Cry Mages

Accidents aren't always a good thing. A Guardian knows this, as a bleeding Charge is pulled away from a pack of Serthis. They target the weak, of course. The weak are easy targets. It looked like the Charge, at best, had only minutes to live.

Maybe it was Arcane instinct. Maybe it was an irrational decision made under the influence of panic. Whatever it was, the Guardian decided to turn to magic in this time of need. This Guardian, like most guardians, did not have a lot of magical reserves. But, the Guradian knew where to go to find a source of magic.

The wheezing Charge was picked up, and flown to the Crystalspire Reaches, where bolts of magic jumped from one formation to another. The Charge was lain between two crystal formations. Then, the Guardian began to draw runes.

These runes, the Guardian knew, would attract magical energy. If the Guardian could channel it just so. Then, maybe.

The Guardian wouldn't have to fail. The last rune was drawn.

Accidents aren't always a good thing. The Guardian shrieks, as a large bolt of magic lit up the area. It was too bright to see, but not too loud to hear. There was an explosion. And there was the sound of crumbling crystal.

This was it. The Charge was dead. The Guardian had failed.

The Guardian pulls apart the crystal, hoping to reach the body. If a live Charge cannot be guarded, then the Guardian would have to make do with a grave. Maybe it was a foolish thought, but the Guardian owed the Charge at least that much, right?

The Guardian found the runes, but no body at the bottom of the pile. Maybe this was the universe's way of saying that the Guardian didn't even deserve to guard a grave.

The Guardian couldn't help but agree.

Accidents aren't always a bad thing either.

The Guardian saw a pile of pink crystal shiver.

Then, it stood up.

credited to Drav

### **The Legacy**

The story itself has been remembered, but the names could be lost in that no one can agree on what they are. Some sources say that the guardian is male, others say that the guardian is female, and yet others say the guardian became the mate of the Charge, or that the guardian had no children...

You know how word of mouth tends to mess things up! The story could be a sort of "what we know for sure," with details like names and the breed of the charge being lost. Guesses have been made (eg: The Charge probably isn't an adult Snapper or Imperial), but that's about it. Scholars blame Spirals. The Spirals just shrug and doodle on the pages of official record books.

The rituals, however, are all generally similar in that they involve the same runes, and so on. Things like chants and stuff may be different, though. Like, some clans or whatever have dragons that go alone, while others have an accompanying party. And some dragons only go when the moon is at a certain phase.

So perhaps the rituals are known, but dragons generally don't perform them because it is widely agreed to be very dangerous if performed incorrectly, or if the fusion fails. However, with Arcane dragons being Arcane dragons, a few would have scaled the peaks of the Crystalspire Reaches, and carved those runes into the ground...

The story is intentionally vague, in a "their names have been lost" sense. But their legacy- the Cry Mages- still remain.

Perhaps the initiation process is easier for Crystal dragons, because of the minerals already present in their skin. This makes Crystal parents very happy, because of the possibilities in their offspring's future!

The side effect of fusion, though, tends to leave a dragon pink. So Cry Mage lineages start producing only pink offspring.

Secondaries may vary, though, as the fusion doesn't always "take" to the wings. Though, it is said that the most powerful Cry Mages have crystal wings too...

credited to Drav

### **The Next Generation**

The original CryMages were followers of the First CryMage, and they became a band of warrior monks traveling the world from one end to another, leaving swathes of glitter and magic residue in their wake. As generations passed, and Ancient Lore was lost in cataclysms of various kinds (Thanks, Arcanist), the rites and ceremonies of the Original CryMages were lost. But their legacy lives on in the genetic inheritance of crystalline dragons, and when a crystal dragon is born or becomes magenta, that dragon is considered especially lucky and powerful. They are gifted with an infused crystal on their name day, and it's up to them whether or not they ever gaze into its depths....

Crystalborne Dragons are unusual, especially in the early days. Magenta crystal babies are watched especially closely by their lair for signs of extraordinary power. The rituals performed at hatchday and nameday echo The Guardian's original runecast, though no one knows why.

Till one day, (again by Accident), in a lair not too far from the site of the original ritual, a little dragon is born in the middle of a Spirestorm. Bolts of power blasting between the spires set up a harmonic resonance--the crystals sing to each other, and the Coatls of the lair begin to hum in tune. When the egg finally hatches and the CryMage emerges, one of the crystals in the lair wall detonates, vaporized instantly--revealing a granite rock face hidden for centuries, with glowing runes inscribed on it.

(The CryMage hatchling then proceeds to eat thirty-seven Fallout Whispers all by herself. Her poo glows in the dark for two days. Her name shall be Twinkie.)

After that, because they're Arcane dragons, it's just a question of replicating the circumstances as closely as possible. The faes have a hard time convincing anydragon to let them experiment on a nest, but it doesn't stop them from trying. Frightening tales of terrible experiments performed on abandoned eggs scavenged from the lands of distant flights are told around nightfires. Over time (best not to inquire how), they learn that the Hatching isn't a necessary feature of the process. Arcane-born Coatl initiates learn the intricate hums required to set up the harmonic resonance. Guardians are taught to carve the Runes of Protection, and Faes the Runes of Power. One day a Mirror and a Wildclaw carve the runes, and the differing shapes of their claws lead to new energies becoming part of the ritual. The CryMage initiate on that particular day grows up to be a fierce warrior with potent magic....

credited to bethylated