Weaving, winding, whirling - tendrils of sepia intertwine with those of a warmer russet, the vine-like patterning appearing to mingle, to fold over upon each other, until they tangle into a mass that it somehow, it seems, is a dragon. Ebony talons are the dark roots from which the brambles of his body grow, crafted carefully first into each of his limbs - limbs that seem to lack true definition as they support his smaller than average frame, definition that remains absent through belly and haunches, even as the darker hints of umber appear here and there, adding shadows to the tangled thicket. And yet, despite the haphazardness, there is a certain beauty to the patterning, as if the vines were carefully cultivated to curve around his hips, to encircle his long tail, and to sit solidly upon his slender shoulders. Further emphasizing the perhaps planned nature of his body are the crystalline ridges of bone that are spaced evenly, perfectly down the center his spine, so pale as to appear translucent. Smaller crystals, or rather small bits of the pale bone hues, sprout here and there from amongst the trailing tendrils that form the leading edge of his wings, even smaller speckles appearing along each spar where they stretch between the only unpatterned, smooth portion of his body - wing sails of translucent mahogany - carefully planed wood that thins to nothing at the trailing edge. As for all the vines, all the tangled tendrils? They all seem to come together at his head - overly large headknobs, heavy, expressive eye ridges over his faceted eyes, a wide muzzle with dark nostrils and a nearly comically large mouth, the only true break in the briar patch.
Egg Name and Description
Light as Air Egg
In the aspect of the setting sun, there is an in depth poetry to this medium sized mottled egg that perches upon the sands of Xanadu. Pink and white fluffy clouds cover mountainous peaks. Hidden within is the pure sweetness of childhood dreams. Tasty dreams perchance for the pink and white fluffiness could easily be mistaken for clouds of cotton candy. If they are or not remains to be seen or perhaps tasted by a daring soul.
Hatching Message
Light as Air Egg moved? Maybe? The fluffy pink and white hues do seem to be aligned slightly differently now, however it still just seems to float upon the Sands.
Light as Air Egg definitely moved that time - there is no doubt at all, as a sharp crack appears along one side of the egg, a dark shadow emerging from the sickenly sweet shell for just a moment, before it snakes back to the sheltered realm inside the shell.
Light as Air Egg was.. And suddenly simply was not. The pink and white ovoid that existed for all those sevendays upon the sands of Xanadu simply became something else - Something else that was also not a stick - or not precisely. No, what it became was a tangled pile of brown vines that seemed to have erupted from the desert scape of the Hatching Sands.
Impression Message
Manifestation of the Mind Brown Hatchling is not particularly good at this whole walking thing.. A small trip and he ends up actually sliding on his belly across the sands. More whimpering and there is a careful attempt to get back on his feet, wings and tail and limbs all sorted once more. It seems, though, to have all worked out however, as he has recovered at the feet of one freckle-faced woman, and lifting his head he stares at her for a long moment. A long, drawn out draconic sigh-huff, and he shoves his head at her midsection awkwardly and without consideration (or understanding) of the consequences. This is the one.
Private Message
Without warning, you are pulled away from the sands to… somewhere else.. ‘Place’ hardly seems the appropriate word, and you find yourself on a rocky outcropping, surrounded by a misty sea. Endless obsidian stretches overhead, and yet, it is not all darkness. The mist-cloaked water seems to shift, revealing itself to be an endless expanse of small beads, before a feeling of being watched pulls your attention away. There are no words, merely a feeling, a sense of togetherness that begins winding its way around you like a vine on a trellis. The feeling grows stronger, pushing, as if struggling to convey what it needs, what it wants to share, before a final sharp *squeeze!* of your very essence leaves no possibility of ignoring it, even as a sigh seems to seep into the mental touch and a bit of a whimper can be detected in the next moments. Again, there are no words, but a sense - a sense that this is Eyistirth, you are his Lifemate and his Tej, and now… you are Awesome. And then, just like that, you are back where you were on the Sands, and yet your mind is changed forever.
Personality
Well, if anyone ever bet on Tej’s lifemate being the Lawful type, they would have won big, because here comes the King of Wet Blanket Rule Followers himself, Eyistirth! While Xulanth may be of the opinion the rules are more of guidelines and chaos is the only true path, Tej will find herself facing the strictest possible interpretation of anything that can even be slightly considered a rule. Rules are made to be followed, if they weren’t, what would be the point? Luckily for Tej, she will not be the only recipient of his general wet-blanket attitude - his chaos loving clutchmates Xulanth and Bhalahhaith will most certainly be on the receiving end of his disapproving stare. A stare that is made even better by the sheer volume of expressions that are capable of appearing on his face, leaving exactly no doubt as to his feelings on the matter. When the Weyrlingmasters give explicit statements to -stay out of the oil barrels- and one of the boys decides to disobey, you’ll find Eyistirth sitting oh-so-primly on his couch, frowning as much as a dragon can frown, projecting his wordless feelings to all.
Eyistirth’s lawful tendencies extend far beyond judging others, however, for his strict interpretation of the rules lend themselves to a ridiculously strong self-preservation instinct that may actually hinder his progress as a weyrling - especially when gravity is still difficult. The Weyrlingmasters’ won’t find this one overdoing it after lessons, sneaking of the barracks to practice, or taking any risks - after all, the rules are there for a reason. That said, Eyistirth will find things difficult, particularly through Weyrlinghood, and will need to rely on repeated lessons - wings take up space, your tail is longer than you think, gravity makes things fall - for it all to make sense. And with his rule following ways, without direct intervention from the Weyrling staff, he will likely find himself falling further and further behind his clutchmates who learn lessons quick *or* break the rules to practice above and behind what they are explicitly told. There is a true concern about the consequences of breaking those rules, and concern for Tej should she break them as well.
Eyistirth is quite the naive creature, and even as he ages and becomes more aware of the world and How It Is, he will never become less shocked and appalled by the hard truths of life. Your earliest experience will likely come when he transitions to having to hunt his own food - while he will hardly blink at the transition from cubes of precut meat to a haunch or beef side, once he makes the association that his meals are those four legged creatures walking outside in the corrals, expect a minor protest, and major whimpering when informed he needs to start catching his own meals. « What about tubers? We could dig enough tubers for me to eat.. Or perhaps those pancakes you like? » Expect a battle of wills before he will eventually give in - after all dragons do need their protein - but it is likely that he will complain constantly during his hunts about how it has come to that.
After all, hunting and eating a whole herdbeast is just so absolutely undignified. Completely barbaric. And Eyistirth is a poised, elegant, proper Brown Dragon. While his clutchmates - or Tej - may be frolicking in the sand, digging in to a meal and enjoying the general gorey goo, or generally making a mess of themselves, he will just observe with that disapproving look upon his face, tail curled tightly around himself lest anything sully his hide. And for Tej? He will even try and avoid contact with his lifemate should she show up filthy, demanding she clean herself up before getting those - ugh, sticky hands all over his hide. Now he needs a bath? Faranth, Lifemate, don’t you have any sense at all?
"That's shockingly unscrupulous, mistress!"
- Wyndle, Chapter 7, Edgedancer, Brandon Sanderson
Not only is Eyistirth a boring, law-abiding wet blanket who ruins *all* of Tej’s fun, he is also an ever popular pessimist. If something bad can happen, it will happen, and in the absolutely worst way possible. This is doubly true if you do something as ridiculous as to break the rules - though then of course, you had it coming. And since you had it coming, you can enjoy that judgemental “I Told You So” look on his face - a look a dragon definitely should not be able to make but that he has perfected even before he can piece the words together.
And when his foretellings come true, and something bad (though bad is certainly subjective when it comes to Tej vs Eyistirth) happens, there will be drama. DRAMA. The soft whimpers and whines that accompany him on a daily basis will grow in volume and frequency, and there will be a very heavy sense of despondency and world ending sorrow shared with anyone who dares to inquire as to the source of the issue. Making things even more exciting, Eyistirth has great difficulty decoding things that are said in sarcasm or exaggeration - which means that a non-issue can lead to a massive misunderstanding on his part and a great show for whoever happens to be near.
All of this said, Eyistirth may come off as a coward.. And it isn’t far from the truth. He is generally avoidant of conflict - other than a huffy statement asking if violence is ever worth it - and most definitely risk adverse. He prefers watching from a distance to taking any direct action, and tends to be a passive creature who has the misfortune of being bonded to Tej and thus gets pulled along on her ridiculous life. But on rare occasion, Eyistirth may be spurred by the right consequences to act. Perhaps it is because he is witnessing a blatant attempt to disrespect the rules, or perhaps it is to rescue Tej from a particularly dodgy situation she has gotten herself into - but either way, somewhere he will find the courage and fortitude to push himself beyond his comfort zone (albeit not without plenty of nervous commentary and self doubt) to pull off what may be a great feat. And when it is over? He will be surprised at his own abilities, proud of his accomplishments - and absolutely not interested in doing it again, thank you very much.
Eyistirth’s most curious trait, however, may be his curiosity - for it is not a general interest in whatever passing fad may grip his clutchmates, but a very scoped view of How Things Work. Should you find yourself on a visit to the Farmcraft in particular, you will find him asking far more questions than normal, and his whining will decrease as his attention is caught. The Woodcraft may have a similar effect, as he questions how those trees become those elegant chairs - and once you have a space of your own, you will likely look for reasons to avoid the Woodcraft just to avoid adding any more of those so very elegant chairs to the very full space that is your Weyr. Because Eyistirth is a hoarder of the worst sort - because what can you possibly do with ALL THOSE CHAIRS. Either way, however, it makes him happy, and should a function arise where more seating is needed, Eyistirth has got you, Xanadu!
"Throw it out? Mother's vines! No, no, no. You can't just go throwing things out! They might be useful later on. If it were me, I'd find someplace safe for them, and keep them pristine in case I needed them!"
- Chapter 11, Edgedancer, Brandon Sanderson
Physicality
Oh Tej, you know how most dragonets tend to be like horses, where they are on their feet and running around within an hour or two? Well, unfortunately Eyistirth has far more in common with a blind, helpless kitten at first than he does a race horse. The first seven day will find your lifemate beyond uncoordinated - having four limbs is hard, and what is this tail that seems to keep chasing him? Oh, and those wings? What do you mean they take up space when you unfold them? You will likely be setting him upright, pushing limbs in place, and ducking wings and tails more than getting any peace. His complete lack of coordination is made worse by a complete lack of understanding when it comes to how his body is put together, and worse, by how quickly he is growing in those first weeks. You’ll have to forgive him though - he is Very New at this, and he can’t be perfect right off the bat. He will slowly figure things out, however as mentioned, his constant growth will sometimes cause a set back in his coordination, as suddenly his wings are so much longer, and they didn’t used to get in Chay’s way, but now they are.
This early lack of coordination - and Eyistirth’s lack of distinct speech - may give the impression that he is some sort of derpy alien, rather than a dragon, however, with time his coordination and speech will grow, and he will start to catch up to his classmates. That said, he will still need multiple attempts to recognize certain things are related (as mentioned, gravity is a difficult concept).
While Xulanth may be a finely hewn weapon, Eyistirth is anything but. He is not fat, but he is far from the lean, mean fighting machine that his brothers may be. The smallest of the browns in his clutch, he will lack their brawn, and their sheer outright strength and endurance. Not all is lost, however, for despite all that, he will be swift and limber, and his agility will trend towards that of his blue brother instead.
Flights
When it comes to Flights, Eyistirth’s nature remains much the same - he is poised and proper, relying on the Rules in his attempt to woo the ladies. Because, as in everything else in life, there are rules to be followed - there is a process, and it should be elegant and controlled and most certainly not messy. Of course, just like everything else in life, there are those that believe rules are meant to be broken, which will lead to so much Judgment and Shock! on Eyistirth’s part - did you see those heathens? What uncouth barbarians? Who throws a herdbeast, seriously? That said - violence is just as barbaric, and Eyistirth will never attack his fellow chasers, not even for his own good.
Because there are rules, and Eyistirth is Eyistirth, it is not every flight that he will chase - nor necessarily even a majority of the flights - while others may be drawn in by every female who starts to glow, Eyistirth will be far more picky, and rely on some sort unknown criteria to make it appropriate. Should he happen to catch, he understands the rules of engagement - a flight is a flight, and there is nothing more expected.
Mindvoice
He fell into something that gave way beneath him. Water? No, it didn't feel right. He twisted in it-not a liquid, but beads. Thousands upon thousands of glass beads, each smaller than a Storm light sphere.
…
The sky overhead was wrong. Pitch-black, it was streaked with strange clouds that seemed to stretch forever into the distance-like roads in the sky. They led toward a small, distant sun.
The ocean of beads extended in every direction, and tiny lights hovered above them thousands upon thousands, like candle flames.
- Chapter 87, Oathbringer, Brandon Sanderson
Obsidian Skies
Eyistirth’s mind lacks the bright colors and rich hues that some of his clutchmates may have, instead his mindscape is tones of gray and black, tending towards an eerie “otherness”. And yet, despite this drabness, there is so much potential in his mind - endless possibilities that will be unlocked as he truly finds himself in his new reality.
As a newly hatched dragon, Eyistirth’s mind will remain dark, a single pale sun in the far distance casting the weakest of shadows upon his thoughts, and words will remain few and far between - instead he will share the essence, as it were, of his thoughts, feelings, and desires. Like the seas of beads in Shadesmar, there is a sense of each of what each of those is, but he will struggle with articulating it.
Unfortunately for Tej, Eyistirth will eventually learn to speak - and once he does, there will be no stopping him. Admittedly, a vast majority of his “speaking” may be closer to sounds than words - whimpers, whines, scoffs, coughs, and groans - but the words will come too, particularly as he ages. His voice is soft, perhaps a hint too feminine for a ~brown, but lacks the conviction of many of his peers, or any sense of command. A flurry of vines, quickly growing and modeling the most important words and thoughts will accompany his voice, neutral hues that add no brightness to his mindscape.
While other weyrlings may simply feel a nebulous pressure or presence, Eyistirth will take a more direct approach with Tej - perhaps out of some false hope that it will increase his impact on her. Eyistirth will come to prefer building a mental model as it were of himself in Tej’s mind, made of the same vines he utilizes when speaking to other dragons, only carefully crafted to be his overly expressive, and likely disappointed, face. Try to ignore his judgement now, Tej!
You may find surprises over the turns with your lifemate, bits and pieces of his mind that seem to come from some past life - rows of delicately carved furniture, a carefully cultivated collection of this or that for example - that surface when he is particularly relaxed, though questions will likely lead them to vanish with a quick admonishment.
Inspiration
Tej! Congratulations, and welcome to Weyrlinghood at Xanadu Weyr! As always, everything here is just ~ideas and Eyistirth is yours, and thus yours to play as you wish. I hope we’ve done your vision justice, and if you ever want to gush about Stormlight (or the Cosmere in general!) Ricki is your girl (And Shallan-Iczobyth agrees).
Our egg theme this time at Xanadu was the Zodiac, and the Light as Air Egg was created by Za’ariah, based on the Zodiac sign Libra.
Meanwhile Eyistirth, as requested, was based on Wyndle, Lift’s cultivationspren partner from the Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson. As you know his inspiration, I won’t go too in depth about who he is or the setting, however I do want to mention a few things.
I pulled his Hatchling Name from the phenomenon on Roshar where emotion spren are drawn (albeit only partially) from the cognitive realm into the physical realm. Spren in general are native to and at home in the Cognitive Realm, and can become invisible or hidden in the Physical Realm, so it seemed appropriate.
As for his name, I tried to take inspiration from your suggestion, and then go a step further. Looking into the Stormlight translations, I stumbled across the Turkish version, where “Voidbringer" became "yokelçi" which translation to nothing-envoy. Considering iterations on that, I realized that while Lift may have called Wyndle a Voidbringer, he truly is a creature of Cultivation. As a cultivation spren, he is made of vines, and as Tej’s partner, he will help her grow, and I wanted to make sure his name reflected that. And so, I decided to stay with Turkish - and the translation of Cultivation - yetiştirme. Some letter swapping and dropping, a bit of consideration, and Eyistirth was born - hopefully it lands with just the right tone you were hoping for.
Finally, Eyistirth’s mind is based on Shadesmar, as you requested - the bizarre always night that is the Cognitive Realm around Roshar.
Again, I hope he is what you were looking for, and welcome to Weyrlinghood!
Ricki
Credits
| Name | Manifestation of the Mind Brown Eyistirth |
| Dam | Gold Leirith |
| Sire | Bronze Xermiltoth |
| Created By | Ricki |
| Impressee | Tej |
| Hatched | July 25, 2022 |
| Xanadu Weyr | |
| PernWorld MUSH |