a n a u r a

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dzivia - dzikaje palavańnie
"argue if it pleases you, but no use comes
from spitting daggers, unless your intention is to
stoke the fire? then, by all means,
keep prodding."
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heritage

From the very beginning of recorded history, beasts of all sorts have lived and had their fame. Though not all have lived on even after they've disappeared. History books and beastiaries have records of these creatures and how they coexisted alongside people. One such beast became known universally as the dragon.The term originated from the first known record, whose author's name was lost to time. Two large, winged reptiles with four legs and two wings were sighted circling the sun above the ancient civilization, known today as Maha Ritu. One, the people named Sha Qaren, and the other, they named Lune Sayam. While Sha represented chaos, Lune represented law. The Mahaquins worshiped these dragons as gods. And according to the record, the people offered human sacrifices to Sha and Lune in exchange for peace and protection.Though in the time of Maha Ritu, what we know of dragons now was not common knowledge. Dragons, as researchers have discovered, are highly intelligent beings with their own concepts of society and motivation. They have developed language and structure among themselves. Some have even been known to speak directly to people, teaching them their beliefs and language. The dragons do not have written history of their own, their language had never been a written one. But some speculate that it may have become one at some point in time.Over the course of thousands of years, many dragon-like creatures began to appear in various records. They varied in appearance but kept similar traits. They were given their own categories, but as more subspecies appeared and were researched, the term 'dragon' became a general way to refer to them.However, with the production of the dragonsbane explosive, dragons were nearly hunted to extinction. To see a living dragon is a rarity in the present day. The truth of their nature has been tarnished, many believe they are animalistic in the way they behave and that they are not capable of complex thought.

the great red wyvern

One such subspecies of dragon is the wyvern. Wyverns, like other dragons, vary in size and shape as well as color and design. Though a wyvern is identified by their unique physical characteristics. Two wings act as the forelimbs, usually with a single protruding finger or claw, and a pair of hind legs with three or four toes. In some types, the main joint in the wyvern's wing acts as a support for the dragon to walk on when they are not in flight. But the single defining feature is that wyverns are typically venomous. Some have stingers on their tails, others poison their victims with their fangs. However, some have developed breath weapons instead of deadly venom.

An example would be the fire breathing wyvern. Also known as the Great Red Wyvern. They can be referred to as the Great Red, or in context, the Red (not to be confused with the Red Chromatic Dragon).The Reds have earned their place in history books and city records. They are the largest of the wyvern subspecies, and are known for their incredible irritability and inherent ferociousness. Reds have been known to attack unprovoked, though this feature is not exclusive to them. The majority of dragon attacks on cities and settlements were the result of a Great Red in a frenzied state.

These wyverns are unique because they are members of the Triad: the immortal dragons. It is unknown as to why the Triad dragons are the only types to exhibit immortality. It is an area that researchers have been unable to understand or progress. The case that the Great Reds are one such type of immortal dragon is especially puzzling. Unlike the other Triad dragon subspecies, the Noble Lung and the Celestial Amphithere (also called the Couatl), Great Reds show no signs of tranquility, peacefulness, or immense wisdom, and they do not have any known spiritual connection to nature or magic.What ever the case may be, Great Red Wyverns played a role in creating the stigma that all dragons must be feared. Once dragonsbane was a common resource, they were some of the first to be almost entirely eradicated.

past

Vandressien, otherwise known as 'The Fury' or 'The Swallower of Cities,' among other names, was a Great Red. She was a titanic beast whose name became legendary. Many brave souls attempted to slay her, but none survived. That was until king Yariel Moonshae of Estann and several of his soldiers managed to overpower her, the king killed Vandressien with his own blade, and later mounted the dragon's head in his throne room as a trophy.Little did Yariel know, Vandressien was fighting with all her might to protect her wyrmling. Even Great Red juveniles were deadly. And it showed. This young dragon eventually found Estann's central city and in a fit of rage and grief, nearly burned it to the ground. But the reinforcements and soldiers overpowered it, and the young dragon retreated, injured, into the nearby mountains.Not long after, Yariel's oldest daughter (Selene) and her younger brother (Maryn) sought the dragon out. Maryn had been ordered to kill it by his father, but Selene wouldn't let him. She could see the pain and anger in the creature, and instead channeled her own magic to spare it. Much to Maryn's protest, the siblings returned not with the head of the young dragon, but with a very young girl no older than five years old. Selene called her Anaura.Selene took it upon herself to protect Anaura from those who would harm her. But because this 'little half-elf girl' was of unknown origin, Yariel only allowed her to live among them as a servant.

present

Anaura appears half elven, though most of her physical features are much more human like than elf like. She lives in the Moonshae castle as a servant to the princess Selene, who despite her role to play in Anaura's current situation, is like a second mother. Anaura holds Selene on a pedestal, and no other person in the world is as perfect in her mind.Her relationship with the King himself is tense. She despises him with every fiber of her being, but he does not know that it was she who destroyed the kingdom's capitol. In the early days, after taking a different form, Anaura had little control over her natural instincts and anger. She had lashed out at Yariel and various other castle staff, but the consequences of these actions were much less serious due to Selene's intervention.Anaura experiences new emotions that come with mortality. Sadness, for example, is considered a mortal emotion by the Triad dragons. While the Noble Lung and the Celestial Amphithere have an acceptance and understanding of sadness and other mortal emotions, the Reds cannot fathom its complexity. Even with the guidance Selene has provided, Anaura cannot process sadness without turning it over to the Rage.Over the years she has learned to control her instincts and the Rage, something that no known Red has ever achieved. Even though she has built up her restraint, her roots still remain. And there will come a time when the Rage regains control.

notes

Anaura was inspired by a lot of things. I don't really know if I can list everything here.check out my other characters, Fen & Shae

the moonshaes