K'ano's Cock-Action Six-Shooter Cap Gun Bronze Armaderoth

Silver Silk and Turquoise Tulle Egg

Shimmering silver coats the shell of this egg, delicately folded in silken waves to create virtual contours of light and dark. Around the crown of this somewhat elongated egg is what appears to be a string of crystalline beads, embroidered into a swirling pattern that stops a few inches down, while, in contrast, the lower part of the egg has a frothy, bright, turquoise colour, which appears almost to be layered upon itself.

Hatching Message

Silver Silk and Turquoise Tulle Egg whirls merrily in its little divot on the sands, a joyous carefree dance—a joyous, carefree, tipsy dance. Looks like someone spiked the punch bowl at this Prom!

Silver Silk and Turquoise Tulle Egg whirls right over the brink to spill into the danger zone. A passing dragonet, drunken with the excitement of the day, tumbles with the poor tipsy ovoid, rending its pretty turquoise tulle and sullying the silver silk in his exuberance. Thus ravished, weeping egg goo onto the sands, the egg falls apart, piece by piece, until… Kra-kow! Egg shards fly in every direction! Oh, the humanity! Can no one stop the madness?

Cock-Action Six-Shooter Cap Gun Bronze Dragonet

Here is a spirit of rugged masculinity: his confident swagger imbues his strapping frame with a sense of old school machismo. This bronze exudes testosterone. Dusty sepia stains his swarthy hide, stretching faint where the muscle ripples against his broad shoulders and long limbs, drab spars like faded creases against the fold of weathered sails. The patina of old steel lies hidden within the shadows, waiting for the catch of light to send it cracking o'er thick neck, 'cross barreled chest, and 'round ponderous tail. With a face like old leather, he is sunburnt and trail-worn; in a broad-planed face, his blunt muzzle and square jaw are handsome, if craggy and unrefined. He is the stuff that legends are made of: the impression of a star on his chest and true grit in his gaze.

Public Impression Pose

Cock-Action Six-Shooter Cap Gun Bronze Dragonet narrows in on a lanky figure with shoulder-length hair. He pauses and whuffs, shaking his head as though to argue with the feeling drawing him towards that figure. It's not possible. He can't Impress to a girl. He takes another couple of shambling steps, the features coalescing into something perhaps a bit feminine, but male, all the same. Still grumbling, he noses Kiano; he's going to have to put a lot of work into turning *this* fruitcake into a fighter.

Private Impression Message

The heat of the sands fades away, only to be replaced by a feeling of heat pressing down from above; it has been a long and wearying journey, but now — but now you are home. « Well, Pilgrim, » a low voice drawls, rich with trail-dust and the squeak of well-oiled leather. « You're all show and no stay, boy, » comes on the heels of the mind sifting through your memories, « but we'll fix that. We'll fix that. The name's Armaderoth. »


Kiano! Kiano, Kiano, Kiano (or should we say K'no?) — Despite T'ii's protests (all IC, of course), you came, you saw, you conquered! Our hearts are yours, and to make SURE that you stay — here he is, in all his worn, Western glory: Armaderoth. We hope you have just as much fun playing with him as we've had making him. —Shazi, T'ii, Chey, Teviah


Egg Inspiration

My mum ordered me to clear out one of my closets at her house, so that she had some more storage space. While I was going through this rarely-opened treasure chest, I discovered my old ball gown or prom dress, as some of you may call it. Designed by me, it was a made from a metallic oyster-grey silk, with Swarovski-esque crystals all along the bodice, and a white tulle underskirt. Ok, so I took a little liberty with the colours, but what I chose worked so much better than Oyster Silk and White Tulle Egg. ;)

Theme Inspiration

"John Wayne, American."

John Wayne was a sort of American natural resource: "marvelously indestructible," a symbolic male figure, a man of impregnable virility and the embodiment of simplistic, laconic virtues, packaged in a well-built 6-foot-4-inch, 225-pound frame. He had a handsome and hearty face, with crinkles around eyes that gave the impression of a man of action, an outdoor man who chafed at a settled life. And when he shambled into view, audiences sensed the arrival of coiled vigor awaiting only provocation to be sprung. His demeanor and his roles were those of a man who did not look for trouble but was relentless in tackling it when it affronted him.

John Wayne's enduring status as an iconic American was formally recognized by the United States Congress on May 26, 1979 when he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Hollywood figures and American leaders from across the political spectrum testified to Congress of the merit and deservedness of this award, most notably Robert Aldrich, then president of the Directors Guild of America, who stated, "…whether he is ill disposed or healthy, John Wayne is far beyond the normal political sharp shooting in this community. Because of his courage, his dignity, his integrity, and because of his talents as an actor, his strength as a leader, his warmth as a human being throughout his illustrious career, he is entitled to a unique spot in our hearts and minds. In this industry, we often judge people, sometimes unfairly, by asking whether they have paid their dues. John Wayne has paid his dues over and over…"

The medal crafted by the United States Mint has on one side John Wayne riding on horseback, and the other side has a portrait of Wayne with the words, "John Wayne, American."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_wayne

Name Inspiration

We wanted a name that fit the whole John Wayne theme, natch, so we searched for various Old West style phrases in Spanish. "Hondero del arma" is the Spanish phrase for "gunslinger." This is your Armaderoth: a swaggering, straight-talking, gun… er, flame-slinger?

Dragon Inspiration

"Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway."
-John Wayne

John Wayne, the ultimate icon of the great American West, was definitely a spirit of rugged masculinity. He defined old school machismo, with his confident swagger, and his trademark drawl. We tried to embody all of this in a single paragraph, and I like to think we did.

He is a cowboy, your Armaderoth. He is sunburnt and trail-worn, craggy and unrefined. We tried to conjure the image of old leather, faded and stained, in his hide, though dark, as requested; an old leather duster are his shoulders and wings; and a six-shooter, the weapon of choice for most Old West gunslingers, is the shift of steel beneath his shadowy exterior. We didn't pick a particular color for the sheriff's star on his chest, but I like to think that it is fairly indistinct until the light hits it just so, sort of like the shift of steel in his hide.

At 6'4", John Wayne was a large man, and so, Armaderoth is a large dragon. He is no hulking brute, certainly: no bulging muscles, no bursting seams. But he is also not some mamby-pamby lithe or sylvan dragon, either. And though he may complain about being pampered like a ninny, you will have to oil every last inch of that big boy. Where oils are concerned, you are probably best off with something unscented, though he might not turn down a good, solid, manly musk. Just try putting something frousfrous on him, though, and find out what happens!

"Talk low, talk slow, and don't say too much."
-John Wayne

Armaderoth's "physical" mind voice is deep and resonant, perhaps a little gritty, with a laconic drawl; he rarely says anything that isn't worth taking the time to say. Beneath this, around it, through it, there is a sense of heat and light, sometimes blinding in its intensity, especially when he is excited or angry, followed by a dry blast of dust that might make you hanker after a tall glass of water from time to time. The final layer, more subtle than the rest, is the creak and smell of well-oiled leather, and the slightest scent of sweat and horseflesh.

He is not the most talkative dragon, your Armaderoth, preferring to say what needs to be said and have done with it. This tends to make him somewhat blunt and, though he is not exactly anti-social, his brusque manner might give the appearance of being so. This isn't to say that he isn't polite. Quite the contrary, this bronze drops sir's and ma'am's like they're running out of style! He will expect you to do the same.

Ranger Capt. Jake Cutter: I said I swore an oath.
Paul Regret: Words!
Ranger Capt. Jake Cutter: Mon-sewer, words are what men live by… words they say and mean.
-The Comancheros

When Armaderoth says something, he means it. He tells you that he'll swat you if you fuss with his straps one more time, you might want to let the straps alone for a bit. He promises that you will be out of the Weyr when a certain green or gold flies, expect a sudden interruption and a quick trip between. He is a dragon of honor and integrity, to whom friendship and responsibility mean something. You are both his best friend, and his biggest responsibility, and vice versa. You may also be one another's biggest pain, but you make it work, because you are a team.

Respect and duty, on the other hand, are somewhat fuzzy subjects for this individualist bronze. He feels that everyone is deserving of a modicum of respect, insofar as any living being is worth their due, with elders and superiors demanding a higher share. However, he isn't above telling anyone exactly what he thinks. This is where duty comes in. As a dragon, he owes his duty to the preservation of Pern, the continuation of the Weyr, and the lives of himself and his partners—namely, you and the rest of his wing. You and he are the first two he looks after, to hell with anyone else. His wingmates are next, more often than not because they will be his men and, therefore, his responsibility. He really could care less about the rest, except that they are still his duty and are, as such, supposed to be important to him (though he doesn't put much store in "supposed to's.") If anyone ever gets between him and his duty, respect be damned, there's going to be hell to pay. Of course, all of this assumes that his superiors and his peers are all male.

Rooster Cogburn: Why, by God, girl, that's a Colt Dragoon! You're no bigger than a corn nubbin, what're you doing with all this pistol?
Maggie Ross: It belonged to my father, he carried it bravely in the war, and I intend to kill Tom Chaney with it if the law fails to do so.
Rooster Cogburn: Well, this'll sure get the job done if you can find a fence post to rest it on while you take aim.
-True Grit

Females are the lesser sex. Never mind that most golds are bigger than the biggest male, they are weaker, physically and intellectually, only good for breeding and egg laying. They are to be coddled and cared for, treated with kindness and courtesy, but like the delicate things that they are, not as one might a true leader. He will have issues with any green in a position of power and will grumble incessantly, even after she has proven her worth, though by then, he might offer her a grudging and gruff respect. Any green under his command will eventually lose her gender in his eyes to become one of the boys—this is his way of reconciling his ideas with the reality. Like all dragons, however, instinct will always trump intellect; when a gold issues a direct command, he will fall in line.

"Getting rid of a man without hurting his masculinity is a problem. 'Get out' and 'I never want to see you again' might sound like a challenge. If you want to get rid of a man, I suggest saying, 'I love you…. I want to marry you…. I want to have your children.' Sometimes they leave skid marks."
-John Wayne

It will take a very special female to tie this bronze to the Sands. She'd have to be a gold with grit, one who yells back at him when he raises his voice—and enjoys it. She'd have to be an independent spirit, but perhaps not one to break all the conventions of feminine propriety. Preferring golds to greens, though, he may find himself obligated to attend a Hatching or a few, if only to see his children come into this world. That isn't to say that he'll be at all attached to his offspring, but he may be able to find some pride in them.

There is but one female that he won't fly, and that is one Impressed to a man. Though he realizes that greens will Impress to males, and he thinks that males make better fighters than females, the idea of two males having sex is both unnatural and disgusting to him. The idea of you having relations with another man is utterly repulsive to him and it would take a long time for him to forgive you if you broke this tenet.

When it comes to relationships with other males, for that matter, Armaderoth is more fond of implication than action or words. Even with you, any outward displays of affection will be awkward at best. There will be no "I love you"s, no hugs, no caresses, no spoken acknowledgment that you're his best friend. The best you're likely to get is an affectionate <> In fact, whenever he calls you "kid," you'll know that it is said with all the love in his great big, grizzled heart. On the other hand, if he calls you "pilgrim," you've royally messed up; he'll probably call you that for a good, long while at first. And when he calls you “partner”? You've done well!

His clutchsiblings fill a special place in his heart. As his first wingmembers, they will likely have seen him at his weakest and, despite all of their individual foibles, he will have had to learn to trust them, to an extent. Kyzhanth, he would be pleased to continue working with: <> They probably won't ever be pals, both far too professional for that, but they will definitely be comerades-in-arms. Ckiezeluth's vigilante style is a little too shady for this straight-talking fellow and he resolves early on to keep an eye on that boy, not to keep him out of trouble, like Tosiekoth (another "Pilgrim"), but to make sure he doesn't cause trouble for anyone else. He will probably butt heads a lot with the revolutionary Najmaldith, not likely to come to a compromise between the brown's forward-thinking and his own conservatism. As for Urmeerdouloth, well… he has a healthy dose of fearful respect for that one and tends to give him a wide berth. But then, no one is likely to mess with the creepy blue.

John Bernard Books: I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.
-The Shootist

For all of his politeness, his respect for his superiors, and courtesy towards women, Armaderoth has a red hot temper that can get the better of him and send all of that out the proverbial window. An insult to you or an insult to him, will earn the speaker a draconic "black eye," be it a swipe of the tail, a snap of the teeth, or a slash of the claws. If another man wrongs you, he will expect you to deal with it, yourself. It will be up to you, in this instance, to take the lead role and try to talk him down, though you may lose his respect for a time because of it.

Captain Nathan Brittles: Never apologize and never explain - it's a sign of weakness.
-She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

On the other hand, if either of you happens to insult or wrong someone else, he may back down, but he will never apologize, nor will he try to explain away his actions. If there is punishment coming as a consequence of anything he has said or done, he will accept it as his due without complaint. As always, he will expect the same of you.

Wil Andersen: Death can come for ya any place, any time. It's never welcomed. But if you've done all you can do, and it's your best, in a way I guess you're ready for it.
-The Cowboys

Armaderoth is born a warrior, ready to meet death head on, no matter how grizzly, or gruesome. Unfortunately, the Pass is over and the meteor-dragged Thread should only fall for a couple of months every Turn—and who knows how long that will last? Games just aren't the same. Breeding can be fun, but really, is there a living in it? And this bronze, unlike some of his clutchsiblings, is not much of a plotter. Your dragon will always feel a little guilty, and disappointed, for being born during an Interval; while he plays the veteran, he won't have much experience behind it. He wants to fight. It will be up to you to find an outlet for that desire.

A born fighter, ruggedly masculine, and more conservative than most, there could probably be no better foil for Kiano than Armaderoth. Stern friend, mentor in machismo, whatever he is to you, he is yours to do with as you please. We hope you love him, and play him for years to come!

Credits

Name: Shazi, T'ii
Egg Desc: Rusalochka
Dragonet Desc: Shazi, T'ii; Chey tweak
Messages: Shazi, T'ii
Puppeteer: Shazi
Inspiration: Shazi, T'ii

Clutchmates:
K'ano (Kiano) and Cock-Action Six-Shooter Cap Gun Bronze Armaderoth
S'lo (Slogan) and Energizer-Operated Transforming Toy Robot Blue Tosiekoth
Onlie (Onberlie) and Eagle of the Revolution Kite Brown Najmaldith
Nu'ra (Nulerak) and Valorous Veneer for a Child's Venture Bronze Ckiezeluth
Mohitani and Wind-Up Bathtub Toy Shark Blue Urmeerdouloth
S'ton (Winston) and Armor-Plated Remote-Control Tank Bronze Kyzhanth

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