Flight Rising Discussion

new r/showerthoughts thread time: do you ever think about breed-scrolled dragons in lore? i mean, think about it: a fair few breeds, as of site canon, are a very RECENT addition to dragon society as most dragons know it, and some of which are even attempting to reconstruct their own cultural identity and footprint (banescales and obelisks). these are a "people" who are trying to find what makes them who they are in the face of others who look and act nothing like them. more so when compared to other breeds from the same homeland, created by the same deity: what makes them different? what makes them similar? can they coexist?

... and what do they do when they meet another one of their own, only to find out that said dragon has outlived their actual existence? an 8-year-old banescale on the site must translate into something WEIRD in-universe, right?! how would other banescales even react to something like that? let alone the contrast between the first gaolers to leave the fortress and a scroll-changed gaoler, which must REEK of shade scent, or even seem utterly alien when not raised in the strict societies a natural gaoler typically is subjected to.

like. isn't that just wacky?

does your lore reckon with breed scrolls and scroll changing? if so, how do you explain what's going on? (and if not, well, join me on how Messy breed scrolls are when thought about this way. weird, right?!)

Well gee, if I had money to breedchange my dragons I’d probably write some lore about it.

6 month old pearlcatcher, seeing an obelisk: Oh hey man you must be one of the statues welcome to th- the obbie, 5 years old and has just been breedscrolled: [img]https://i.imgur.com/htmVrA6.jpg[/img]

Honestly I try not to address breed/gene scrolls in my lore (except for perhaps Baldwin + bogsneaks) because they just… wouldn’t make sense. So for me breeds are sort of like races (if there is anything close to a real life equivalent). Dragons who have 2 different breed parents can have mutations (I have a half-obelisk and half-spiral guy who is basically a spiral with added fluff).

There are some gene changes which I would consider “cosmetic” rather than actual genes. A metal/alloy dragon of mine isn’t actually that gene, they just polish their scales which are already naturally shiny, and appear somewhat reflective. Crystal/facet is a similar ordeal. Antlers on veils are simply a hereditary mutation (overgrowth of antlers, flowers are cosmetic), keel is also a hereditary mutation but it can also be a cosmetic thing - paying to implant gemstones on your scales. Blossom on gaolers is an early form of apparel, tying flowers into their fur for appearance sakes. I pretend the stitched gene doesn’t exist - makes me sorta uncomfortable. You sorta get the idea.

As for breed changes, other than bogsneak, they don’t exist in my lore! Bring up too many complications and as a writer you sorta gotta choose what is going to work and tell the story you want to tell. Especially since breeds have different personalities and traits. If a snapper becomes a guardian later in life, do they suddenly look for a charge? Will a tundra still “smell” friendship if it becomes a wild claw? Will it still have the same attitudes and timid ness, or will it gain a wildclaw’s attitude? Brings up too many messy questions for me! The only exception is bogsneak, which is a mutation that you can inflict upon yourself, but also (somehow?) hereditary, so by now there is a whole generation of pure bogsneaks who have nothing to do with the Baldwin incident.

TLDR: even though I have magic in my lore, I am still pretty science based. Basically all genes have scientific explanations, and breed changes don’t exist

[quote name="ghostpath" date="2021-11-14 12:38:24" ] 6 month old pearlcatcher, seeing an obelisk: Oh hey man you must be one of the statues welcome to th- the obbie, 5 years old and has just been breedscrolled: [img]https://i.imgur.com/htmVrA6.jpg[/img] [/quote] this is exactly what i'm talking about thank you

in my lore, odebix and migdar have the whole breed change as a part of their identity. And due to a feud, became rivals like their species used to be.

Fester turned into a veilspun by accident and is not too happy. Carpa used a Bogsneak breed change scroll that had a misspelling, and is tiny compared to other bogsneaks.

I find the mechanic really fun to play around with, and gives my dragons lore and character, especially if I can´t come up with a good story.

Scatter scroll, Breed change and gene change works like potions in my lore. Dragons eat the scroll and puff they change. All based on technology as there are no magic in my lore.

...as someone who's trying to breedchange a lot of my dragons... i... oh man.

in my lore, it's like... since I play kinda fast and loose with canon breed lore and don't keep a lot of canon traits, it's more a choice regarding diet and identity. for example, Quartz was born a Fae, but transitioned to Pearlcatcher because he didn't feel comfortable as a Fae and didn't like only eating insects. he still eats insects, but prefers plants.