Delia

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Violet (Quartz Variant) Lightgem
Earthborn

Primary: Goldenrod (also gold-range and maize-ivory range)
“Opal” Lightgem Variant: Dark primaries outside this range.
“Quartz” Lightgem Variant: Light primaries outside this range.
Primary Gene: Crystal
Secondary: Maize
Secondary Gene: Facet
Tertiary: Banana
Tertiary Gene: Smoke
Breed: All

Pedigree: Second of Ever and Inessa (who were each first generation Lightgems from their respective families)

Lore: Lightgems are among the most flashy of all Light subspecies, immediately identified by their pale faceted wings and the golden highlights that mark their bodies. The ancestors of these dragons were a phenomenon unique to Light Flight territory. Legends speak of great orators and clan leaders who drew on the magic of the fractured Pillar to discern truths from lies. Still others were said to possess near perfect memories and to have passed down the first oral histories.

The reality behind the legend is that the delicate golden tracery and faceted wings act as a biological extension of the Lightgem nervous system. What other subspecies might use for camouflage or display has been adapted to an extraordinary degree in these dragons as a secondary electrical network used in the creation and maintenance of learned knowledge or behavior. The facets of the wing surface, connected to the rest of the body via sensory channels which manifest as characteristic golden highlights in the limbs and digits, reinforce muscle movement and lower the time it takes for these dragons to master any given skill. Tough crystalline skin and wing membranes protect these highly developed neural pathways from damage or exposure to the elements.

Lightgem dragons who suffer serious wing or body injuries may also begin to experience the bouts of amnesia, nausea, and irritability seen more often in other dragons with head trauma. However, with rest and a gentle workload, they can begin to recover and regenerate their damaged pathways. Dragons that are born without the requisite crystalline support structures in either wings or body cannot access the native talents of their subspecies.

Modern Lightgems are as varied in interests as their primary hues. “True” Lightgems, with crystal hides in gold and white shades, maintain a strong connection to Light Flight heritage and culture and are often talented writers, artists, philosophers, and clan diplomats. A Lightgem who chooses an area of specialty often becomes a clan authority on the subject.

Over time exchanges and migrations between the clans of many different Flights have led to increasing diversity in the primary color spectrum in order to better reflect the environment in which these dragons live. The two variant color branches are known as Opal (dark) and Quartz (light) for their relative depth of hue. Precisely which dragons belong to which branches is a popular subject of debate.

General Aesthetic: The crystal primary, maize facet secondary, and banana tertiary are the primary components of the subspecies standard. Maize facet secondary wings gain light golden highlights which merge with a banana smoke tertiary to create a “Light Opal” or rippling effect on any Crystal primary dragon. This creates the appearance of golden highlights throughout any color scheme (with distinctive golden banding near the eyes and along the toes/limbs) and provides a unifying subspecies characteristic.