Appearances
(A dragon putting things off for later)
Spoiler :
So...if my last chapter made you upset this one should infuriate you...
As I have spent most of my time monitoring my recently hatched group. I have recently realized that I have been remiss on what gem dragons look like and thus would like to make amends with at least a bit of description, after all, although appearances do not mean much to me I know they can be vital for other folks.
I guess I should start off with the basics. Gem-Dragons have four legs. Although such a fact may seem like a silly statement to some, when I said I would start off with the basics I really meant it, once more Gem-Dragons have four legs.
On two of those aforementioned legs, specifically they have feet, or the remaining two they have hand like appendages that can also when necessity musts moonlight as feet. But as it is many times faster to walk on all fours then it is to waddle on two, most of the time I have spied er -observed them with the exception of when they are in a formal occasion or are relaxing in their houses, they usually are on all fours.
That isn’t to say that they don’t use their hands, Gem-Dragons are natural craftsmen. Although there are a few other of the dragon race that can rival them in this respect, I don’t think I would be out of place in saying that Gem-Dragons can be considered the dwarf to the more fragile race’s human.
Gem dragons unlike some clumsy non dexterous dragons are able to easily hold a weapon in their hands and even fight with it. However it is quite uncommon for a Gem-Dragon to hold a weapon in their hand.
Mostly because of the large speed penalty’s, involved such as having to stand upright on two legs, as well as the drag resistance caused by flying. There is also the risk that during battle the dragon will drop their weapon and from such heights as dragons fight, if not destroyed the weapon will definitely be lost.
Despite the use of weapons being rare, it is not so rare for there to be a Gem-Dragon smith that would craft them. Actually it is considered to be fun hobby or pastime, though not currently a practical one, as with few exceptions most gem dragons don’t use metal weapons.
After all Gem-Dragons have their own natural inbuilt armor in the form of their sturdy scale coverage, as well as their own easily accessible weapons, as close as the tips of each of their digits, sharp strong claws with the ones on the ‘hands’ being longer than the ones on the ‘feet’. The color of the claws is either the same as the majority of the hide, or a more metallic and lighter version thereof.
Let’s not forget the tail, which besides acting as a leverage for balance can also be used as a powerful and deadly whip. Actually the tail is one of the Gem-Dragons favorite tools, mainly because it is long, at least twice the length of the rest of the body on average, not to mention it’s dexterity being flexible enough that it can be considered equivalent to a third hand with one finger.
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There are some Gem-Dragons who are so skilled in the use of their tail that they make, or request the make of tools that can be strapped on to the end of their tails, to be used for various purposes. But despite this notable exception, as hinted, most things Gem-Dragons craft are used for decoration or for recreation.
I think I may have mentioned this before but allow me to say it again. Compared with some naturally greedy dragon races Gem-Dragons don’t care much for treasure. They may decorate or beautify but they don’t embellish. They may collect or store but they don’t hoard, and the times that they do stockpile wealth it is usually collectively as a group, rather than individually.
The common theory for this is because just like their weapons in armor Gem-Dragons have their own treasure built right in, it is also the reason for their somewhat ostentatious name. Gem-Dragons look to be made of gems.
Every scale from the larger chainmail like plates, down to the tiny pin-tip size found on the eye lids, looks like a remarkable jewel. This beauty does not invalidate the defense strength of their ‘armor’ at all. Rather it tends to be the more beautiful the hide the stronger the defense.
However even the most ‘dull’ (and dull as in polished river stones versus more traditional jewels), is normally at least a many times stronger defense when compared to an average dragon of the same rank. Basically in other words, while Gem-Dragons may look like glass cannons to some, they are in reality more akin to diamond tanks, tanks that can fly.
Yes, let’s not forget one of the most advantageous features that most dragons possess, Gem-Dragons being no exception, that of wings granting the capability of flight. Gem-Dragons have two wings that are usually 4-6 times their body length. They are arches made up of ribs and flaps that start at the Gem-Dragons shoulder blades.
The top and foremost rib sticks out from the rest of the wing and has a little movement capability, so much so that like the tail Gem-Dragons can use them to grip and manipulate things that are beyond the reach of their hands and tails. Sometimes, and this is more commonly seen in the males these wing tips have small spikes, sort of like additional claws, but made of bone rather then nail.
The ribs of the wings are usually the same color as the majority of the body, with the occasional exception of the belly and possibly the throat. The flaps however are different. Besides being a much lighter color, the skin on the flaps is unique in one other way.
The tiny almost invisible scales have an amazing capacity to reflect light. So much so, that a common Gem-Dragon battle flight tactic is to fight during the day in order to angle their wings towards the light in such a way that their unprepared enemies are blinded.
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RF b-day party continues!