Dragon~Fly Information



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General | Colors, Traits and Superstitions | Life Cycle | Anatomy



General Info

Dragon~flys are the most numerous of the inhabitants of U’Lliyani to leave the realm, though oddly, they are also the most elusive. Approximately the size of a hummingbird, these little insect-like creatures come in a variety of colors. The most common, green, blue and brown, are seen almost three times as often as the uncommon white, and the rare black is almost never seen at all. All colors have certain traits that are found among almost all of the population, with few variations due to mutation, and now, stray (or intentional) mage-energies.
The people of U'Lliyani have come to regard dragon~flys as special creatures, giving them an almost spiritual status. Most are seen as good omens, and bringers of luck and prosperity. If caught, a ~fly will be very well taken care of, so as not to bring the keeper bad times and evil tidings.

Colors, Traits and Superstitions

Green
Greens are the most common, and have broad, chiseled wings that blend in with both the leaves of trees and broad-leafed grasses. Darker and lighter green stripes also help with this camouflage. These are believed to be good omens of prosperity if seen during a famine. Their friendly, though sedentary nature ensures them a close bond with people of the forest and field, as well as offworlders who promise a good, stable home.

Blue
Blues are second up on the list, with long, slender, tailed wings, and swirled markings. They are nearly impossible to spot if in flight, and some have claimed that they can become semi-aquatic. Blue dragon~flys are believed to be harbingers of good weather, or rain in times of drought. Sailors will often keep these as pets, and take them along for extended journeys. Blues are generally flighty and outgoing, which makes them excellent pets for those who travel a lot.

Brown
Browns are the third most commonly seen. Their broad, rounded wings and mottled browns blend in almost flawlessly with trees and earth. Their shy and retiring natures haven’t helped with the superstition that they are nearly impossible to find or capture. These are thought to live only where the earth is rich and fertile, so a farmer will only plant where he’s found at least one brown dragon~fly. They are also often given as gifts to newlyweds, to ensure a bright future and many children.

White
White dragon~flys are seen much less often than their colored cousins, but that’s not for lack of trying. These are extremely inquisitive and, if given the chance, will explore their area for miles around. The reason they are so few in number is that their color is not generally conducive to hiding from predators. Whites are bigger and heftier than any other color, and, though their glass-clear wings look more fragile, they can take a beating and still be functional. These dragon~flys are seen as good omens of peace and joy. They make wonderful family pets, if they can be found, because they can play with the children without the parents having to worry about danger to neither child nor ~ fly.

Black
Blacks are the least common, or at any rate the least often seen. There may well be more blacks than blues or greens, but their color lends itself so well to any shadow that they are all but impossible to see, even when they’re sitting out in plain sight. Where the white dragon~flys are larger and sturdier than the others, blacks are much smaller and more delicate. They have with sharp, transparently smoky wings and a penchant for darting into the shadows if any danger threatens. Of all the colors, blacks are the only ones who are thought to be evil omens. If one is seen near a home or village, lights will be put up all around to ward off the darkness, both day and night.

Life Cycle


Egg
Dragon~fly eggs are perfectly spherical, and no larger in diameter than a small pencil eraser. Much like butterflies, these eggs are distributed randomly, rather than all bunched up. The female ~fly will choose an area based on color (such as leaves for green, sand for white, tree bark for brown, etc..) and lay up to one hundred eggs during the period of a week in late winter or early spring. Depending on the temperature, the eggs will take approximately three to four weeks to hatch.

Wisp
Hatchling dragon~flys look very much like miniature adults, maybe an inch long from nose to tail tip, with the exception of one pair of wings and hind legs. This nymph stage has been called wisps, from the mythical ‘will o’ the wisps.’ In this stage, they eat mostly tiny insects, though they may supplement that diet with fruit that has fallen and broken open. The wisp stage lasts for about six to eight weeks while it grows up to six times it’s original size in preparation for their transformation into adults.

Crystalis
After reaching the limit of their wisp-state, the young dragon~fly will spin a crystalis, approximately four to five inches long. Crystali, or crystals as they are sometimes called, so named for their resemblance to real crystals, are the final change of a wisp into the full adult stage. Crystals are as sturdy as their name suggests, once the saliva-like substance hardens and a bit of magic added to keep the metamorphosing ~flys safe. A crystalis may be seen alone or in clusters, as the young wisps tend to gather in one place for additional safety. Often, they will find a hollow of a stone to collect in, creating a ‘false geode.’ In such cases, these crystals look very much like clusters of the real thing, and may be mistakenly collected, only to find one’s room full of newly hatched adult dragon~flys a couple of weeks later. Children have been known to set out their most treasured, shiny possessions during the crystalis season in hopes of attracting a confused wisp. This rarely works, as the crystals emit a very faint glow, undetectable by almost any eye save the wisps themselves. This stage lasts about two weeks. After the dragon~flys hatch, individual crystals as well as clusters are often sought and kept or sold as valuable items. They are believed to bring good luck.

Adult
The final stage of life, adult dragon~flys hatch in late spring or early summer in a profusion of colorful wings. After hatching, most of the adults will leave the area to seek out new places to live, often hitch-hiking on travelers, or attaching themselves to other sentient beings. In this stage, the ~fly will eat only nectar, or suggary juices such as fruit juice. They have long noses for reaching into flowers, and longer tongues, very much like butterflies and hummingbirds. Adults are generally loners, though they are not adverse to sharing their space with others of their kind. All adult dragon~flys range in size from six (black ~flys) to ten (white ~flys) inches long from nose to tail tip with an average of eight inches long (green, blue and brown, normally), and a wingspan of equivalent stretch. (See
Anatomy for more details.)