Darcylla

This dragon is descended from Cedric and Alder, both outcasts. Cedric was found in an abandoned nest. While his adopted parents and a few members of his town accepted him quite well, he was treated poorly by the rest because of his strange new Filigree pattern. He eventually ran away to escape the humiliation and lived alone. Alder was the first in her family line to be born with the Filigree gene. They called it a "mutation" and insinuated that she was a monster. She abandoned them in order to explore Sornieth, learn more about magic, and find others who looked like her. After they met, they decided to continue Alder's mission together.

They would find during their travels that their Filigree allowed them to store excess magic, and served as a conduit that allowed them to access elemental energy around them more easily. It also allowed them to use sources of elemental magic and cast elemental spells that did not align with the element of their birth.

The two of them raised many hatchlings together over the course of time, and while all of their descendants became great at using magic, only those with the Filigree retained the traits Cedric and Alder were most known for. Their excess energy stores and their ability to use any elemental magic source.

Cedric and Alder > Aurillion > Sherena > Aduro > Darcylla

Darcylla carries her 'pearl' with her everywhere she goes. Most dragons couldn't tell the difference between the iridescent sphere and a real pearl; even a Pearlcatcher wouldn't notice anything unless they held the pearl and noticed the strange weight to it. She cares for it like she had her real pearl when she was younger, and honestly feels the same attachment to it.

Her father studied the family's heritage. Because of him, she knew from a young age that her family descended from dragons with incredible magical skill and a strange filigree mutation. She and her brother both retained magical abilities exceeding the norm, her brother moreso than she because he studied exhaustively. She had always wished that she had been born with the filigree, and one day wove this wish into her pearl.

When she awoke the next day, her pearl was gone. Or, perhaps not gone but misplaced? She could still feel its presence. She didn't feel she was missing her essence. She searched her chambers but could not find it. Eventually Aerwen entered, tired of waiting for her, and when she saw him he looked startled.

She asked him what was wrong, worried that the clan could be under attack or someone had added another awful gargoyle to the cave overnight.

"What happened to you?" Aerwen asked. "You've got like Mom now. The filigree."

"Really? No joshing? Can you bring the mirror?" Darcylla could barely contain herself.

Aerwen brought back the mirror so she could see for herself. Sure enough, she had filigree down her face and neck. She tilted the mirror around to see the filigree down her sides and on her wings. She was exceedingly pleased. She didn't even mind that her glimmering belly and horn had faded.

"Oh, Aerwen, this is wonderful. I have no clue what happened. It must be a miracle."

Aerwen was looking around the room now. His whiskers were picking up magic residue similar to that from gene transformation ceremonies. Darcylla had never studied or performed such a ceremony before, so he knew she couldn't have given herself the filigree gene. Besides, filigree scrolls and the materials required were both beyond their means.

The residue was exuding from her pearl pillow. Aerwen looked over at his sister nervously. "Have you seen your pearl this morning?"

"No, I haven't. But it feels like it's close." She answered.

"The gene magic is around the pillow." He said. "I... I think your pearl gave you the filigree somehow."

"How could it do that?" She asked. "And where would it go if it did? Is that why it's hiding?" Aerwen wasn't looking at her anymore. That made her anxious.

"Well, it's... I'm sorry but... uh, that's to say, your pearl... it may have... hmmmmm... Okay. Alright. I'm really sorry. But. Your pearl is probably... ceremonies usually take materials and exchange them to make the changes to a dragon's body. You suddenly have the filigree but your pearl is missing. I'm afraid that, well, your pearl might have become your filigree." Aerwen finally met her eyes.

"No. No! It feels like it's close. It must have just been moved somehow."

Darcylla kept looking for her pearl with Aerwen's help, even though both of them knew he was probably right. She didn't want to believe him, and honestly neither did he. They looked everywhere, picking up the bedding and dumping the baskets but to no avail. Her pearl was gone. She knew she should feel utterly empty, but it still felt like it was there. She was more afraid of how the clan would react than of her own loss.

Aerwen suggested that it didn't feel gone because it wasn't, exactly. It was her filigree now. It was still there, just different. She doubted most would care for the distinction, and he knew she was right. They would have to leave the clan. Likely avoid other Pearlcatchers.

They said their farewells to their father and mother without letting on that anything had happened. They were nearly adults now, after all, and it was fairly normal to leave home at that age. They traveled to the Viridian Labyrinth, reasoning that it was the safest of the neighboring territories.

Safest doesn't always mean safe. The two had enough magical power to scare off most animals, but some beasts had enough magical resistance to be serious threats. They fled from most attackers, but even then they had some close calls.

Fortunately, they came upon a caravan traveling through the jungle. The caravan was more than happy to relieve them of their gold in exchange for some fine attire. The salesman offered to throw in a matching skullcap if she would buy five pieces of armor and a weapon. Darcylla chose some mismatched armor pieces, some gold and some brass with questionably sourced blue and green scales, and a gilded trident that she could use as a stave with emergency stabbing power.

A member of the caravan, a Spiral dragon, asked to join them on their journey. The caravan seemed eager to unload him, which could be a red flag, but Darcylla figured there was strength in numbers and agreed to let him come along.

Aerwen imbued some extra protection into their new armor with his magic, although without more materials he couldn't do everything he would like. At the very least, their armor was resistant to common magical forces and was less likely to break. They still needed to run from most threats.

Aerwen had also bought a brass ball. He offered it to Darcylla, suggesting it could be a new pearl, for appearances but also so she could add to it and ensure her essence grew like it would naturally. Since she hadn't lost her pearl but merged with it, her essence was not lost. But it didn't represent the whole of her anymore, since she couldn't add new layers of experience to it. This ball wasn't the same, but Darcylla accepted it. Over time the layers she added hid its metallic origin and she grew attached to it. It was a vessel for her essence, if not the one she was meant to hold.

The Spiral, Vinyre, was a useful traveling partner in some respects. He could fight the magic-resistant beasts and scare them away sometimes. He was suave and diplomatic when they ran into other dragons. He was charming and easy on the eyes. Darcylla decided the best thing to do would be to approach him directly, and she confessed her attraction to him and her desire to attempt a relationship. Vinyre reciprocated and the two began dating.

The group eventually came upon Drakel, a clan that was willing to admit them among its ranks. Darcylla took the opportunity to explore her magical abilities further. Her family had historically inherited great power associated with the filigree gene. Her own filigree wasn't natural, so she wondered if she would hold those powers or not.



Her look at birth