The Dragons of Dark Moon

[panther]

Gold

Golds are the Queens of the Weyr. They are always female, and always impress to heterosexual females. Golds are the largest dragons in the Weyr, and once mature, they grow to be 38-42 feet in length, with a wingspan of 63-70 feet. Gold riders become the Weyrwomen, in the absence of a Senior, the junior will step up. Their colours range from a pale a soft gold of a field of wheat, to a dark vibrant gold of a reddish tone.
Golds tend towards commanding airs, and can be a tad on the temperamental and prideful side, though it is not as if they do so on purpose. But equally, they can be very level headed, and always have intelligence enough to pull of their strong position within the Weyr. Very level headed dragons, which make sure their opinion is heard and their orders taken.
Golds do not chew firestone, in fact, they cannot. Doing so would cause them to become nauseated and regurgitate it. Firestone makes a female dragon sterile, and Golden dragons are the clutch mothers of their kind. So it’s a natural defence for their species.
Golds rise to mate once or twice a year, and are flown by bronzes and on the rare occasion an exceedingly large brown might succeed.. However, if a brown is the victor, there will be no chance of a gold in the clutch, though a bronze or two may emerge. Gold flights usually last 30-60 minutes, and the better a flight is, the larger a clutch will result. This is why a gold is not permitted to do more than blood 1-3 animals before rising, as feeding on them would weigh her down and shorten the flight. This is the task of their bonded to keep them firmly under control. They must fight their dragon’s urges to feast and gorge themselves for the sake of the flight and the clutch that follows.
The clutches of a gold are usually 10-16 eggs when not in a pass, with one gold and a couple of bronzes, the majority are blue and green, with a few browns in the mixture. However, Faranth once laid 60 eggs, and while in a pass gold could potentially lay 20-45. They tend to impress to girls who have good leadership qualities, an air of command or have the potential within them to become good leaders. The only gold that can command other golds is the Sr. Queen. They will only listen to the Junior Queen if she is strong and it is out of necessity.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
8’-10’	16’-19’	22’-24’	28’-31’	35’-39’	38’-42’

Bronze

Bronzes are the largest of the male dragons, growing to be 35-38 feet in length, with wingspans of 58-63 feet in length. Bronzes tend to impress to heterosexual males. They are usually the ones to chase the golds in mating flights, and therefore their riders may end up as a Weyrleader if their bronze catches the Sr. Queen. Colouring, Bronze’s can vary quite substantially, while the variations within the bronze itself can change from a tarnished green/bronze, to a highly polished, almost copper bronze, the colour can matte, making their colour little different to a brown, except for in its depth, and its shade, obviously.
Bronze dragons tend to be confident and proud dragons, sure of themselves, their abilities, and their riders. They are probably the most vain of the old male dragons, they too carry an air of authority, for they must. Their riders not only can become Weyrleaders, but they can also become Wingleaders. And with this there is a certain affinity for Pern, for Nature and for balance. These dragons tend to be intelligent for those reasons. Bronzes tend to impress braver souls who may or may not be inclined to show the type of leaders and people they are. Usually the dragon always knows, however, and their riders tend towards a good sense of responsibility and leadership-even if at first they may not show this.
Bronzes are magnificent creatures, grand and powerful. However, this power and grandeur means they are not fast, nor are they agile. Powerful muscles and large wings, detract from their agility, their bulk from their speed. But, unlike the smaller, faster and more agile blue or green, they can last the duration of a thread fall. Their stamina is what wins a bronze. It is this that makes them stronger candidates for winning a gold flight, which, lasting up to a full hour, easily exhausts smaller dragons.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
7-9’	15’-16’	21’-22’	27’-28’	33’-35’	35’-38’

Silver

currently unhatched
Silvers are rather peculiar dragons. Silvers are always female, and large ones at that, with the ability to clutch. They seem to be the mutations of golds in Dark Moon. Their eggs, like the golds, are larger and protected by their clutch mother; and they have an odd sheen to them, light in colour and oddly pearlescent.
Silver can range from any shade of silver with any soft metallic sheen, from light white silver with a blue sheen to pure pale or darker silver that verges on the colour of a hematite stone. From the little knowledge gained on them, they range in size from 35-38 feet in length. While Silvers rise to mate as often as gold - one to two times a turn - they can be caught by bronze and brown both.
Silvers are lighter, lithe-r and tighter features then their Gold sisters. They are more agile too, lighter in the frame, but they cannot sustain flight as long as their sisters, like the equivalent of brown to bronze, are silvers to gold.
Little is known about Silver's ability to clutch because there has never been a single one to reach maturity. However, it is suspected that a Silver should be chased by bronzes, browns and a few of the larger blacks. And because of their unknown ability to clutch, after a few discussions it was decided that a Silver should fly within the Queen’s wing, so as not to risk the dragon chewing firestone.
They seem to have clumsy Weyrlinghood periods where their bonded must be on full alert to their creature at all times. Silvers are quiet and thoughtful dragons, unlike their gold kin. Their scatterbrain tendencies fall out of their personalities, usually as they learn to fly. As they learn to fly, their personality matures, and they come from their young mind, and flourish into a dragon that is wise, quite reserved, but very thoughtful. These dragons are good listeners, tending to impress those like themselves. They don’t mind taking a backseat on the leading, but they are strong, and dependable in the face of adversity.
They, like golds, only impress to heterosexual females, who share quite a few of their personality traits.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
7’-9’	12’-14’	17’-22’	18’-27’	30’-33’	34’-36’

Brown

Browns are the second largest male dragon on Pern. They reach the size of 30-35 feet in length when mature, with a wingspan of 50-58 feet. More agile and common than the bronzes, the larger browns may try for a gold in a flight, though it is very rare that they are the victor, though they can and do fly for silvers and coppers, they tend to stand a much greater chance with these females. The bronzes possess more stamina, but they can rarely match the pace of the smaller queen, or the coppers. However, if a brown does win, his rider will become Weyrleader if their dragon catches the Sr. Queen. They tend to take up Wingsecond positions, and it is not unknown for a brown rider to be Wingleader of a Light Wing. Browns usually impress to heterosexual males, though, this trend has been broken here in Dark Moon. A brown, impressed to the current Weyrlingmaster, Rhia. This is an anomaly at the moment, and little is known on the impression, she seems to be an one off – perhaps something related to the fit of mutations at the Weyr? Faranth knows.
Brown riders can be Wingleaders and make good Weyrlingmasters. In personality, browns tend to be down to earth with well-rounded personalities. The riders of browns tend to be sincere persons who are more down to earth than most. They have well-rounded personalities and are generally likable with the potential to be good leaders and followers both.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
7’-8’	14’-15’	18’-21	23’-37’	28’-33’	30’-35’

Black

Currently unhatched
Blacks, like the majority of mutations, hail from Dark Moon Weyr. They have been hatched several times, but as seems to be an oddity with mutations, few of them tend to live to full adulthood.
Though they are called blacks, they actually range in their shades from a darker charcoal grey colour to a pitch black with a glossy sheen, occasionally blacks exhibit both traits, though the glossy black is considered the traditional, and stronger in its genetics. Though this is merely because of the name, if they were dubbed ‘grey’ at the first hatching they appeared at, the black would be considered weaker.
They are always male, and therefore they impress generally to males and will rarely impress to females unless she is quite the tomboy. Like blues, blacks are quick and agile fliers, light in frame and long in the limb but they do not have the strength and stamina of a bronze or brown. However, as a rule they are generally larger than most blues are, about 30-33 feet in length. Blacks tend to pick the candidates that are daring and brave, as they are very daring themselves, and they tend to be rather mischievous. Generally they are quite optimistic in their outlook. Tending to find themselves in a good position without having meant to be there.
As for positions, Black riders do not tend to do well as ranks such as Weyrlingmaster. They have occasionally earned themselves Wingseconds – usually of light wings, for they are good for morale.
Blacks chase anything they can catch, though that usually isn't anything bigger than a large blue or a small brown might, this would mean they fly coppers and anything smaller than that.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
7’-9’	13’-15’	17’-19’	20’-25’	25’-28’	28’-32’

Copper

Coppers were first laid and are only found, so far, in Dark Moon Weyr. They are the second largest of the female mutations, Silver’s managing to come out just larger. However, unlike their shadeless brethren, Copper’s are renown for their ability to survive. They are hardy creatures fighting their way through illness and such. Coppers are known to be female, but there is a very rare chance that a male will be hatched.
The females fly around two or three times in a turn, however these risings are clutchless, they are sterile as a green is. In rising, a copper is chased by anything from a bronze to a blue. Though as is common, they are more likely to be caught by a black (if one exists within the Weyr) they tend to match very well, like a bronze to a gold.
As a result of being sterile dragons, they can easily chew firestone, and do. They take part of a wing the same as a blue, brown or green. They rise to fight thread as part of a wing, and not part of the Queen’s flamethrower wing.
Coppers are between the lengths of 28-32 feet in length. Coppers impress both males and females, of any sexual preference. A rare occurrence for a Copper is when they impress unto someone very like themselves, They like to stand out, to be completely different, and it is as though the copper hatchling believes it’s beauty can shine greater if they have a Rider of contrast. Similar in the way blue only looks so royal only in its contrast against orange.
Their personalities are rarely the same, though they do show a few characteristics as most dragons, they are quite feisty, forward and rather outspoken. Fearless creatures. Though the last trait can work against them quite easily. And often does.
Likewise they impress all sorts of people from all walks of life. They are still very much an enigma, no pattern has been found to their impressions. And it is a constant source of gossip after a Copper hatching.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
6’-8’	12’-14’	15’-16’	17’-24’	24’-26’	27’-32’

Blue

Blues are the smallest canon, and common males in the Weyr, and also the second most commonly found in a clutch. However, they are not to be undermined due to their smaller stature. They are the stability of the Weyr, a blue Rider is generally balanced, and as is their Dragon. The Blues’ tend to own logic where it might fail a Green, and perspective where it might fail a Brown or Bronze.
At maturity they reach a length of 25-30 feet, with wingspans of 42-50 feet. Blues will never try for a gold in flight, it would be impossible for one to win. Instead, they prefer to chase coppers and below, though they seem to be luckier with greens, whom they seem more interested in anyhow. They are far more agile, and far more adept for catching a green that a Bronze might be.
As mentioned, a Blue is more agile and quick in the air than either bronzes or browns, though they can lack the stamina of their larger kin. However, they are indispensable when it comes to fighting thread, being a smaller target, and having wonderful grace and agility – they are less likely to suffer from thread score, unless their Rider is completely negligent, and the blue perhaps a little ditsy. Like greens, they are there to scorch the ruminants, the tricky pieces that have been left untouched by their larger kin. They can often get what others miss, and are agile enough to dodge better. Though, as they lack the stamina, they rarely last the entire fall.
Though it is a tendency for a Blue to be calm, collected, intelligent and thoughtful, this is not a standard set across the board. As nothing is with genetics! Their impression usually lays with boys. Though this view is more traditional, Dark Moon Weyr is not unknown for having a female Blue rider. As with the mutations, the traditions of Pern seem to becoming slightly slack.
Their impressions incline towards those with level heads, who are sound of judgement, and take things with perspective. A blue riders is rarely blind to their own situation. Because of this a Blue Rider is stereotyped as being quiet, for that is what these people take on.
Blue riders tend to be Wingriders since they don't have the stamina that is required. Though in a lighter wing, they can reach Wingseconds, though this is uncommon, and it does take many, many Turns of work and graft to deserve this.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
5’-7’	12’-14’	15’-18’	19’-23’	23’-28’	25’-30’

Moonstreak

They are always female, they have never been known to hatch as male, and it is commonly considered that their male equivalent is the Midnight Skies. Their gender seems to give them no problems, in fact they are rarely exotically feminine. They seem to be pragmatic, and realistic, their opinions often as cold and evenly delivered as the colour of the moon.
The hide of a Moonstreak is mainly a dark, burnished silvery blue, though they often vary in the dominance of this colouring, which is what gives rise to their “sibling” dragons being the Midnight Skies. They can be silver tarnished with blue, or a strange silver blue. However, they also seem to have distinctive streaks of black, white, and dark blue along their hides.
They will only fly to mate twice a turn, but they don't clutch. They are very slim in build, their sizes at best that of a medium blue.
Though Moonstreaks tend to be rather rebellious in nature, most would simply call it being playful. Their pragmatic nature tends to make them realise situations, but they do like to turn it against the circumstances.
With regard to impressions, a Moonstreak is unusual, they commonly impress to females, and they do show a preference to a female with a playful or rebellious nature, Dragon and Bonded’s similarity found frequently there. Moonstreaks tend to be a calming influence on their unruly life partners. Their pragmatic streak tends to have a good influence on these candidates. Allowing them to grow into fairly level riders, who just like to tease, and often infuriate their superiors by outright refusing to do something, then doing it anyway. Reverse psychology tends to do quite well with these. They don’t like being told their limitations. For, the moon rarely approves of her perfectly bound route about he planet. Yet, she obeys it.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
5’-8’	9’-11’	12’-15’	15’-18’	18’-25’	24’-30’

Midnight Skies

Currently unhatched
Another of Dark Moon’s odd colours that has surfaced in recent Turns. Midnight Skies originated from Dark Moon Weyr, from a golden Queen and a Brown. They are in between the size of small blues and large greens, from 23-26 feet.
Their genders are restricted to male. Moonstreaks tending to be their sister dragons.
A Midnight Skies dragon will rise to chase after anything from a Copper (though this is a highly ambitious and quite self confident Midnight Skies), through and down to a Yellow or White. Though, they are most successful in rising to catch a Moonstreak. They are quite well match in pace and agility, likely from their similar sizes.
The hides are a dark, midnight black blue with constellations of a pale silver stars over, imitating the night sky. The base colour of their hides varies, though it is commonly jet black, the occasional creature will hatch, and the base hide will be of a dark violet, indigo or navy, though these are incredibly rare. Occasionally a Midnight Skies dragon will have stars of a faintly gold colour amongst the silver stars. It is not uncommon for a Midnight skies dragon to have a trailing star. Though usually they are small, and they’re certainly not a constant feature, they may get odd streaks of silver, though they are never more than a hands width, as though they might be a comet or shooting star. These features are considered lucky for the hatchling, though they tend to fade as adulthood arrives.
Within the wing, they are well known for their tenacity. They are very thorough in the air, searing thread from the skies in large quantities, and despite being smaller than a blue, they are often placed amongst the ranks of the larger dragons, for they somehow manage to pull their weight there. They are agile, but for a smaller dragon, they can outlast a blue, but they tend to not be as speedy. They can last for the best part of a thread fall.
They are dark, quiet and also very mysterious. Impressions lay generally with males, though the odd female will impress a Midnight Skies hatchling.
Little can be said about their impressions, they’ve not shown trends yet, but they see something they like within their bondeds and they become very close pairs. Though this is often because they withdraw slightly from the Weyr. They’re not known for being the most sociable of partners.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
7’-9’	11’-13’	14’-17’	16’-19’	19’-23’	24’-27’

Tiger’s Eye/Hawk’s Eye

Tigerseye currently none have survived
One is never seen without the other, and this is a principle that will usually stay with them through hatching to adulthood. They hatch as twins, a Tiger's eye and Hawk's eye dragonet always share the same shell. After hatching, however, the twins still retain a close connection, and often impress to siblings, twins or close friends.
On hatchings, it is not uncommon for their oddly large egg to be mistaken for those of queens, they are fairly large due to the fact they hold two hatchlings. It is sadly the case that sometimes both do not live to hatch, since there are two of them within the shell, forcing them to share nutrients. It is usually known that they come as a male and female pair, but it has been seen to have a same gendered pair hatch.
Tiger's eyes have an orange-ish-red hue with a pale stripe of lighter orange or yellow. While Hawk's eyes are deep blue-black with a paler strip of lighter blue. They are very small and quite quick when flying though for whatever reason they have less stamina and don't stay aloft for long. Hawks and Tiger's eyes tend to be extremely curious, for dragons, and generally get into everything. Incredibly mischievous hatchlings, only encouraged by each other. And they will easily find themselves in the eye of a hurricane of trouble, and usually its root cause.
When it comes to risings, they are odd creatures, rarely consumed by the lust of a rising. They will chase dragons, and they will rise, but it is as though their attention span depletes, and they can no longer be bothered, males leaving the chase, and the females blinking between so they cannot be chased any further. However, when they do rise, or chase, and put their heart and soul into it, it is the time they are truly devoted to the chase, and rarely they are out-flown.
Again, as is common with smaller dragons, they do not last an entire fall, and a large example of these will last jut about half a regular length fall. Their agility is astounding. They care deft, swift, and incredibly accurate, because of this, usually they are stationed behind/below a green in wing formation.
These dragons impress those who are equally odd, those who are striving to show what they are, and how their colours can be added to the mix. The candidates generally do show a trait of curiosity, though not always as strong as the hatchling. They are expected to keep them in line, but the headstrong twinned hatchlings put up a sturdy fight!

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
6’-8’	8’-10’	11’-15’	14’-17’	17’-20’	20’-22’

Green

Greens are the smallest canon dragons in the Weyr, they are also the most common in a clutch. They are always female, they show little preference in their hatchings, be the candidate male, hetero or bisexual, they impress without regard to their candidate’s sexuality or gender.
Greens grow to be 20-25 feet in length, with a wingspan of 33-42 feet. They are by far the most ample of the thread fighting force, due to their above average agility and speed, as well as flight abilities. Greens tend to take shifts within thread fall, for they do not have the stamina of a larger dragon. Yet they are jut as necessary. A Green is used to eradicate the small tendrils of silver thread that falls from the sky, and is not caught by the flames of the larger dragons. Their agility allows them to dart and weave out of the way, and they rarely get thread scorched.
Greens do chew firestone, and are not able to lay a clutch. Though they rise more often than most of their sisters, rising roughly 3-4 times a turn, occasionally up to five. Kitti Ping made it so that they couldn't clutch, just as golds can't flame.
Greens show the fact that they are due to rise by becoming ‘proddy’, nothing usually occurs from it but a mating flight. Some green-mated pairings stay together, though greens tend to keep open flights.
Greens are flighty, spritely creatures usually being incredibly upbeat and very flirtatious. A green is the shortsighted, fun-seeking dragon, which cares little about consequence. Often they will see a path and take the path because they see no other route. They jump head first, and consider the consequences later.
As mentioned, they show little preference to gender or sexuality in their impressions, but, they do like to find people who are active with their sexuality. They like the flirtatious, the bold, the promiscuous and the vain. But, they too, are known for their surprising impressions.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
5’-6’	9’-12’	12’-15’	16’-17’	18’-23’	20’-25’

Thundercloud

Currently Unhatched
Thunderclouds are dark grey dragons, almost black, with lighter grey underbellies and wings that can reach a shade of off-white. There is little that changes about these creatures in their colouration, though the shades of the dark and the light do change.
These dragons are as unpredictable as the weather they were named for, though they are rather quiet dragons, seeming to always be thinking for some reason or another. They impress only heterosexual males and look for riders similar to themselves. Thunderclouds will often become angry for small reasons but quickly cool down after their initial outbursts. Their short fuse is known to spark and blow quite spectacularly, but it is usually just a flash of their fury.
If something major angers them, however, they remain angry for a long time. They brood and boil over it, it is something they do very well, the dislike/distaste for the offending moment rumbles on in the background, making their tolerance even lower of that specific thing.
Though their tempers are short, they are incredibly loyal creatures, and despite their obvious inadequacies for the chase, they will chase after their queen, almost as a mark of respect, but they all fall away quite soon. Their size is for agility, not stamina.
Other than this, they are quite lazy, they tend to abhor work. If they can avoid it, they will. They enjoy sunning themselves, the dark colours taking in the light quite well. Yet, they are quite unpredictable outside of their laziness and short tempers, all quite varies and unusual. Each one unerringly unique.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
6’-8’	10’-12’	12’-15’	15’-18’	18’-20’	19’-24’

Yellow

Yellows are smaller female dragons that are known to impress to heterosexual females. They are sweet dragons, and very hard to anger, but if someone tampers with their rider they become fiends. They are incredibly possessive of their bondeds, and can get quite jealous. Because of this, it takes a very long time for a Yellow to accept their bonded having company of the opposite gender. They are very unapproving of ‘relations’. Prudish and odd about it. Outside of this, they are incredibly friendly creatures, warming and welcoming.
Because of this they have never been known to rise. It is suspected that when the rider finds their ‘soul mate’ that a yellow would rise, but it is still a mystery, as a lot of things are with mutations. Their clutching ability is both null and void. For they do not rise, and they have no ability to clutch.
Their flame is unusually small. They are of little use in flaming thread from the skies. They are rarely even given wing positions. They are mostly used along with the Weyrlings wing to toss firestone or in the queen's wing with their rider using a flamethrower while they catch the odd stray clump here or there.
A Yellow will impress an oddity. Their obscurity always different for different reasons and causes. But they will impress the most obscure and unwitting – usually unwilling candidate upon the sands. They like the odd, and they warm very easily to them, and they have an odd charm for making the most awkward or unsociable candidates adore them.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
4’-5’	6’-8’	7’-10’	10’-13’	14’-16’	15’-18’

White

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Always White, perhaps with tints of blues, yellows, light reds, but they never graduate to the full colour, always only taints of the aforementioned, and usually only primary colours are shown in these taints. They are generally really quite meagre in size, as technically they are the true runts. They are no colour, they have stopped before colour has developed, hence the reason why sometimes they have traces of a spectrum in them, and these tend to be the slightly larger of them.
These dragons are the quietest of the Weyr, more so even than blues, keeping their ways their own, they are often found to be submissive, many in this believe them to be generally dim, but in truth, they are still highly intelligent. Finding their strength in silence; rarely they be the aggregator in an argument.

A white will rarely rise, usually - if they do, its once a turn, and only when they are about five Turns of age. They are very odd creatures, they appear of no true gender. It is only after a long and many Turns that they seem to decide upon their own gender, which is odd in its self. They do not clutch.
They take on the meek, impressing to those who are verging on disappearing within the crowd, those who are painfully shy. The ones who feel like the world has surpassed them, and left them trailing miles behind. They feel kindred to these, being the runts of dragon society, they often impress to weak minded, or extreme pacifists.
Flight, they are incredibly agile, but unlike Yellows, they can produce flame. They are members of a wing, though it is often known for them to pair with a green to take shifts within the fall.
Whites are known for their ability. The ability they have is a superb sense of timing it. Their quiet intelligence grants them a great amount of concentration, this in itself is the best gift they could have for timing it between.
They are amongst the rarest of colours that are shown to Pern. They are rarely present in a strong clutch, and even less frequent in a clutch around the time of thread fall. Some suspect that the might be more common in the clutch of a smaller queen, a weaker queen might be more likely to clutch one of these.

Hatchling	2 mnths	4 mnths	6 mnths	12 mnths	18 mnths
2'-3'	3’-4’	4’-5	5’-6’	6’-7’	8’-10’

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Copyrights
All of the above dragons are part of the world of Pern - © of Anne McCaffrey
Gold, Bronze, Brown, Blue, Green and White are all also - © of Anne McCaffrey

Ideas of mutation colours
Silver & Midnight Skies ~ Nevermore
Violet ~ Tenma
Thundercloud & Yellow ~ Spirithawk
Black, Moonstreak ~ Kestrez
Tiger's Eye/Hawk's Eye ~ Kestral

All information is © of Dark Moon Weyr 2005-2009

All images are gifted to us by Shekru and permission is given for them to be used on this site, they are her original images - so no stealing!
Shekru's Deviantart Page

~Dragon colours are subject to Change~