Traits
Dark
Physiology
Dark dragons are elusive creatures whose true forms are unknown. These strange-looking “lizards” do not typically fly, even when they appear to have wings, and instead float about. They have no scales and appear to absorb the light around them. If they do not want to be touched, hands and claws will pass right through them as if they were made of mist. They can interact with objects and even carry their riders despite this ability. Their Riders describe themselves and their dragon as blind interchangeably, although neither has trouble distinguishing between colors, locating light sources, or anything we considered normal sight.
Free Trait: Wither
Default Physical Traits:
Temperament
Even the method of rider selection is unknown for this element, though Riders are often familiar with death or the supernatural. Individual Riders may cite a reason for the bond, but all of them are unique. Individuals will also claim that they know the true form of their dragon, with a similar predicament occurring. The ‘true’ form of their dragon may even change over the course of its life. Since dark dragons can take on any shape, size, and consistency that they desire, they explore everywhere and report their knowledge back to their rider. Riders claim that they gain the ability to see from their dragons–separate to the sight we know–but are unable to describe how it differs from the vision they had before. One peculiar ability that these dragons impart to their Riders is the ability to see wandering Spirits and the magical seams of the world.
Preferred Rider Attributes:
- Brooding
- Insightful
- Dreamer
- Empathetic
- Superstitious
- Frail
- Anxious
- Depressed
- Remorseful
- Overwhelmed
- Easily Startled
- Anti-social
Dark MAGIC
Dark dragons use magic to become formless. This is something innate to them, but also something enhanced with magic. The stronger a dark dragon is, the more ‘solid’ they can make their form. In the meantime, the miasma they produce can unnerve others and even make people with sensitive personalities feel ill. They can move through the shadows, become invisible or intangible at will, and even shift their shape according to their needs. Their Riders can take part in the shapeshifting once the dragon has reached advance magic, allowing them to imitate the appearance of others.
Their magical vision is a strange thing, as it involves no sight at all. It is more similar to synesthesia combined with a bit of imagination. It provides far more information than normal sight without overwhelming the user. Dragons with True Sight can access these illusion-piercing abilities without needing any sort of magical training.
Their strongest and most fearsome magic involves the dead. They are perfectly capable of seeing and speaking to ghosts. Dragons that master magic have no issue seeing the identity of wandering souls. They can summon souls close to them at will and even have them possess uninhabited bodies nearby for hours at a time. This necromancy is forbidden in many places due to the stress it places on the spirit and the respect many cultures hold for the bodies of the dearly departed…but that doesn’t stop them and their Riders from being capable of such feats.
Magic Physiology
On top of the general Tier IV magic effects, your dragon can have these traits. This is only available to dragons with Tier IV Dark magic or Elemental Anomaly. Feel free to get creative and use things outside of this list.
- Living Shadow
- True Sight
- Ghosts floating nearby
- Blood
- Body of Bones
- Transparent Skin
- Stars or Nebula floating nearby
ELEMENT COLOR RULES
The base coat will always be a dark color. Dark dragon colors will always be desaturated. If your dragon is pure black, the line work and all traits must still be visible with normal screen brightness. Here is an example of acceptable saturated colors for dark dragons. Click for a better view.
Compatibilities
- Wind - Wind dragons have it tough. They need to constantly socialize, think of the community, take risks, take responsibility for their wide-impact actions, and guard their friends. They are loyal like no other. However, Winds still have needs, wants, and desires. The fact that they can put that away and think of others first is very admirable to Dark dragons. As Wind dragons are one of the most honest elements–but also knowledgeable of the ways of the world–they make good company for even the moodiest of Dark dragons.
- Metal - Dark dragons often act as supporters for Metals. They admire the naivete of Metals and their overflowing optimism about the nature of life. And, unlike many dragons, this optimism is not surface level. It is at the core of many Metal dragons’ hearts. They are the most honest and heartfelt dragons of all, even though they wield so much power. Dark dragons love to befriend Metals and linger around them to refresh their faith in the world.
- Thunder - While Dark dragons consider themselves wise, they are not immune to emotion. There are penalties to being a Dark dragon; their existence is more comparable to a ghost than a living entity. All Dark dragons and Thunder dragons originated from the same Frail mutation; However, Thunder dragons are the ones who entered the world of the living, while the Dark dragons did not quite make it. Even if the life of a Thunder dragon comes with its own difficulties, Dark dragons would rather be alive and take those difficulties than ‘live’ as a ghost.
Dark Display and Modifier Traits
The following traits are founded in the Dark element, and thus have a better chance of passing to offspring:
Veil | Nebula | Stitched | Starry | Wisp | Comet | Dust | Sooty
Celestial | Companion | Multi-limbed | Transparent Skin | True Sight | Wither | Tattered
They are equally compatible with these Wind and Metal traits:
Dancer | Breeze | Flight Bars | Barred | Streaks | Cap | Collared | Tipped
Cirrus | Curled | Seraph | Frilled | Plumes | Beaked | Extensions
Grunge | Patina | Stairstep | Forged | Veined | Chroma | Rusted | Splotched
Treasure | Engraved | Shimmer | Gilded | Sheen | Shell | Plating
However, they are incompatible with Thunder Traits, and the following traits have a reduced pass rate. Dark semi-customs and Dark SC cross breeds have the rarity of these traits increased by two:
Echo | Glass | Runemarks | Aurora | Sparks | Checkered | Fractal | Stamp
Electric | Disassembly | Glitch | Coils | Halo | Display | Whiskers