Lady of the Mountain Green
Verdant contours strike a balance of symmetry, the elegant arch of neck matched by the sinuous curve of tail. Forest green hide drapes like velvet around her slender form, softening along her legs to wrap her feet in mossy boots. Another patch of moss grows tucked just beneath her pointed muzzle, matched by a darker spot above placed like a feline’s nosepad. Her features are refined, carved beryl tracing the aquiline angles of cheeks and nose and the curved shadow of dark ridges above her large and eloquent eyes. Higher yet, her knobs sweep into a pair of matching peaks whose hue darkens to a purple-tinged majesty before they’re capped in the pale silver of snow and ice. The ridges of her neck are similarly limned with dark green markings that follow their curves, a subtle emphasis that draws out the refinement and elegance of her form. Her wings are elegant curves, slim spars with sails whose forest shade stretches to near-translucent delicacy by their trailing edges as if - by sparing weight - they seek to increase her skill in the skies. Her sleek form tapers further into a long, slender tail whose tip is circled by a series of dark arcs patterned like a spiral.
Egg Name and Description
IT'S GONNA BE A PARTY EGG
Glimmering obsidian creeps along the expanse of this ovid's shell, struck through near the peak by vibrant bursts of vivacious reds, lurid blues, and splendacious pinks It's as if its inhabitant drew upon the contrasting elements of both its parent's minds and smeared them upon the canvas of its shell. Shadows meet with incandescence, dark wars with light, the spirit of a thunderous party at midnight immortalized, for all who come to see it, on the vast expanse of Xanadu's hatching sands.
Hatching Message
Wobble Message
IT'S GONNA BE A PARTY EGG heard that it might be showtime and it didn't want to come empty handed! Sadly, it is an egg and has no hands so options are limited but it'll make do with what it can and that's itself as the shell sparkles like never before as it shimmies and shakes.
Crack Message
IT'S GONNA BE A PARTY EGG CAN'T BE CONTAINED! THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH EXCITEMENT! SURELY THAT SHELL WILL BE SHATTERING ANY MINUTE NOW… but the shimmying is a bit exhausting and while a few hairline cracks might be appearing, the dance pauses for just a moment as the little baby dragon inside must need to rest.
Hatch Message
IT'S GONNA BE A PARTY EGG EXPLODES IN ONE FINAL SPECTACULAR BURST OF INCANDESCENT GLORY and what's left behind is one slightly dazed hatchling, blinking as lightning flashes by and she tries to get acclimated to the chaos that is Hatching.
Sands Pose #1
Lady of the Mountain Green Hatchling is slow to take those first steps, but once she does there's as much regalness to the little dragon as any freshly shelled creature can manage. Her sides expand as she takes a deep breath and almost waltzes forward, a little dancing step as she skirts around a puddle on the sands. The dryer path draws her closer to two sisters from Black Rock but apparently neither of the fisher girls are quite what she was looking for and with a little bow of her head, the green spins around, off to search for the right dance partner.
Sands Pose #2
Lady of the Mountain Green Hatchling strolls through the sands as if this were another restday walk through a park and not a stormy squall. Staring may not be the most polite thing to do, but the young dragon can't really help herself as she inspects more candidates, but so far each is just met with a polite headnod before her little promenade continues.
Impression Message
Public Message
Lady of the Mountain Green Hatchling seems to run into a bit of trouble. A traffic jam if you will. Shell shards and siblings all suddenly in the direction she had been going and she backpedals frantically to avoid colliding with anything… at least anything in front of her. In all the chaos, she did overlook the Harper candidate that was behind her the whole time until the hatchling was literally standing on the girl's foot. The dragon lets out a squawk of embarrassment before she looks up and caresses her nose right into her new lifemate's chest.
Private Message
If there had been any pressure on your foot from a dragon stepping on it, that all fades away as you get hit with a breeze of alpine air. « I'm so sorry… please forgive me. » Apologies quickly shift to a soaring joy higher than any mountain as Rhearth's hearts link with yours. « Z'ora, my Z'ora! I'm your Rhearth and I would never purposefully step on anybody's foot, least of all yours. But we'll get that taken care of. And then, maybe a snack? »
Personality
Rhearth is a warm-hearted woman in green raiment. She cares deeply about others, and she strives to always be polite, mannerly, and appropriate to her situation. Of course… what’s appropriate for one scenario may be wildly incorrect for another, and she knows it!
For Rhearth, ‘being polite’ doesn’t mean strictly following rules of etiquette. It means making situations run smoothly and giving everyone a chance to be happy and shine for who they are. Sometimes that means sitting still and using elegant language, and sometimes that means romping along the beach and getting covered in sand.
She’s observant when it comes to others, and will quickly learn to spot those who seem upset or left out. She wants to help, but she’s more prone to offer a friendly ear than try to give unsolicited advice. It’s not that she doesn’t have ideas - she most certainly does! - but it’s not polite to try to tell someone else what to do. If someone asks for help, she’ll gladly give it, and she may try to make subtle suggestions even if she hasn’t been directly asked. She knows it’s just a little rude, but… she really does want to help.
If it turns out her advice was wrong, she’ll apologize - briefly - and try even harder to listen and understand so she can be more helpful in the future. When she’s right? She’ll share the pleasure of success and congratulate her friend (if things worked out well), but keep the emphasis on their success, their triumph, and not whatever it was she did to help things along. Her reward is the joy of ongoing friendship!
When things turn out badly, she’ll be a ready ear to sympathize and comfort, but she’ll seldom give advice to someone who’s currently upset, and she’ll never say “I told you so”. It’d just be rude, heaping insult on injury when what her friend most needs is caring and support.
Rhearth’s willingness to listen in a kind and nonjudgmental fashion may mean she sometimes ends up in possession of the secrets of others. When that happens, she safeguards them even more securely than her own. They’re a measure of trust and friendship, and she cherishes them for that. She may discuss them with you - in the privacy of your own minds - but only because she knows the two of you are inextricable, in some sense one being, and she trusts you wholeheartedly in all things.
As much as she enjoys other people, she has no need to be the center of attention. She certainly doesn’t mind it when other people are watching her - a lady tries never to do anything, even in private, that she’d be unhappy being made public - but she’s just as content to be sitting near the edges of a gathering as in the center of it, and she doesn’t mind if she sometimes listens far, far more than she speaks.
Rhearth is fond of music, and she’s especially pleased when she gets to listen to you playing for an audience. The music itself is lovely, of course, but it gains something wonderful when she can also see the reaction of your listeners, follow their emotional highs and lows and the wonder and joy of your music reflected through them. When it’s appropriate, like at beachside bonfires or in the privacy of your shared weyr, she’ll sometimes hum along to share the joy of melody and harmony with you, but she’d never want to interrupt a formal concert by so doing.
Of course, no dragon is hatched knowing all the rules of what’s appropriate in a given circumstance, and when she’s a baby, Rhearth will certainly stumble from time to time. She may speak out of turn in a lesson, or get too distracted playing to remember to stay clean for an event. Still, she grasps the concept of it almost intuitively, and she’ll feel her failures quite keenly as a reason to improve her understanding and manners until she knows how to be suitable to any situation in which she may find herself..
She likes presenting herself well, and so - while she’ll cheerfully get dirty when the situation calls for it - she generally prefers to be nicely bathed and oiled. She’ll realize, when introduced to riding straps, that she needs several sets; a solid working sort for practical travel or outdoors activities, something nicely-made but subtle for everyday use, something ornate for formal occasions when she needs to show at her best to complement your appearance. It’s not vanity that sparks this desire, but the earnest wish to be congruent with and suitable to the circumstance. She’d never want to wear formal straps for a trip to the mountains, any more than she’d wear something mud-stained to a concert.
Rhearth is an adept at suiting herself to various situations without compromising her nature, and as she matures, she’ll begin to develop a matching facility in adjusting the situation around her to facilitate the outcomes she desires. Sometimes, she has her influence through alterations of the physical setting, with ideas like, « I think, if we put the snack table over there instead, people won’t cross in front of the stage as much. »
Sometimes, though, she’ll work by spreading her social influence through others. It’s a gentle process, one that works by listening to and understanding the needs and wants of those around her and seeking to bring those varying desires into one congruent shape. She’d never seek to harm anyone or convince them to act against their own interests in favor of another, but… if one person could be equally happy with pie or cake, and another hates pie… well! To Rhearth, the right answer is obvious…. though it’s only because of all the time she’s spent to learn about and understand those around her that she can shape the discourse with simple suggestions and gentle nudges.
She’s unhappy when there are arguments or discord around her, though she understands that such things happen. Still, she’ll work to resolve them as best she can, with a focus on listening to and empathizing with both sides… for surely, right or wrong, if someone is upset there’s a reason behind it, and trying to fix the wrong problem would be clumsy at best and cruel at worst. As she understands and supports her friends, she’ll try to nudge them to understand the perspective of each other, as well, until - hopefully - she can help broker a harmony built on newfound understanding and respect.
…though, while two parties are at odds, it is most certainly impolite and inappropriate to force them into contact. Feuds in your social circles may lead to a rather difficult time at gatherings, which may be yet another reason why Rhearth will be so eager to help mend them, given how fond she is of helping foster good experiences for others.
Mindvoice
Many times, it may seem as Rhearth's voice is a bit of fresh air, exactly what you might be needing. Serene mountain ranges with crystal clear ponds and the clean scent of fresh pine. She may not be the most vocal of Xanadu's dragons, but just because she isn't the loudest doesn't mean she won't contribute to the conversations and when she does chime in, it's usually with a very well thought out remark.
« If I'm going to say something, I'm going to make it count, dear. »
Her natural inclination to wait and collect her thoughts also makes her an excellent active listener, a trait you and many of your future wingmates may come to rely on. Have a nasty problem you just can't seem to work your way through? Rhearth is more than willing to lend an ear, welcoming others to her peaceful mountains as she'll add in fallen trees or twisting turning streams or lost hikers or whatever other icons she can think of to illustrate what the problem at hand might be as you think through it, together.
Speaking of together, for you and some of your other nearest and dearest, Rhearth has a special little mountain hideaway, a relic time may have forgotten but she certainly hasn't. Carved clean into the mountain side by ancient hands is a tiny hold. Who knew that sheer stone could be so cozy? But then, you have the mountain to protect you and Rhearth's provided plenty of glow baskets and finely woven blankets and excellently embroidered pillows to make this place feel more homey. This is her secret retreat, a sanctum few might ever see, but you are always, always welcome.
Even the most calm and steady dragon may lose their temper, and Rhearth is no exception to that. It'll be rare, and she does her best to try and maintain her composure, but occasionally a storm cloud will roll over her regal mountains. Sometimes the ominous clouds will roll out as quickly as they appeared, but other times those clouds bring on a sudden deluge, the full fury of mother nature threatening to wash away anything caught in the storm.
Physicality
Rhearth is tall of shoulder and long of body, but she’s slender in build and - far more importantly - elegant in her posture and graceful in her motions. She sees her size as an advantage, not a flaw, and she’ll encourage you to see it the same way. Your height - like hers - is a good thing because, « It gives you presence. »
Besides - trying to slouch around only serves to draw attention to your height - and your discomfiture about it. Far better, if you don’t want people to notice it, to let it simply slide past while focusing on those things you can change for the better. Rhearth will seek to hone her natural grace to perfection, using smooth, powerful motions that make her look like a ballroom dancer or a ship in sail.
She’s not quite perfect at it, admittedly. Most of her body will oblige her desires, but at times it may seem that the tip of her tail has a mind all its own that it expresses through twitches and contortions through the air. Still, even these motions have a grace to them, like the elegant spiralings of calligraphy or needlework traced out to beautify the world.
Rhearth prefers for things around her to be beautiful, and she does her best to help make them so, but she understands that sometimes things get messy or otherwise unpleasant, and she’s not afraid to get her paws dirty when that’s the appropriate thing to do. Dragons were bred to be working creatures, after all, and while the Thread that summoned them to the skies is a thing of the past, there’s still work to be done. If she’s asked to haul supplies, or fly patrols, or help clear mud, she won’t shirk or complain… though she will be quite grateful for a chance to bathe when those duties are done!
When it’s possible to minimize mess without interfering with other purposes, she’ll certainly do so. You’ll notice that she tends to eat slowly, sitting at her carcass with good posture and taking small, delicate bites to minimize the amount of blood and mess. She’s not fussy, exactly - while she’ll try to pick quality beasts if she’s given the option, she’ll eat whatever’s available without complaint - but she’s distinctly refined in the manner in which she eats… unless, of course, the circumstances are such that haste is more appropriate than taking time to savor her meal.
Flights
Most situations are external, but not all. As a green dragon, Rhearth partakes of the natural cycle of proddiness and flights, and this too is - for her - a circumstance to which she seeks to act suitably.
As is fitting for a natural cycle of fertility, she’ll most often begin to glow in spring and summer. While - as a green - she’ll never actually raise a clutch, her instincts are still more sensitive than most to those seasonal variations, and the temperatures and amount of daylight seem to contribute to the stirring of hormones and passion inside her.
When her time comes, it’s sudden and unmistakable. You may find yourself woken as if by the crash of thunder from a summer storm, only to see her hide glowing as brilliantly as if illuminated by that lightning. Her arousal will be just as unmistakeable to the male dragons around, and Rhearth will make no attempt to hide it.
She’ll accept most suitors gladly, though she’ll be careful not to lead any of them on or make promises. Claims of prowess are likely to be met with a cheerful but noncommittal, « Well, we’ll just have to see! » or some deflection.
Proddy or otherwise, she still cares deeply about her friends and those around her, so while she may become flirtatious, she’ll still seek to be kind and respect the dragons attracted by her shine… and your feelings, as her rider and the center of her heart. She can’t stop the emotions and arousal that surges through her - or prevent it from being passed along to and shared with you - but she will do her best to make your shared experience a joyful one.
Rhearth is unlikely to remain proddy for long; the passions of her natural cycle are strong, and so they’ll rise swiftly to their crescendo.
When she takes to the skies, she’ll revel in the feeling of it, tending to rise swiftly and seek height - both to challenge her chasers, and to grant her a vantage from which to survey them. They’re all worthy, in their ways, but it is an undeniable if perhaps uncomfortable truth that there are some she favors more than others. Her personal preferences tend toward the highest flyers, those with powerful wings and the stamina to match her… but she’ll also be influenced by the knowledge of personalities, seeking to navigate the social currents and avoid uncomfortable situations for herself and you.
Inspiration
Hello, Z'ora and welcome to Xanadu's 2021 Weyrlinghood!
First up, with a summer clutch, our eggs were based on all things Summery and Beachy and IT'S GONNA BE A PARTY EGG was based on fireworks - because who doesn't like colorful explosions to end the perfect beach day? Risali certainly approves, because she wrote the egg!
Rhearth's name was a blending of a few things. First, Ourea, the Greek's primordial deities of the mountains. Then we also looked at Rhea, the mother of the gods. Your green may not be a biological mother to any offspring, but she'll certainly lend a maternal shoulder to any that need it. She’ll offer a warm and welcoming hearth for her friends… and be, all in all, a creature who lives in tune with the earth (or, well, Pern.)
For your dragon, you mentioned being inspired by the Rockies and wanting a happy, nurturing dragon that has a solemn dignity so we decided to combine them both! Her description and mindvoice are heavily inspired by the Rocky Mountains National Park and for her personality, we pulled in Lucy Evelyn Peabody, the Mother of Mesa Verde National Park (which is also technically in the Rockies if on the more southern edge). She earned that title by leading the Colorado Cliff Dwelling Association for nearly a decade to get the Park established and afterwards, their motto was "feminine leadership has accomplished it." And of course, a fine upstanding lady of the late 19th century like Ms. Peabody would have known all the necessary etiquette of the time so we turned to The Ladies' Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness by Florence Hartley for some additional inspiration.
With that said, Rhearth is now yours to play as you see fit! We hope you enjoy playing her as much as we enjoyed writing her! Thanks for choosing Xanadu and congratulations from all of us on Search Co!
Credits
| Name | Rhearth |
| Dam | Inasyth |
| Sire | Garouth |
| Created By | D'lei and Rhodelia |
| Impressee | Z'ora |
| Hatched | Friday August 13, 2021 |
| Xanadu Weyr | |
| PernWorld MUSH |