Euphoria Zwitterion

Name: Euphoria Zwitterion (ew FOUR ee ah zwi TER ee on, euphoria is a state of bliss and delight, the last name being the spliced family moniker, will inherit or be modified based on partner, and is also carried in the Knockoffs)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 11'4" s/l/ws
Build: long and slinky
Physical Features: Hathian-Whorling, with four legs the front two having wing struts, long sharp claws, very long bare tail, long angular face with eye armor blending into neck fins, a fluffy mane, shoulder armor with similar fins; their mane can stand up if needed
Colors: body soft white with chrome belly and facial markings; chrome wingsails and fins; pale grey mane; high black shiny armor; pale grey shiny claws; faceted violet eyes
Stats: Strength 1, Speed 3, Endurance 4, Agility 5, Health 5, Intelligence 6
Abilities: 6 sleep breath, sonic emulation, electrical portal; 5 telepathy, nexus teleport, acid breath; 4 local teleport, computer control; other powers at lesser value are present but not as useful (mind stun at 2), shifting - none is carried and none can pass to offspring
Parents: Evocation Zone + Errick
Bond: Avari, Voluntary Bond (multibond? very welcome!)
Meeting Notes: Early in the evening Avari and her brother had flown around the tall ceilinged ballroom, joined by several others with such features, in a happy aerial dance. For some reason she felt it safe enough to do her own thing, to let her brother do his without fretting. There were some scary dragons present, but there were dozens more nicer ones, and even the pointy dragons seemed... happy? Well, satisfied at least, so they didn't seem like they were about to hurt anyone.

At one point, around three hours to midnight, it looked as though Necian was ... he was finding a dragon friend? Avari was so excited for him! And a little... sad? But with his own excited moment down there on the ballroom floor, she knew that he would always be safer even if her eyes weren't watching out for him.

Less than an hour to midnight, however, Avari heard something odd. It was coming from one of the smaller side rooms, one she hadn't visited yet. She'd been through the casino and shuffled out of there right quick, probably because she was young, and not because she had accidentally blurted out someone's bluff hand at a card table... The weird noises involved high-pitched chittering, what sounded like laughing or even a little cheering, and then breaking glass.

Was someone causing mischief? It wasn't the kitchen or coat room, it was... Well, an oddly long room with dim underlit walls, and what looked like a target dummy on the far side. There were pieces of bottles scattered around the ground, and a few of them still intact sitting on the humanoid dummy's shoulders and head. No one batted an eye when she came through the arched doorway (it was a portal? it definitely was not a door and was not obviously-open to the rest of the ballroom area) so she made her way over to where most people were clumped up.

There were half a dozen humanoids in the room, but also at least two dragons - a long and sharp looking slate-colored one, and a black and grey bipedal one with a tall bright-yellow crest - and everyone was encouraging a dark-skinned human girl to 'do it again!' What was 'it' they wanted?

'It' turned out to be using some kind of power to push the air in front of her, and she was attempting to knock over the bottles on the other end of the room. The chittering, it turned out, was coming from both dragons, and... a third, that showed up slick like a flash of light.

That one stood close to Avari, wrapping its tail around her leg so casually. It... she gave off a chattery sound almost like a cat watching birds, and the bipedal black dragon chuckled back with his own strange voice.

I bet she can do it this time, the dragoness beside her thought, very clearly, to Avari. And I bet you could do it too!

"Wait, do... do that? Well I can yell but it's not... really safe." Avari shrunk a little when the odd man that was clearly attached to that bipedal dragon glanced at her with his weird eye and... other not-organic eye.

"Usually we don't encourage people or dragons to blast at things from inside the facility," he said, his voice was eerie too, laced with static. "But this isn't exactly 'the facility', is it?" He laughed and others joined him. The girl gave a broad, gap-toothed smile and pointed toward her work. The bottle on the shoulder was teetering but hadn't yet fallen.

"Oh I bet they're right," she said, "oh and ain't you pretty," she said, looking between both the harpy and the... her dragon that nudged Avari up to the low barrier they all declared was the 'safe' zone. "It's all right, they got magic or somethin' protecting the walls. And us," she pointed at her own ears. "Mars was in here earlier and her go-booms packed a whallop!" The others laughed, Avari didn't know who they were talking about but if it was safe for 'go-booms' then maybe...

Between Avari's shout, and the dragon's encouraging sonic waves, all three of the remaining bottles popped like balloons before falling to the floor! The dragon finally introduced herself as Euphoria, wasn't that the truth!

Name: Ogdweth (OGG dweth, -TH ended names appear in about half the clutch with word/sound names on the rest, depending on their genetic disposition, and if bred with non-Pernese this will continue to be a trend)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 9' s/l/ws (Queen sized for this clutch, smaller than some true Pernese)
Build: dramatically strong
Physical Features: Pernese/Pyrrhan, four legs, two wings, all with claws; strong neck; spaded tail with double row of spine/nubs; hide with scaled armor (spliced features carry as-is to any Pernese, may lapse to scaled with similar pair); face sharp with back-pointing horns, external ears, spike crest; eyes may be faceted or pupiled
Colors: Main body medium grey, with belly in marbled soft white and high black; armor marbled white and light grey; wingsails marbled medium grey and soft white; spikes grey shiny ended in black, horns black, claws light; pupiled green eyes
Stats: Strength 5, Speed 5, Endurance 2, Agility 2, Health 6, Intelligence 2
Abilities: 5 stealth, unassisted firebreath (able to produce fire and not be rendered infertile); 4 verbal speech, long life; 3 teleport all; 2 telepathy
Parents: Amrith + 50 Shades of Grey
Bond: Charron, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: Three hours until midnight, and Charron was getting antsy. She had been patient, she'd been enjoying herself a bit... But this party was actually a touch more mature-audience than she expected. And keeping the other kids either occupied or out of trouble was getting difficult. Early on, she and Luke, Crev, Constance and Corby went off to the dance floor, picked at the buffet, snuck in a couple glasses of wine. But they were all in awe of the place, more often than not looking up and around with wide eyes.

The venue was so big, she needed to occasionally float herself up to the rafters to make sure she could keep an eye on everyone. There were a couple others up here too, not of her group. Maybe they were here to get out of the fray, or to do what she was doing: scouting out and planning.

The dancing had been what prompted her to head up here, she was... a little too tempted to start using her weaponry skills in a dance-off with another similarly practiced attendee. Not in a dangerous fashion, but still, she could tell that sparring with that two-tailed feline man would probably end badly for those around them. Charron warned another of her group to stay clear of him, and realized that three others were wandering around to the Casino entry. She'd have to be careful about barking orders here. But...

I can help you with that, a voice appeared in her mind. It seemed slightly distant, but then that might have been because she was all the way across the dance floor from where Charron roosted. And, nearly invisible against the marble floor. A grey shadow, bright white wings matching the floor better than her mottled belly. She was still a hatchling, young and small, but like many that had come out of their chambers tonight she held herself as though she'd been trained up a little.

I would appreciate that, Charron replied in kind. Only one of us has found their dragon friends tonight so far. Well... She gave a little grin, two now.

I am Ogdweth.

The pleasure is mine, Charron bespoke, as the dragonet guided two more of those orphans under her care back toward the ballroom - where they were to discover their own draconic bonds.

Name: Deemth'Alkar (DEEM th AWL kar, naming convention thanks to dad's side of things since mother is basically Pernese the first name is -TH ended, if bred to another with a last name, modify it accordingly or use Alkar)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 5'1" s/l/ws
Build: sleek, catlike
Physical Features: Pernese mutt with highly cat-like qualities, including four legs and 2 wings all with sharp large claws, wing wrist has two claws; split-ended tail; head has external ears, and long back-pointing horns; offspring are split with either faceted or pupiled eyes
Colors: Body heavily reflective high white; wingsails transparent shiny gel mist; horns and claws shiny bright light; eyes faceted red-violet
Stats: Strength 3, Speed 5, Endurance 4, Agility 4, Health 1, Intelligence 3
Abilities: 6 speed boost; 5 blood magic (strong empathy, life sense, communicate with family, emotion control lesser-int), plane shift travel, verbal speech; 4 local and nexus teleport, telepathy; 3 unassisted firebreath and fire manipulation
Parents: Kelirith + Baniar'Alkar
Bond: Constance, Impressed
Meeting Notes: It was three hours until midnight, and Constance wondered what state everyone would be in by then. A lot of the grownups at the event (that is: pretty much everyone but the orphan group) were drinking and dancing, gambling in the little casino and making fools of themselves on the karaoke stage there. All in all, the spirits were high - sometimes really high, sometimes actual spirits. There were a few people grumpy or lurking around the edges of the venue, and there were some stern glares coming from one or another at dragons or people in specific. It was a messy wash of emotions, but at least it wasn't an angry crowd, or a lusty, raunchy dance party, or even a frightening mob rush. Constance liked it, but was still glad that there were rooms or at least balcony spots that were a little isolated from the rest. It gave her time to clear her head.

Something kept nagging at her. It was obvious that Voivode definitely wanted to see his group of subjects and guards come away from this event with dragons, and that pulled her gut into a knot. What if it wasn't the right time? She was getting the distinct feeling that those dragons were... much more permanent than she considered to be proper for someone in her position. She'd more or less thought of them as 'mounts', trained for battle or duties. These down there? They were so much more than that.

A wave of doubt pushed through her. What if... what if she wasn't good enough for a dragon? Or - wait, where had that thought even come from? Voivode had chosen her with the others, there were certainly more than just their group among his subjects that could have been brought - strong and tough guardsmen, wily mages, hunters and scouts. She was... what?

She was what? Hungry, maybe. She was hungry, that was it, she needed to get some food in her and that would help settle her mind. Her ears were back, all on their own they'd seemingly decided that something was amiss and perhaps it was her one 'tell', anyone who knew her could see she was antsy.

Definitely hungry. Slipping back down to the buffet table, she selected a small salad but then piled the rest of the plate with cuts of meat and fish. Perhaps uncharacteristically much meat. Sure, they were canine-morphs, but she and her brother (where had he gone off to at the start of the night? he returned smelling a little weird and holding his arm a bit gingerly) ate normal foods like normal people. They didn't scarf down buckets of raw meat.

It sure sounded good.

What was wrong with her?

If you do not want me to be around, I... don't know what I will do. I do need you. Not someone else. I am hungry. I am worried you will refuse me and we do not do well without our One.

Where had that voice come from - oh, oh no, what was happening?

The knot in her stomach did not go away with half a mouth full of roast beef; her heart began to race. It was not the very first time she'd panicked, but it was not the right time now, to show it.

You see - that is why I want you - you are confident and aware and... and brave, you are my One. The voice was absolutely desparate now. She abruptly jumped from the table and ran, any direction - anywhere. But that haunting, almost shameful sense was following her still. She ran into the kitchen, having rushed past surprised looking dancers and dining groups.

She smacked directly into a wall of meat. Not ... not meat meat - rather a man who was quite tall and broad, handsome human features and a startled look on his turquoise eyes. He ground his stubbled jaw a bit, and then seemed to glance, unfocused, at something that no one else could see. Then, Wilson Carver put his hand gently but firmly on Constance's shoulder, and guided her to a door nearby. The door hadn't been there a moment before. He didn't say a word, was she in trouble here too?

The room beyond the pale wood colored door turned out to be somewhat of a private place with blond wood framing tall windows, though not nearly as big as the ballroom's. Two smaller windows looked somehow back into the dance floor beyond, but three more, those nearer what looked like a small dining room, opened on to... a snowy landscape at night? How? This place was deeply under the sea, wasn't it? This room had pleasant white leather furnishings and a stone hearth that was artistic and warm. It smelled of chicken soup here.

Wilson handed her a wooden bowl and spoon, with that same soup, and held her attention very firmly when he said, "you cannot run from it." She sniffled and stuffed the soup into her face like it was the first food she'd had all night - and it was far from that. "Plus," his voice was deep, but now had turned from stern to soft, "why would you want to?"

Through teary blurred eyes, she looked at his own, which seemed to glow a little, he was looking to her right. The seat was large, a comfortable couch in front of a glass table and that nice warm fire. She noticed her tail was curled under her leg, how completely appropriate, how totally scared she was. She didn't want to pry her eyes off of his face, but finally, she did.

It - he - had followed them, apparently, into this ... house? Where even was this? And the dragonet was now sitting beside her, barely - barely visible against the white leather. So shiny, it was almost like wet paint, or bright crystal.

Wilson said, quietly, "it's a lot to take in, isn't it? People have been impressing or bonding or wandering around with a pack of dragons all night, but when it's yours, it's ... something else." He nodded toward the kitchen, where a dark and broad dragon face with blood-red markings peered out, blinked once, and vanished again.

You don't need to be afraid of losing independence, because of me, the white dragonet bespoke again, there was less desperation in it than before, though. Maybe it was the chicken soup. Or maybe, it was her.

Constance put the bowl down (well, she tried putting it down and Wilson took it from mid air before it dropped on the plush white carpet below) and stared at her lap, and then her right hand found its way to the dragon's paw. This wouldn't be a big dragon, but wow those claws sure were sharp already, and Wilson probably would wince at them poking through his sofa's cushion.

(She didn't notice the claw marks already there, from a variety of small paws...)

"I... feel better now," Constance said, exhaling slowly. "Maybe it was the party, there was so much going on and it-"

"It overwhelmed your senses, I know, trust me. My family is... rather strongly empathic." Wilson's smirk said volumes.

She turned to the dragonet, who was absolutely breathtakingly pretty. "We ... don't have to mention this to him, right?" She hoped he understood she meant her Lord. "We... we're okay. I'm okay. I'm so, so sorry."

The dragonet nuzzled against her, happy, but - still hungry, my One. I am Deemth'Alkar, I will do my best for you.

They did eventually make their way back to the party, where she proudly showed off this dragon - and realized that one of his clutch siblings and one of their knockoff-breeds had found partners here among her group... Including... Voivode himself?!

Name: Cham Turun (CHAM too roon, Turun namesake will inherit in offspring or be modified by partner's naming convention accordingly)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 5'3" s/l/ws
Build: slender, long
Physical Features: Tattoo/Kijana mutt, four legs, two wings with feathers and membranes, head has small horns and external ears, pupiled eyes, lots of sparkly floof, paw pads and claw feet, long tail with feathers, orb with magic; requirement of being tattooed (or... temporary tattooed)
Colors: body shiny flat black; wing membranes pearly high white, wing leading edge pearly mist white, wing main feathers iridescent high black, wing primary feathers pearlescent high white; floof iridescent silver; claws light, pawpads grey, orb soft white, eyes yellow
Stats: Strength 1, Speed 3, Endurance 5, Agility 4, Health 5, Intelligence 6
Abilities: 6 light breath weapon (laser accurate), sense magic; 5 constuct permanent paradise (others may enter); 4 spell casting, divination, planeshift; 2 paradise (to return to for healing purposes only), telepathy; 1 verbal speech
Parents: Sta Turun + Shiyo
Bond: Corby, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: Even if he could have held back earlier in the evening, Corby's friends decided he was in it to the hilt with them. Fine, so be it... He got dragged over to the dance floor (and he danced, of course!) and over to the buffet table, where...

He didn't actually make it to the buffet table. Though his typical behavior would have been to linger near enough to watch out for anything happening, either to his sister Constance or to those he cared for, tonight... well, it was different. Somewhat early in the evening, not even five hours until midnight, after that initial burst of activity, Corby thought he saw something and headed toward it. Uncharacteristically for him, he decided to let others take care of things at their table.

A murky looking hallway, half-hidden by banners of bright checkerboard material? Well didn't that look interesting? His paws made no sound on the marble floor, not even when that flooring seemed to turn to stone, or maybe was it concrete? He couldn't tell, and didn't really feel like staring at the floor because what was ahead was much more intriguing. A doorway, brightly lit but hazy. Not with smoke exactly but it smelled faintly of incense and bactine. The walls in this smallish room seemed to vanish up somewhere twice his height, into a hazy ceiling that simply bled magic power. So, this was a 'room' he thought, like in a dream, entering some place that clearly didn't match with its description but you had to go with it anyway?

Because he was focused on the single barbers-chair in the middle of the room, he didn't notice when the doorway vanished and smoothed over, becoming like the rest of the pale walls. Corby sat into the chair, wiggled his butt around a little because it wasn't particularly designed for someone with a tail. But eventually he got comfortable. Why? Why was he even indulging this? In his wriggling, he noticed that his cloak and jacket had come loose, so he went ahead and pulled them off, piling them onto his lap. Whatever was going to happen next, he could always just get up and leave.

Right?

The chair seemed to weight itself and shifted a bit, and from the walls and nebulous ceiling came items, objects, magic. He knew it was magic, just not exactly what. A long set of elegant looking needles seemed to be held aloft, a pair of them - one tipped in dripping white ink, the other in black - approached his right arm. And instead of worrying about this, Corby leaned back his head, against the cushioned head rest, and drew in long breaths.

The needles were paired with a strange sound, a mechanical humming, ticking that almost sounded like crocheting, and a deep distant chant. He didn't look at the needles as they pierced his velvet-covered skin, he didn't need to: they were bright in his vision somehow, again like a dream. Was this what it was like to finally have a grip on magic? He saw it clear as day, in fact clear as night - movement of the needles as well as what might have been 'arms' produced by ... what, the room itself? Maybe?

He was in here getting a tattoo? What would Constance say? What would the others do? Think he was cool (-er than he already was)? or think he was a fool? (He'd seen some bad tattoos, oh yes... but he had the distinct feeling this was not going to be one of those messy, poorly healed things he had seen on sailors or bar patrons.)

On looking at his arm, he saw that even the black was visible against his own dark skin and fur. It looked like... a chess Knight's shape? Mostly black but outlined in brilliant white, with flourishes here and there, and a single brightly white dot over its head. Well, this was the 'Checkerboard ball', maybe everyone would get a tattoo tonight to remember the place and event!

He didn't know how long it took. It felt like an hour or so, but when he became aware of the needles retreating, and the doorway to the murky hall beyond 'open' again (he did see that) it seemed like he had spent hardly any time away from the group. Corby replaced the jacket and cloak, though eventually he would leave the cloak on his chair at their table - it was warm, he had dancing to do even if his arm was a little achy!

**

Nearly by the midnight's bell, something strange began to pick at Corby's mind and body. His right arm itched, it had done over the course of the evening; a little more so when he did go back on the dance floor to cut it up with a few strangers after Constance brought that gorgeous white dragon back to the table.

There had been magical presences around all night. Demons, angels, wizards and sorcerers - some of whom did spells to make others delighted, over in the casino's smaller stage for close up performances. All of that tore at Corby's resolve: would he ever be able to do even that much magic that he could entertain a bunch of drunks at a party?

Of course you will, a voice echoed in his mind. It was strong, sure, happy. I can help you do it. Or you could tell me what you want, and I can do it for you!

Corby tiredly looked around, and finally took his jacket fully off, putting it over the chair. He had risen, ostensibly for the countdown in a few minutes, and to raise a glass of champagne with everyone else. His arm tingled, it didn't hurt at all but it felt so very strange, like something was trying to poke its way out.

When that thing did poke its way out, it was ... the same shape as the tattoo - a horse-like head, only with elegant horns (wait. Wait, no the tattoo actually did have those horns! Or maybe it did now?) and a generous amount of brightly sparkling rainbow-oil floof around his jaw. There was a dragon, not really big but it looked about as grown as Corby himself, a 'teenager'. Long long tail, brightly tipped white shiny wings? So that tattoo was absolutely connected to this dragon!

"Of course it is, it's me!" The dragon said, with a little difficulty, maybe the shape of his face made it hard to say human words. He went back to mental speech momentarily, as the countdown had started in earnest. I am Cham Turun. You have given me a home, and I can give you a place to learn magic too, once I get the right ideas for what it should look like!

For the moment though, instead of asking for clarification or commenting on how one might 'decorate' a place that could only be reached with this dragon's power, Corby shouted in time with the others, "Three! Two! One!" as Cham lifted his head and opened that mouth to create what looked like a pillar of light just exactly as the bell sounded midnight!

Name: Ginaaeth (gih NAY eth, -TH ending for Pernese/mutt parentage)
Gender: Male(+preference as desired)
Size: 10' s/l/ws
Build: lean and very long
Physical Features: Pernese-Alskyran/Danachian/Eienic Mutt, four legs and two wings, feet have apparently retractable claws, wings have large wrist thumbs with thick claws; angular head with knobs having very long and sharp horns, faceted eyes, and a jagged tall crest, echoed on the spade of very long slender tail
Colors: body high black with cloud edged high white point markings on face, limbs including wing fingers, and tail tip; wings transparent pale grey; crest and tail spade mixed soft white, silver, high black; horns and claws silver; eyes pale violet faceted (note that calico body markings are reserved exclusively for females, this trait will carry in descendants if plenty of markings are genetically available)
Stats: Strength 4, Speed 5, Endurance 5, Agility 3, Health 6, Intelligence 2
Abilities: 6 Telepathy, Lifespan; 5 unassisted firebreath, void teleport, void sense; 4 Shape Shift**; 3 verbal speech, telekinetics, local teleport; 1 spellcasting (unable to perform spells at this level) ** Note that though this dragon has a fairly good bit of shifting ability they cannot fully transform, this ability may come in the form of coloration changes, minor adaptation on hide, or even self-healing if they require it (their wing sails after all are quite thin, may rip, so shape them back with concentration?) how you use this is up to you, though they will pass along shifting and require magic assistance to learn how to use it
Parents: Calietosth + Dairruinth
Bond: Crevanshri, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: The clock was ticking down to midnight, it was barely going to hit two hours to midnight when a set of fancifully marked dragons walked out. They were tall, long, slender, elegant. If you didn't count how hilariously floppy the little hatchlings were as they attempted to get one foot in front of the other. At least people on the dance floor knew to move away and give them room, not crowd them. Crevanshri had heard stories of hatchings where groups of people would press so much that the dragonets would lash out.

That would be appropriate, too, he thought. Because he certainly wouldn't want to be a freshly-hatched pup and have all those scary faces right up in his business. He liked his friends, but it had taken a few years to really get rolling with the group. The fox morph munched on a cut of fish packed over a ball of rice, he liked it, it was very tasty. Plus the luxury of not needing to eat it, but wanting to, he'd recognized the style of sushi and other finger foods easily, but he still remembered the days of scarfing down whatever he could lay his paws on.

He couldn't help but notice that there was a very sneaky looking little dragon snaking around the table legs at the edges of the dance floor. Occasionally moving his long tail over the cloth and knocking over a dish, sniffing at the results as they landed on the floor.

"Pfff, that's no way to hunt," Crevanshri muttered. And at that, the dark dragon vanished in a puff of void-energy.

Reappearing just above him, in mid-air, the dragon then pounced on the fox, Is this better? He asked, mental voice full of amusement, because he'd gotten that other piece of salmon gobbled down so quick Crev didn't have half a moment to keep it away from that mouth. The dragon had pale markings on his face and feet, just as sharply shiny as the dark body. Everything about this dragon was shiny! Apparently he caught that thought too, because he began to preen.

"It's an improvement," Crevanshri said, half a grin on his muzzle, "we'll be great at hunting, huh?"

I like that idea! I smell the good stuff in the corner though, can we get some of that?

The meat set out for the hatchlings was a popular spot, and Crevanshri suggested they get in and get out without anyone seeing them, as a challenge.

Name: Swifaumath (swi FOW math, traditional -TH ending for Pernese dragons)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 6'11" s/l/ws
Build: sturdy, strong limbed
Physical Features: Pernese with embellishments, four legs and two wings all with short sharp claws; long muscular tail with spade; dished head with knobs having short horns, faceted eyes, and a tall segmented crest
Colors: body gemtone high black; wings transparent gemstone flat black; crest and tail spade graphite with high white markings; faceted red-violet eyes, claws and horns light
Stats: Strength 4, Speed 6, Endurance 2, Agility 1, Health 5, Intelligence 2
Abilities: 5 flitter control, time and nexus teleport; 4 emotion control, local teleport, verbal speech; 3 unassisted firebreath, telekinesis, telepathy
Parents: Laeurath + Juth
Bond: Dustin, Impressed
Meeting Notes: Dustin was tired, and probably regretted having zipped around the ballroom's expansive airspace earlier. His wings were still maturing, after all. He was still maturing, and though he was young in years, he was growing bigger than most of his friends. Among the youngest of the group - and certainly among the youngest attending the ball - the centaur boy sat on his rump near the big table that several of his group took up.

Others still flew overhead, joined by plenty of people with wings from distant worlds. Some of attendees around them had magic, he could tell; others were very physical indeed and seemed slightly out of place without bristling weapons or shields on their backs. Dustin had the desire to dance, but ... with his hooves? With his size? There would probably be some bruised toes out there.

Around three hours to midnight, however, the dancing started to thin and separate so that a pair of dragon clutches could be displayed. So many of them! Wow that - that was a lot of dragons! Dustin stood up, nestling his wings against his body, and peered out at the bunch of white, silver, grey...

"Woo," he whistled quietly, "that one. Is super black." Around one of the bigger hatchlings, there were also a host of tiny, probably fresh-hatched flitters of a variety of types, they continually landed on the shiny black's neck and head, shoulders, and wing arms. The dragon didn't shoo them away.

It looked so familiar to Dustin, even others at the table muttered about how many little things would fly around him. Dustin rose, brushed his shirt free of the 'fortune cookie' crumbles that had landed on it (the fortune was a little specific, 'you will travel to many exotic places in your life' - but he couldn't say whether this place counted as 'many'?) and headed over to the edge of the dance floor. Even if he wasn't going to be doing a two-part two-step with anyone soon, this black dragon just... Just captured his full attention!

We can raise these things together, and more of them, the dragonet's mind was as sleek and shiny and dark as his hide! I am Swifaumath, you are my One, Dustin. We'll fly strong, we'll learn from one another.

It felt like the first time he'd flown - like when he dove from a high cliff edge over dangerous choppy waters, there for the winds to help him stay aloft. Maybe... maybe he'd return with Swifaumath when he was big enough to fly!

Name: Ologesu (oh low GUESS oo, though donor parentage is pure Pernese so a -TH ending would be common to promoted Pawns)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 3'2" s/l/ws
Build: burly
Physical Features: Pernese, four legs, two wings, all with claws; head knobs and soft short neck ridge, tail spade, faceted eyes on some, pupils on others
Colors: White Pawn 7, light grey body, bright checkerboard wings and ridge/tail spade, light claws, blue faceted eyes
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence average 2 in each, with one 5 and one 1 your choice
Abilities: modest but varied, max 5 power level for teleportation, 2 otherwise for nexus senses and communication, telepathy, and unassisted firebreath
Parents: donor clutch Gertith + Surrith
Bond: Flutura, Impressed Multibond
Meeting Notes: They had been shuffled around during the party - Voivode and the other adults had things to do, people to talk with, drinks and dancing to be had. Some of the kids moved off to the buffet table and punch bowls (and were pointed to another table because that punch was definitely not for them). Valencia wasn't much more help, she wanted to hawkishly spot 'her' dragon and probably plot trouble. There were servers and helpers getting food and drink to those big tables and groups, and Flutura wondered what kind of tea or coffee or... juices or whatever else they had available.

Fluttering up to the arched ceiling rafters, Flutura dangled their legs off the elegant metal strut and swayed a little. They sighed, it was so early in the night, the big clock said 4 hours until midnight, and they were already at a bit of a loss of what they could be doing.

You could come with us, they felt a mind brush up against theirs, and glanced around to see where it had come from. Well it wasn't easily obvious, because there were a dozen or more dragonets on the dance floor bumbling and bouncing around trying to avoid getting stepped on. They needed to get a closer look, now.

Flying down they tried to home in on wherever that mind had come from. There were a few people who gave stern looks - a child, here? Well yes. And they were about to give one of those grumpy adults a piece of their mind when a pair of dragons cornered them. They were quite different looking, bright and dark bodied, contrasting wings, but Flutura did start seeing their different traits beyond just colors.

It was us, I am Neijoerschdagth, this is Ologesu.

"Bless you," they said on hearing the name, and giggled - suddenly hoping that the dragons wouldn't be offended by their action. It didn't look like the dragon was bothered at all. The white one had a long neck and elegant slender wings, which she folded over her smaller companion. That littler one wouldn't be very big at all, neither of them would, but it would be ... "Both of you are lovely! And small enough to ride!"

They caught a memory from Flutura, of a massive steed and bouncing around on its huge back. Ologesu nudged its head out from under their companion's wing and gave a snorting, draconic laugh.

Name: Ginu'nye (DJEE new nye father's naming convention indicates location or clan, in this case 'nye for New Year's Eve/nt; further generations should follow local tradition or family name for this addition; note also that ^markings indicate strength of magic or inherent abilities, following father's line, not all in this clutch are strong enough in those powers to show on their markings)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 13'6" s/l/ws
Build: muscular
Physical Features: Pyrrhan/Myrsilk, remarkably long, four legs, two wings with very large ice-cutting claws on all; long head with external ears, sharp back-pointing horns, cheek horns, and paired curved neck spines, end of long skinny tail also has sharp spines; pupiled eyes; scaled hide (found in only some of this clutch), armor, will breed similarly to other types accordingly
Colors: Body flat black; wingsails gradient graphite to high black (reversed under wing) with brilliant large silver star patterns that move; spikes and claws shiny high white; eyes dark blue
Stats: Strength 5, Speed 3, Endurance 2, Agility 4, Health 5, Intelligence 6
Abilities: 6 local teleport, summoning (from void)^, localized prediction; 4 ice breath, verbal speech, flight speed; 3 ice manipulation, telepathy, extended prophecy, nexus teleport; 2 void portal, dark vision; 1 body language
Parents: Smirch + Nekeel
Bond: Jamiel, Voluntary Companionship
Meeting Notes: The dancing and celebration was definitely not for Jamiel. Well, celebrations did have their place. They didn't know what this one was really 'for', had there been a big battle? Jamiel supposed so, given how a few of the hosts looked. The food was good though, very good, in fact. The big man in the elegant suit who prepared it (apparently) seemed quite happy to see lots of people enjoying their meals. In fact Wilson made sure to do the rounds while the main meals were being served.

But he definitely had the look of someone whose job description had included 'pummeling the snot out of other people' at some point in his past. No one had that build and wasn't at the very least a bodyguard. Jamiel glanced back up at the dance floor when the music changed: it was usually when dragons were being brought out. The clock said two hours until midnight, but there had already been so many dragons... How many were there?

Three hundred eighty eight give or take, a voice came into Jamiel's mind; it was a pleasant one, sure and snappy.

"That... is a lot of dragons, isn't it? I mean, isn't it?" Jamiel said, apparently to no one in particular. But several people still nodded and cheered, agreeing with that statement because it could have been said at any time during this event.

Most of them are still here, it's a good thing that we're small when we're hatched... That mind again, and this time, Jamiel followed it to its source. a handsome jet-black dragon, all but those brilliant white nubs on his neck and head (and claws, and tail... wow) and that strangely glowing sparkle on his wings.

Jamiel flew down from his balcony vantage point, landing near this dark slightly-snarky dragon. Proudly that dragon returned the gaze.

"Giny'nye," he introduced himself. "You're going to have to show me around. When we get back."

"So it's 'we' is it?" The angelic youth said, head tilted.

"Of course it is. Wouldn't be speaking to you like this if it wasn't."

Jamiel gave a slow, broad, and increasingly pleased grin.

Name: Tigelem Moonshield (tig ELL em MOON shield, with the last name for the Pieces of this clutch, neither of the parents has a 'last name', but they liked the idea of adding one to their offspring)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 7'11" s/l/ws
Build: slinky, very long and lean
Physical Features: Drakkari / Dragonstake mutt, high bodied and long legs, four legs and two wings, with claws on legs only; conical face with small horn on nose, and fanned head fins, otherwise smooth until the tip of very long narrow tail in a small spade; hide that is very shiny, pupiled eyes
Colors: body solid pearl white; wingsails sparkly blue steel; fins and tail spade pearlescent shiny high-white; claws light, eyes orange
Stats: Strength 5, Speed 6, Endurance 3, Agility 5, Health 4, Intelligence 4
Abilities: 6 unassisted firebreath, share magic, telepathy; 5 moonlink (teleport when others with the ability are near), moon magic (reflection/dark magic); 4 local teleport; 3 empathy, verbal speech, nexus teleport; 2 freeze breath
Parents: Rakki + Sasazik
Bond: Luke, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: Maybe no one wanted the runt of the litter. Moody, annoyed, maybe grumpy and tired, it was nearly midnight and basically everyone else in their group had found a friend or companion. There were so dang many of them, too, what was even up with that? Did they just think he was too small? Was his tail too short? Or maybe he was trying too hard, others were still encouraging him to be happy and shine...

They just didn't get it. He let them have their moments, some of them feeding meat to their little dragonets, others taking a well-earned break from dancing. Luke slipped out from the table and began slowly walking around the edge of the ballroom, closer to the windows. What was this place, really? He had exceptional map making skills but this place absolutely defied his mind. You could see that the walls of the Rapture facility were not the same as the Stage, but it was still just ... so weird. Magic, that's what it was. He drew in a breath, let it out slow. He wasn't magic. He was just a dude with a lot more endurance and sense than others.

Where you can walk for hours, I can fly quick, we'll use a pincer move if enemies come calling.

Luke looked up from his pondering gaze, still sort-of looking out the big thick window and almost-seeing the green-grey depths of the ocean floor, but mainly seeing the reflection of himself in the glass. And.

And me?

"Yup, and you," Luke said, of the brilliantly white and icy-blue dragonet who stood behind him. The dragon would be much longer than they were tall just now, sleek, but for the moment they were still on the wobbly short end and apparently a touch tired. It was almost midnight, Luke looked down at this lovely fin-headed dragon and smiled.

"Tigelem is my name," the dragon said, voice slightly hissing, it was possible he'd never spoken before.

"Then I'll introduce you to the others," Luke proclaimed, like it was nothing special. It was special. But he reserved that thought for Tigelem.

Name: Yanankenar Dumani (yah NON keh nar doo MAN ee, 'the smoke's burning edge', Dumani is the family name for this clutch and will pass to offspring, is roughly Turkish; two part name may also have -TH ending since mother is Pernese)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 7'4" * s/l/ws
Build: high body, big wings
Physical Features: Pernese/Smoke, four legs and two wings, claws on feet only, long neck and tail, beak-like face, faceted eyes, smoke based webbing and crest/tail that may vanish entirely * Size and density change with power use
Colors: body gradient of light grey on head and wing arms, to oily black on legs and tail, marked from chin to tail and on belly in graphite framed with silver in billowing flame marks that move due to shadow walking ability; wingsails dark grey on backs, oil black undersides; crest is solid (no smoke) light grey, tail smoke is light grey; shiny silver claws; faceted violet eyes
Stats: Strength 4, Speed 4, Endurance 1, Agility 2, Health 6, Intelligence 4
Abilities: 6 shadow walk (teleport), density control*; 5 telepathy; 4 particulate control, local teleport; 3 vapor control; 2 assisted firebreath, nexus teleport; 1 verbal speech; *note that features will change physically based on density and he is extremely good at this, so he can mix and match - specifically by combining particulate control with this power he can 'gather dust' to be both massive AND have wingsails (see dragon info for typical size/density effects)
Parents: Dantinath + Dymati
Bond: Mitsu, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: Oh he was a tall, handsome one, wasn't he?

She'd been slightly distracted and hadn't noticed him before smacking into his elbow - it was bare, his outfit had no sleeves, and looked faintly similar to ones she remembered on ninjas from her childhood. On bumping him he jolted slightly, and turned to look with blood-red eyes, though they weren't harsh or judgmental, merely surprised. Mitsu hadn't guessed that the tan-skinned black-haired man was not merely a guest, since he was sneaking around the edges of the ballroom and people-watching, just like she was - three hours to midnight and she didn't feel like dancing or sneaking drinks.

Those eyes squinched up with a bit of mischief, she saw the briefest of smirks and his eyebrow flickered upwards. "That takes effort," he said, "see if you can catch up."

And then he vanished in mid-air, leaping upwards into the balcony areas above.

So people did know how to have fun here! Intrigued, how did he do that trick? She followed his last known spot and after a minute or two of this tracking and spotting she realized several things. One was that he was definitely better at hiding than she was, and two was that he was leading her somewhere and not just bouncing off the walls randomly. The third thing... she figured out when they came to a stop in a dim booth nook on the second floor balcony overlooking the ballroom below.

"Dymati wanted me to say that you pass the sneaky test," the man said, warm and proud.

Mitsu squinted, she knew that name somehow - oh. Oh. It was one of the dragons pictured in that pamphlet that was scattered on tables everywhere at this venue... it was... his?

His friend, that's my sire, and I am yours, your knight, an odd sound ... was it living shadow or smoke or a mind? It smelled like a dust-filled room or...

She shut out the memory of the house, it was useless to dwell on it.

You cannot change the past, but you can affect your future, the voice said again and she wondered whether the man was speaking to her mind? But he was now nowhere to be found - maybe he was just invisible (he was), or bored (he was not) and wandered away. You know I'm right here, the voice reminded her. And Mitsu finally realized that the booth held more than just her and the mysterious dragon rider. The curved and well padded ebony bench wrapped half way around an oval table, but as she watched the dark became a more subdued silver color, and the darkness... A dragon.

He rested with his head on the table, slightly beaked face looking a little tired, wings materializing into a still-moving sort of shape. He was out of breath, probably from all the antics. And if he'd hatched recently that would make sense, how can a little hatchling be so active?

"My... my knight?" She looked at the tapestries draped around the walls, oh yeah, the whole chess thing. "Wait, my knight?"

We will be able to get into places that no one else can reach.

Mitsu grinned widely at that thought.

Name: Muxyth (MUX eye th, traditional Pernese -TH ending will carry in offspring)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: (green) 7'4" s/l/ws
Build: muscular
Physical Features: Pernese, hide skin with possible iridescence resembling scaling, four legs and two wings with large claws on all, boxy head with knobs and a low neck ridge, fleshy ridge on rump and high tail, split ended tail, faceted eyes
Colors: body Soft Black with silver belly marking from chin to lower tail, with iridescent sparkle; wingsails grade from silver at body to graphite at edges; ridges high black with iridescence; claws light, eyes faceted yellow
Stats: Strength 4, Speed 2, Endurance 3, Agility 2, Health 6, Intelligence 2
Abilities: 6 unassisted firebreath (allows fertile flames); 5 time teleport; 4 telepathy, nexus teleport; 3 local teleport, telekinesis
Parents: Maranth + Minath
Bond: Necian, Impressed
Meeting Notes: He had danced with more than just Mitsu, in the early part of the evening. There were numerous people who thought he was quite interesting, and that simmered in the back of Necian's mind all night. If others could tell he was a bit antsy, a little annoyed, a lot pent up, the orphans didn't show it. Neither did his sister, and... maybe that bothered him more.

At one point, tired from the flight and dance routines that he managed with others, Necian roosted up in the highest balcony he could find, tucked into a hunched ball, and brooded. Maybe more than brooded.

He imagined flying up, up, up; even though the exterior of this venue was obviously under water it didn't seem to matter. It felt light, he wasn't drowning. His eyes were closed, but when he opened them they saw a fantastic array of colors and shapes... violet scattering across velvet dark, bright green sparkling against orange swirls. Well this was... colorful at least. Necian found that he was still flying, but more or less floating along without even needing to flap. Far below - as well as far above and to all sides, there were ragged, jagged hills and spires.

They were floating islands, he could tell because they were spaced by that odd colorful sky, all around him. He relaxed, there were few minds here, there was less pressing of emotions, he tended to get carried away.

A sharp and very loud screech, creeling into an echo, jolted him from this idyll. Above him, a massive creature slowly darkened that already black sky: like a manta ray, its big wing flaps slowly propelling it forward, though for a creature of that size it was still moving faster than he could attain at his best day racing. He hadn't noticed several smaller versions of this thing, because he was too busy gawking at the underbelly of the big one.

Suddenly, he felt himself being yanked as though a rope had been tied to his belly - in a flash of green tinged with orange, and he saw, since his eyes had been on it all that time, now at a distance... that a herd of those smaller ones dove into one another. They had been...

"Hunting you, yes," a voice came, human he could tell, but more than that he knew he was in trouble. But there was a pause, and when the man showed up in his vision, Necian recognized him as being one of the... one of the hosts of the Checkerboard Ball. "I'm not angry with you, son," Keenan said, "but worried? Yes. You nearly were lunch." The man drew in a long breath, "Ruun'den-ket is an opportunistic feeder."

Confused now, the harpy gathered his wits and adjusted his cravat-like tie. He had no idea why the human man smirked like that. "I don't understand, how do you know what that is? What are you doing here?" Necian had assumed that his daydream was his.

Keenan tilted his head and gave a slow blink, "my boy, I should ask what you are doing in my realm. This," he waved a hand, "is Xen. It shouldn't surprise me that someone would wind up here, from the Ball. It's directly connected, I suppose." He looked around once more, and then offered a welcoming gesture to walk with him. Necian noticed that the ground, while it looked firm, was ... squishy? A little weird. He heard more of those big creatures calling in the distance and no longer could tell how far away they were.

"Son, you seem troubled," Keenan said, "but tonight I suspect your worries and woes will be... whisked away."

And just like that, they were back in the ballroom, up on the nearby balcony. His crouch was different, Necian almost toppled into the orchestra pit below when he realized he was standing just like he'd been on that other world.

"Two hours until midnight," Lane said behind him, "what wonders might come to you there, on the floor." True, he spotted another bunch of dragons being escorted from their hatching area into the greater ball. One of them, dark with a lighter tone to their wingsails, their body glittering in a rainbow under the lights, sat down, exhausted.

But then she looked right up, all the way up to where Necian leaned on the balcony, her yellow eyes filling his vision.

Tired, hungry, can't fly yet. Help me?

With that mind in his, Necian dove to the floor and scooped up the dragonet once he got to his feet.

We will fly, far and wide. Can come home too, or where you were. Like those things. Floating rocks, they fly but I can't yet.

Necian chuckled, "Muxyth, we'll get you in the air first, I don't know if it's... all that safe to go back there!"

Name: Aenoan Sheva (ay NO ahn she VAH, a mixture of the parents names, as apparently is now tradition for the dad's line; if bred into more complicated naming, readopt mother's ' or any other changes)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 11'6" hip/l/ws bipedal
Build: muscular, sturdy
Physical Features: Azon/Halloween Mutt, bipedal though often can run on all fours, with four legs and two main wings, with large claws on all; small hip-wings (nonfunctional), split-ended tail with spikes and poison stingers; angular head with external ears, sharp back swept horns, webbed head and neck spines; pupiled eyes
*Colors: body high white marked on shoulders and rump with high black, with legs, arms, wing fingers having thin flame line markings in graphite, and tail flame line marks in smoke grey; wingsails unmarked graphite; spikes soft white with webbing in smoke marked with silver; horns and claws silvery grey; eyes pink-violet; Note that with chameleon coloration (which doesn't show up this early in her life unlike some others in the clutch) Aenoan's white and light colors can turn brilliant yellow, and any darker or black shades into a rich velvety blue, at will or during use of power of any kind
Stats: Strength 6, Speed 2, Endurance 2, Agility 5, Health 3, Intelligence 3
Abilities: 5 spirit magic, telepathy, verbal speech, poison stingers; 4 flight speed, chameleon coloration * to yellow and blue only, local teleport; 3 magic breath weapon (you choose effects, average strength); 2 nexus and void teleport; (infernal magic carried but not active due to spirit)
Parents: Sheng Stac'ver + Vassago Thain
Bond: Valencia, Voluntary Companionship
Meeting Notes: "Oh they are absolutely drama queens, aren't they?" Valencia said, of the dragons that were now being marched out. And they did march: on their hind feet! Well, for a bit. Obviously keeping that upright stance was a little tough for dragons who had clearly only just hatched. Admirable. Strong. Impressive.

I am glad you think so, a voice came into Valencia's mind, unbidden. Unexpected.

Not... not entirely unwelcome though. This one, she'd walked proudly as long as she could but that wasn't saying much. So it was on four feet, with her big dark-webbed wings up and her head held high, that she came up to Valencia. Others at the table gave them a bit of space, it looked like they'd need more when this dragoness was grown. No wonder they'd waited until an hour before midnight to come out.

Valencia looked at the parents of the clutch and decided that yes, in fact, this one would do very nicely indeed.

For what, I would ask, but I already know. The dragon's mind was tinged with a little tiny bit of trepidation. I know you have a ... history. But you came here for us, and I am here for you. She paused, and butted her head up against Valencia, who all but staggered from the force. I ... am here to keep you from harming that which wants to aid you.

Valencia almost refused to continue touching the dragon.

But also to have a little fun. You need to lighten up a bit, my dear. I will keep you safe from yourself as much as I'll keep others safe from you if I need to.

"That's a bold statement from a bold dragon," Valencia muttered.

I could do no less.

They all had 'ears to spare', this group of rabbit-folk and their furless elf companion, but that wasn't what they would be remembered for. And from early in the evening on arrival, to halfway through the night, they danced and thumped their way through the crowd. A few attendees actually tried to join in, to limited success. They needed big feet. Heck, the orchestra between Stage sets even obliged them with a drum-heavy jig that they would try and emulate when they all got back home!

They did take breaks, there was food aplenty, there were performances on that Stage that required more silence and slow-dancing than their energetic bouncing would allow. There was even gambling to be done in another room, so they did that while they couldn't dance. Gwylfai confidently did a few jokes and gags on the small stage in there, got reasonable (if polite) laughs and applause. And every once in a while, at least twice per hour (or perceived hour, they didn't know how much time was actually elapsing here in this weird magical place) there were dragons to gawk at.

A bunch of their orphan friend group so far had hooked up with some mighty impressive dragons: black and shiny, white and sleek. But now it was growing later in the evening, even their durable feet were getting a bit numb from all the dancing. They'd selected a smaller table next to the bigger one seating Voivode and the other grown-ups, and got to watch even from there as another dragon found its friend among his cabal.

After the brief lull on the dance floor that had indicated another of the clutches were being released, it was Valmai that sighed deeply. "Wonder if anyone's gonna come home with us," she leaned back on the black-cushioned chair. "I guess it was worth a try."

"Night's still going," Tynan nudged her with his elbow, "look it's not even run an hour until midnight. That leaves plenty of time for us."

"Now now," Kelsea chided, "we are here for it, not just to dance and drink," she raised her glass at the dance floor where it looked like more dragons were filtering through the crowd, "and we're going to go home proud and happy." She nodded and that was that - apparently.

Gwylfai fiddled with the pamphlet on the table, flipping pages and glancing up occasionally, matching dragonet to advertised pair pretty easily. And something on those pages made them blink rapidly.

"We should- go," the blue-haired rabbit suggested, suddenly.

The others wondered very briefly about this, but the tall rabbit had already risen and was walking almost in a trance toward the dance floor. Well, more dancing it was, then! But - it wasn't them dancing.

It was a foursome of small, freshly hatched dragons. Two were nearly opposite in coloration, one brilliantly white, the other gritty-dark, they were bigger than the other two. Those others were both checkerboard-winged, and both in shades of middle-grey. All of them had features unique to their clutches, from extra wings to split tails and spikes and big big wings. And they...

They were doing the stomp dance. Well they were trying to anyway. They used their tails, and snapped their wings above their backs, instead of trying to hurt their paws (big as some were) on the floor. Circling, pause, stomp stomp jump, circle... The dragonets were intent on each other for the most part, but then the bigger of them looked up and gave a creeling call. They circle stomped their way toward the rabbits and elf.

You!

You're for us!

We're for you!

Come join!

Four minds, mixed together. Those among the rabbit group with any amount of empathic power - even suppressed - could tell that the dragons had already bonded one another, and now they were on the lookout for companions to help them grow! Some of those minds were much more intimately tangled with the bipeds.

You will do much for me, and I will do my best for you. I am Vrickezmeth - it was to Gwylfai that the snowy-white dragoness marched.

To Kelsea, the small grey and long-checkerboard-winged Rokante proclaimed their pride and allegiance, smacking their long tail against the floor.

The tiniest of the group did a spin and nearly tumbled into Valmai, who burst out laughing, "Lyxkeba, you need to practice if you're going to get it right!"

And the large dark drak-winged one finally bumped into Tynan, I am Corem Nye'aynn, we will keep them all safe and sound, all together.

So they did have slightly tighter connections to individuals, but by the end of the ball they knew that there was no separating this group of dragons from each other, let alone from the rabbits!

Name: Nalokeba (NAW low kay BAH, though directly related with splicing to Keeath'Alkar they need neither the -TH ending to their name, nor 'Alkar, unless promoted from knockoff to Pawn)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 2'10" s/l/ws
Build: cat-like in almost all ways including size
Physical Features: Pernese mutt with highly cat-like qualities, including four legs and 2 wings all with sharp large claws, wing wrist has two claws; split-ended tail; head has external ears, and long back-pointing horns; offspring are split with either faceted or pupiled eyes
Colors: Black Pawn 3, gemtoned deep grey body; wingsails brightly checkerboard; claws and horns black with white tips/ends; pupiled orange eyes
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence all average 2 except speed which is 7. Yes, 7, out of a 1-6 scale; powers
Abilities: cannot use the magic of their clutch mates, but they are able to burst speed (5) and produce fire easily (3), and use one form of teleport at a 3 power level
Parents: donor clutch Kelirith + Baniar'Alkar
Bond: Sponsored multibond to Eita (and others as collected)
Meeting Notes: "Yes I would," a tiny voice hissed.

"You don't even know what it means," another echoed back in a sing-song and oddly formed voice.

"I know better than you, you don't even need one!"

"If you want a bond so badly why don't you just get one?"

"What makes you think I didn't already choose?" The creature growled, stern and mighty and adorable. The other one gave off a scoffing chuffle.

And then it realized, "hey... waaaaait a minute!"

Voivode watched as two small dark checerkboard-winged dragonets stomped by. They apparently had bonded to one another, well perhaps a one-sided ... nah, he gave a tiny smirk as the smaller dark one nudged up against the larger (they were both tiny!) snappy-marked helper dragonet and that one nuzzled their new permanent friend protectively. When they noticed the vampire lord watching, the bigger of the pair raised its head high and proud.

The night is almost over, we want to go home with you, see what your ... kingdom? is like! I am Eita, this is Nalokeba, and I suppose we come as a team.

The darker one sat up straighter, though tiredly, We can guard things, or do jobs, or...

"You should just get some meat, and sleep it off, little ones," Voivode said softly. He could easily imagine the tiny dark Nalokeba curled up like a cat... he could imagine that because the dragon did exactly that the moment it found a lap - his.

Name: Gramgath ahlHadaa (GRAM goth awl haw DAW, gramgath means 'enjoys flexibility' with the added -TH to the Zekiran words; the surname means 'of the family lacking colors' and is proudly borne by the shifters, optional in others of this clutch)
Gender: shifts gender consciously* (+preference as desired)
Size: 8' s/l/ws dragon, 8' at head in bipedal form
Build: sturdy horse-dragon
Physical Features: Perneseish/Zekiran/Zebra-kin, slightly furry hide; 3+thumb / claw paws, +wrist finger wings; mane and tail tuft hair; back pointing straight horns - slight Pernese influence no knobs though; horse-like face; no external ears but hears fine; eyes vary; ^as a biped they stand on 'jack-legs' with most of their features simply being moved around for balance, otherwise they're exactly as before (though they do have an easier time speaking and holding things with thumbs)
Colors: body is high white with high black widely spaced stripes, with light grey paw/feet marks; wingsails high black with widely spaced graphite stripes on both sides (others may have body coloring on backs); mane and tail tip dark grey; claws and horns high black; eyes faceted green
Stats: Strength 2, Speed 4, Endurance 5, Agility 4, Health 2, Intelligence 4
Abilities: 6 Verbal speech; 5 Shapeshift^, Nexus teleport; 4 Gender shift*, Telekinetics; 3 Immortality natural; other abilities are weak but present, including tk fire, local teleport, and telepathy
Parents: Evugith + Fadhila
Bond: Voluntary Companionship (not bonded) going with Nuutta - hey, those Zekiran based people need to stick together... wait, you're not from the same dimension!
Meeting Notes: An hour until the midnight bell, and it was getting to be a regular occurrance that the dragons would bring out their nests. There weren't many left, Nuutta wondered were they leaving the 'best' for last? There certainly had been quite a few impressive dragons!

We are Impressed, you and I, Fimijith nudged his companion with a butt of his head, obviously knowing that there were different meanings for the word. Why wasn't I invited to this flight? I would fit right in! So would you!

"I suppose you would," Nuutta commented quietly. "I'm sure there will be other events. I'm certain some of those found here would be interested in the future."

Nuutta felt a wave of pleased energy from the dragon. Tonight, they hadn't sparred much, which was ... nice. Perhaps it was because the dragon was distracted by all the shiny things. It looked as though plenty of other people were similarly distracted. And... the dragon wasn't wrong about their other comment - Nuutta's wings and colors definitely matched some of those hatched at this event.

Like me, but you do not have stripes, a voice telepathically entered Nuutta's, though it wasn't as sharp and clear as Fimijith's. The Peridian felt a stronger surge of query from his dragon, but it wasn't challenging - it was approving.

Look! Look! Oh I like this one a lot. Fimijith lifted his wings to accent the brilliant white and black striped hatchling that had strutted (somewhat confidently) over to their table. Fimijith was barely bigger than the hatchlings from some of the clutches tonight, honestly. The one that he was showcasing for the Zekiran was actually... pretty sharp. Not sharp like those dragons that showed up earlier, but still, well marked, strong values on that black and white.

"Glad you think so," the dragonet said, "we have things in common!" They did, too, though this hatchling was significantly brighter white.

Over the course of the next hour, Nuutta and this dragon, Gramgath by name, discussed what might be expected or where they could best be put. "I'll need to do some testing," Nuutta commented, "you seem... different."

"Oh I am!" the dragonet proceded to stand on their hind legs, with very slight alterations to their hind legs and hips. Since Nuutta was able to bend and effectively turn to rubber, himself, he noted the variations as they occurred. "We can all fly together some day, I am not strong yet."

"Some day," Nuutta agreed. There was still more to discover about this little dragon, they would definitely spend some time in a lab picking apart the DNA. Shifting was fairly rare even among the dragons here, and it felt like there was more to it than just standing up.

Name: Squenth'Alkar (sk WENTH AWL kar, naming convention thanks to dad's side of things since mother is basically Pernese the first name is -TH ended, if bred to another with a last name, modify it accordingly or use Alkar)
Gender: male (+preference as desired)
Size: 3'10" s/l/ws
Build: catlike
Physical Features: Pernese mutt with highly cat-like qualities, including four legs and 2 wings all with sharp large claws, wing wrist has two claws; split-ended tail; head has external ears, and long back-pointing horns; offspring are split with either faceted or pupiled eyes
Colors: body Shiny smoke grey; wingsails solid shimmer smoke heavily speckled; claws and horns dark; pupiled eyes yellow
Stats: Strength 6, Speed 3, Endurance 6, Agility 2, Health 3, Intelligence 4
Abilities: 6 planeshift; 5 verbal speech; 4 local teleport; 3 nexus teleport, speed tricks, telepathy, blood magic (empathy, life sense, locate family, control emotion), existing flame manipulation; 1 unassisted firebreath
Parents: Kelirith + Baniar'Alkar
Bond: Feersia, Voluntsary Multibond with Kleisepath
Meeting Notes: It was the middle of the party, three hours until midnight, and Feersia was still on edge. This place was just packed with too many people for their senses to handle, so they'd spent a lot of time lurking in the long, dimmer hallways between the casino and the ballroom, or winding their way up the stairs to the balconies. They didn't give off their fear-inducing power too often, and they'd considered shifting into something more bipedal but that would have taken so much energy it wouldn't be worthwhile. So they rested, watching, waiting, snacking on the fresh cut meats that had been reserved more for the dragons than guests. Who was going to stop them? They'd been mistaken for a dragon more than once.

They had donned a black cloak and white draped shirt, to fit in more with the theme, and at least that meant they didn't have to waste energy attempting to shift into a grey tone of skin. There was more than enough black and white out there, Feersia wondered if their eyes were deceiving them since there was so little actual color here.

Their eyes were definitely not deceiving them when two dragons, both small but one considerably smaller than the other even as a hatchling, bumbled over to the hallway where Feersia was curled up people-watching. Both of them had speckly markings, and shiny bits, they were quite attractive actually!

"It's nice to know you like us!" One of them, the darker and smaller of them spoke. Those words were echoed in the mind of that lighter one.

We would like to return where you go, if you would have us? That mind called out, I am Kleisepath, this is Squenth.

Feersia couldn't help but notice that their minds both bore straight into their own, latching on and ... resting there rather comfortably. Feersia nodded simply once, and welcomed the pair. It felt strange, with not one but two intelligent minds nested up with their own, but then the naga noticed something else - the intensity and annoyance factor of the party seemed to have diminished strongly.

Feersia sent their own thought, to both: you are hungry, I know where the meat is! You will enjoy this meal, as I do.

Name: Boreath (BORE ee ath, as borealis -TH ending traditional for pure Pernese)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 6'4" s/l/ws
Build: Stocky, strong
Physical Features: Pernese, four legs, two wings, all with claws; head knobs and soft short neck ridge, tail spade, faceted eyes on some, pupils on others
Colors: Body festive speckled iridescent white; wings iridescent white with white snow edges; ridge and tail spade shiny iridescent white; claws ice-white; eyes faceted dark blue
Stats: Strength 3, Speed 2, Endurance 5, Agility 3, Health 3, Intelligence 4
Abilities: 6 communicate via Void, assisted firebreath; 4 local teleport; 3 telepathy; 2 time and nexus teleport; 1 sense through Void
Parents: Gertith + Surrith
Bond: Zhefi, Impressed, open to multibond with a bit of prodding
Meeting Notes: She was unfamiliar with the sort of clock face that was in use at this event, but could tell that it was ticking down to the 'big moment' none the less. It was 'four' hours until midnight. She wasn't going to be doing much dancing, even though the motion of it was quite entrancing to her.

More important, there was meat available to the hatchlings, and she gently slid up to the area... nabbing a few bowls for herself. The prepared food was fine, she did like the fish ... things... but this was proper food for her. She carefully moved around the edge of the dance floor and back to the tables where others of her group were gathered and placed the bowls down.

And almost immediately, one of them tipped over thanks to the help of a little shiny-white-rainbow dragon paw.

It had reached around from under the table, grappled a bit with the black-trimmed white tablecloth, spilled a glass of water, and found the bowl. Meat slid out, immediately plopping onto the cloth, but was much easier to grab. It vanished under the table, smacking sounds were heard even by Zhefi's limited ears.

When the little paw bumbled back upwards and snatched another, Zhefi tracked its progress with liquid grace, moving downwards and peeking under the table. There, a little... rather round hatchling sat on his haunches and held the prized meat with both paw-hands, getting an amount of blood on his dappled white face.

She reached out with her power almost automatically and felt... So much more than she expected. Warm - you, hungry - me, need you, bold me. The dragonet noticed he was being watched, and without any hesitation stretched his paw out - extending that last bite of meat to his new bond.

The Zekiran dragon woman gave a little chuckle mostly to herself. This dragonet needed her, and she would oblige. She grasped at him with two sets of arms, and sleekly put him on her 'lap' (a coil of her body and tail) so he could much more easily reach that meat. If Zhefi cared that others were staring at the mess on the tablecloth, she didn't show it. Why bother? There was a hungry dragonet needing his first meal!