats to careen into her mate of choice. And the same applies to men that may become interested in you, Eiriana. Balmaith will carefully evaluate every man who tries to get your attention, or whom you try to get the attention of. She'll enumerate the reasons why you should continue to give or receive attentions from him (or shouldn't, as the case may be), and will work hard to ensure that you end up with a good, sensible weyrmate.
Mme. Giry: He is a genius, monsieur! A genius!
Raoul: But clearly, Madame Giry, genius has turned to madness.
Balmaith will always persist in believing the best of everyone, until it is obvious to her that he or she is anything less than honest or genuine. Despite her gruff, sometimes sarcastic exterior, there's a heart underneath all of it that's fiercely caring and open to those whom she will grow to trust. Of course, Eiriana, you'll always have the primary place in her mind and heart, for your well-being and your happiness will always be first with her. Balmaith will guide you with her sharp reminders and common-sense, tempering your innocence with her pragmatic view of the world and enrich both of your existences as you learn and grow together.
Mindvoice
Deliberate Whirls of Fabric
The bustling whirl of a multitude of skirts, the swish of a finely executed move, the pedantic tapping of a stick as she pounds out the beat — these are all images that Balmaith will utilize frequently, depending on her mood and the situation. Where she finds no fault, an elegant rustle of fabric conveys her satisfaction. Where she finds anything less than perfection, the sounds of pedantic tapping of a stick upon stone grow louder with her impatience and annoyance. She favors darker colors, choosing to convey her moods with hues of deep greens, grays and blacks. It is a rare occasion when the bustle of her mind is actually quiet, and only you, Eiriana, will probably be privy to those special moments — the ones that come at the end of the day, just before she falls into slumber.
Inspiration
The eggs from this clutch were based off of different types of candy. Nebulous Shirrings of Fluff Egg is, quite simply, a really big piece of cotton candy on a stick.
Since you mentioned that you like musicals, your Balmaith is based on Madame Giry from Phantom of the Opera. Firm and serious, she's a no-nonsense woman who has devoted her entire life to the art of dance. She is also fiercely protective, both of her daughter, Meg Giry, and of the orphaned chorus girl whom she looks upon as a second daughter, Christine Daae. If you'd like more information about the musical, there's a great article about the book, the musical and the movie on Wikipedia.
Balmaith's description was based off of a dress that Miranda Richardson wore to portray Madame Giry in the recent movie of The Phantom of the Opera. A picture of it can be found at: http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/andrew_lloyd_webber_s_the_phantom_of_the_opera/miranda_richardson/phantom2.jpg
"Maitresse des Danseurs" is French for "mistress of the dancers, " a name which I thought would be fitting for your green. And Balmaith's name is a combination of the French word "bal, " which means "dance, " and the first syllable of "maitresse, " "mistress." I know that you said you wanted something easy to say or something that you could easily shorten, and I'd like to think that Balmaith is both of those. I think of it as being pronounced "BALL-maith, " but of course, you're welcome to find your own pronounciation between the syllables. :)
I really enjoyed making Balmaith and revisiting the world of The Phantom of the Opera from a different perspective. I hope that you enjoy Balmaith and that she is very close to what you're looking for in a dragon. You're welcome to change anything about her that you don't like - she is, after all, your dragon. Enjoy!
Credits
| Name | Maitresse des Danseurs Green Balmaith |
| Dam | Gold Aelith |
| Sire | Bronze Dhonzayth |
| Created By | Vesvesris |
| Impressee | Eiriana |
| Hatched | May 31, 2007 |
| Telgar Weyr | |
| PernWorld MUSH |