Lore
Overarching lore
Something traumatic happened to these dragons, maybe an attack that caused enough stress to bleach their primary (maybe their clan was wiped out by a rival or the beastclans when they were young and only they -and siblings?- survived, they saw everyone being killed --
to be mostly determined by their owner). When they became strong enough, they sought revenge (The Afflicted stage) and every time they killed they soaked their wings in the blood of their defeated foes eventually turning the wings permanently red. To look more intimidating or to help blend in with the environment, they painted their bodies with black oils, ink, paints, and pigments until their hide was permanently stained.
Eye colors and what they mean, please remember this isn't based on flight lore, just eye color
Plague (The Afflicted)
These dragons are still very affected which makes them angry and violent. They are determined to get revenge for whatever happened to make them like this and will get that revenge at any cost
(Backstory, like what happened to them to make them Revenge dragons and such, to be determined based on individual dragons)
After the dragon has found revenge (The Resolved)
Ice
These dragons feel emotionless and void now, they feel they have no purpose in life after their struggle for revenge took up so much of their life - it was everything to them and now that they have succeeded they don't know what to do. Skydancers' antennae become useless at detecting emotion further plunging them into isolation while warping and eliminating their understanding of feelings such as affection. Skydancers and Coatls alike will start to view any attachments as a weakness and as such usually rarely have offspring, and only to pass on their genes. Their disturbed aloofness means that few dragons can tolerate them and any relationships quickly become strained unless the other dragon is just as unfeeling. These dragons usually develop an analytical and detached view on the lives of others making them great battle strategists since they are not affected by bonds and only look at the numbers and probabilities, though this causes clan tension when they show no remorse for the casualties of war.
Arcane
These dragons got their revenge but it wasn't enough, they are still angry and prone to lashing out at others in fits of rage. They still feel unfulfilled and because of this if they become angry enough (being magical based breeds) they can at times lose control over their magic and have been known to burn down small forests and destroy anything in their way in a blind rage. If they are a Coatl they transition to being prone to snapping in a record amount of time, even faster than most Coatls, and the trigger is often unknown - usually an innocent slip of the tongue or a sight or sound that reminds them of their troubled past. If they are a Skydancer they SHOULD NEVER be put around troubled dragons since their antennae have become warped to pick up any distress, anger, or even simple annoyance, then magnify it to levels way out of proportion, especially if they are feelings reminiscent of their traumatic experience. In this way these dragons are often set off by secondhand feelings or experiences, feeding off other dragon's feelings and becoming irrational and uncontrolled.
Fire
These dragons found peace with revenge but are still determined to kill, though no longer at random. They are usually mercenaries that seek jobs helping others who were wronged get justice no matter what, even if it means killing another dragon, stealing, or the like. These unconventional methods will often get these dragons in trouble with others, though no one will ever argue that their methods are ineffective. They are arguably the best at obtaining revenge.
Light
These dragons have found peace and acceptance (enlightenment if you will), they usually go back to acting like someone typical of their breed. Though they keep their adeptness for killing, most of their clan members will never suspect it as they find little need for battle anymore. Since they have found their peace these dragons rarely if ever talk about their past and now only look to the light of the future, often they become great counselors for other dragons since their even and untroubled aura is very soothing to those around them.
Shadow
These dragons are now reclusive and avoid others because they scare normal dragons. They have dark tendencies and still like to battle, sometimes they get into dark magics such as necromancy, hexes, and curses. At times even mind control. Hatchlings sometimes disappear for no reason in clans that are home to these dragons, and although no one can ever find any evidence of what happened, many suspect these dragons. Sometimes the parents of hatchlings are found dead in the night. Other times there are stories. Stories of seeing grown versions of these missing hatchlings in far away marketplaces; familiar figures in the breaks in crowds or silhouetted in the light of a full moon. Through hushed tones and scribbled words these dragons are accused of practicing their dark magics on the vulnerable and defenseless minds of the missing hatchlings. Often the distrust grows too great for the dragon to simply explain away with sly talks of unfortunate and mischievous hatchlings running away in the dark of night to play in the forest, only to run into trouble and never return. The clan will at this point often rise up and drive these dragons from their lair slandering their name across the lands until no clan dares invite the unfortunate soul to stay with them. Even so hatchlings still disappear.
However, a select few dragons who get close to these misunderstood dragons and learn of their story and become dear enough to these scarred mysteries, know the truth. The truth of troubled hatchlings with nowhere to turn, with parents so praised by their clan that no one would question the cohesiveness and happiness of their families. The truth of secret escape plans, the truth of misplaced guilt, the truth of the lies behind the cover stories of these missing hatchlings, the truth of these troubled families.
The truth of revenge.
Fire and light dragons find peace, both help others but fire does so through battle and light through understanding. Ice and arcane are still troubled, ice feels nothing while arcane can't stop feeling the pain and anger. Like light and fire, Shadow dragons help others, but like ice and arcane they are still somewhat affected and that manifests in their dark magic and reluctance to trust others.
Water
When these dragons obtained their revenge they also obtained a very rare and valuable ability that most use for good. This ability allows them to foretell prophecies about future traumas or ill luck that most use to prevent other dragons from going through traumatic or harmful events. However these predictions require them to be near water most of the time and can be about any dragon no matter how far away they are. Because of this these dragons often form close networks of messengers, informants, and body guards making them excellent leaders and organizers. They also work quite well with other Revenge dragons, especially those that are of the Earth, Fire. or Shadow elements and any others that wish to help other dragons due to their common goal. Most Skydancers tend to be a bit more in tune with prophecies that foretell potential emotional traumas while most Coatls better sense potential physical traumas.
Earth
These dragons decided when they got their revenge that they would seek out those in need of protection and provide it. They are semi-mercenary like in that they seek out people that wish to hire them but only for defensive protection not offensive killing like those of the Fire element. This is because while they know it is terrible for dragons to attack others or harass and harm them, they also understand that there are at least two sides and perceptions to every fight. "While those who hire dragons to take out those who harm them are seeking to protect their interests, perhaps those who harmed them were wronged first- perhaps the ones seeking protection actually harmed their aggressors first. Not only that but what if those "bad" dragons have families, then their families may suffer. Perhaps the "bad" dragons' families know that dragon is in the wrong but perhaps their innocent hatchlings don't and will only grow up knowing that some dragon killed their parent." These Revenge dragons know that even if what they do is generally considered right, someone will always find it wrong. That is why they only defensively protect, usually that causes less bloodshed and they have to kill fewer dragons meaning that few dragons have to suffer. Additionally, these dragons are extremely level-headed making them excellent ambassadors and will always try to peacefully resolve disagreements and use violence as a last resort.
Wind
These dragons usually have poverty at the root of their trauma. It could be that their clan could not provide or acquire enough resources and fell to starvation or exposure. Or perhaps it was that they couldn't afford medical supplies and fell to sickness. Perhaps they even owed a debt they could not repay and were wiped out because of their failure to pay back what they owed, but whatever it was it could be traced to treasure. Subsequently these dragons sometimes have a hard time getting revenge, unless their trauma could be traced to a debt that was owed (because they can kill who the money was owed to), and often have to come to terms with the fact that they may not ever get the revenge they desire. Instead they resort to greed. Greed of any type, yes, but often of riches. They are mostly criminals, con artists, cat burglars, swindlers, petty thieves, what ever you may label them it all just means they will do whatever they have to to grow their hoards. They hoard anything of value to them and are often known to steal from vaults, stores, banks, and even large organizations. However some of the more unconventional things these dragons hoard include medical supplies of any type if their clan was wiped out by disease and some times even... Grisly trophies from defeated foes. May your deity give you the luck to never stumble upon the lair of one of these dragons for the sights and smells are often unimaginable and few ever exit these lairs to tell of the experience. However those that do often recall how they never expected it, the dragon had seemed the perfect lady or gentleman and betrayed no evidence of their gruesome secret - not a suspicious stain or smell on them and not a word misspoken. All of these dragons, no matter their hoarding fixation, act with the utmost class and charm. That is, until the time is right to make their move.
Nature
These dragons are quite frankly bitter. Yes they obtained their revenge but they aren't satisfied. They went through so much pain and suffering but look at that pretty family over there, all sunshine and happiness. Or that normal couple over there all heart eyes and rainbows. They wonder how it's fair that everyone around them had such a normal happy life when they've had that opportunity cruelly ripped away and smashed to pieces. They wonder how they could ever have a normal life after what's happened. They wonder how they can make it fair. They wonder and wonder until they "realize" that it isn't fair. They think that since they have been through such suffering that everyone should. So they make it their goal to make other miserable. They cause dissent in healthy clans and spread rumors and lies. They flirt with disaster, and members of happy couples in order to break them up, but also disaster... Your typical green eyed monster. Envy is their only friend and their work is only done when everything is in ruin.
Lightning
These dragons are all about power and being stronger than any opposing force. Why? Who knows. Perhaps they feel guilty that they were powerless to stop their trauma or perhaps they just really liked getting stronger and stronger in order to get their revenge but either way even though they got their revenge they aren't stopping there. No matter the means they are determined to be more powerful and aren't picky about the details. Training day in and day out to be physically stronger? Check. Using their magic at any chance to enhance their magic? Check. Getting physical augmentations like robotic armor suits that'll increase their hitting capacity by 96.9%, with only a slight chance for bodily harm, or whatever that creepy nerd said? Why not. Subjecting themselves to mysterious forces that promise to make them stronger then any mortal dragon... for a small price? Where do they sign up. If there's even a chance to expand their mental capacity to outsmart others, even better. Any normal dragon would see their quest for power to be exceedingly reckless and nonsensical but it doesn't matter to these dragons, only power matters. At any cost.
The Resolved Explained Further
The Resolved have either obtained their revenge, come to terms with their past, or given up their quest. This can, at times, begin a road to recovery, both mentally and physically. As such, The Resolved have the ability to begin to show colors other than whites/reds/blacks through their genes. These dragons can represent the body and spirit's ability to persevere and recover even after horrible trauma.
However, not all of these dragons begin a road to recovery, as seen in some of the eye color descriptions, which is why they are called The Resolved and not The Cured or something of that kind. Their Afflicted quest has simply reached its resolution and they have moved on. This is why some of these dragons may still look like The Afflicted.
