Ok....so I've finally worked up my dragon and his Captain....
First off...It still has to pass Havoc's final approval..but I figured I'd present it to the rest of you for suggestions/going over.
Jane's Fighting Dragons of the World c.1952 edition wrote:
Longhorn Reaper:
Weight - 14 - 16 Tons (15 tons being average)
Length - 55' - 65 ' (58' - 62' being average)
Coloration - muddy brown scales with black and grey whorls on the wings, red and gold stripes along their spines.
Weaknesses - the begining progeny of the breed have a seem of cold-bloodedness to them, having been bred and raised in the heat and humidity of South Louisiana, cold weather (anything 45°F and below) tends to cut their effectiveness more so than any other dragonbreed in the Northern Hemisphere.
Additionally, the Longhorn Reaper has a inflated sense of self, in a fight they will, unless driven by their handler, take on more than they can possibly handle, not unlike their Texas Longhorn cousins
.:General:.
Born of a specialized breeding program to make the most out of the "American Reaper" strain and breed a set of middleweights with various abilities, the Longhorn Reaper is one of the very few successes. Taking much after the American Reaper in configuration and coloration, and having the Texas Longhorn's gregarious mannerisms, and massive gouring horns, the Longhorn Reaper is a middleweight of the largest variety - bordering just on the edge of the weight classes.
On average the Longhorn Reaper measures at 55' - 65'snout to tail tip, with a wingspan of some 110'. Their feet have four claws each, and end in wickedly tapered talons measuring some eighteen inches in length. The average weight for a Longhorn Reaper male is fifteen(15) tons, with the females getting as big as sixteen(16) tons, all without losing much in the way of speed over their middleweight for bearers. Overall, the females of the subspecies tend to be larger than their male counterparts. In the air they are more graceful than their heavyweight cousins, despite the larger mass of their forms, very nearly becoming as graceful as their American Reaper cousins.
While generally rather even tempered (a result of the breeding program at the Thibodaux Enclave where the sub-species originates), they possess not a few of the Texas Longhorn's personality traits, extreme senses of courage, honor and bravery - which if not handled by a proper Captain, can get them into trouble during a fight. The Longhorn Reaper has a tendency to "bite off more than it can chew" in regards to battling opponents - thinking itself more than capable of battling a twenty-five(25) or more ton dragon on a even scale. They tend to be especially thoughtful and affectionate of their handlers, crews, and dragon comrades - even bordering on protective of those they view as "theirs". As the breed is still to new to have a set pool of breeders, it is difficult for the Longhorn Reaper to breed true - very often the young will be born with more American Reaper characteristics than Longhorn. The Thibodaux Enclave hopes within the next few generations, the Longhorn Reaper will be able to become it's own breed.
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Captain's Name: Thomas Thibodeaux
Captain's Age: 29
Captain's Description:
6'3", 225 lbs, brown eyes, close trimmed black hair, african-american. Intelligent, friendly, quick-witted and very caring towards his dragon. Thomas is the third son of a family of Dragon Breeders from deep in the Louisiana swamps. They are, in fact, one of Louisiana's best known family - their dragons always being bred for intelligence and even temperments. Unlike most dragon breeders, The Thibodaux Enclave (as the farm is called) specializes in the American Reaper breed, as well as Louisiana's only native breed the Marais-Pecheur, the transplanted Fleur-de-Nuit, and the Mississippi Brownwater. After World War I, the Enclave has been approached by the U.S. Airforce to take part in a specialized breeding program to develop a new sub-breed of the American Reaper which would help expand the Air Forces ranks. Thus, the Enclave began breeding programs with a few Texas Longhorn's they were able to acquire from a friendly breeding family in Texas, and their own native Marais-Pecheurs. The result of this is the Longhorn Reaper.
Dragon's Name: Hermeticus
Dragon's Age: 6 years
Dragon's Breed: American Reaper (sub-species "Longhorn Reaper")
Dragon's Description: Being the product of over twenty years of breeding the crossbreeding of the American Reaper and the Texas Longhorn, as well as the "true breeding" of the various descendants of the original pairs, Hermeticus is the third generation of dragons under the breeding program. He measures 63' tail tip to snout, his scales a deep muddy brown color with large spots of yellow and red over the wings and back, and two large horns situated on his head - while not as strong as a Texas Longhorn's, more than capable of goring an opponent in a fight. The dragon weights in at a hefty 15 tons, making him just borderline for a middleweight dragon - and able to take on some of the smaller Heavyweight breeds on his own - a fact he takes in high esteem and likes to brag about on occasion. Hermeticus is quick witted, even tempered, and intelligent, even for one of the breeds of the Thibodaux Enclave. While a born fighter, he holds the ideal of duty above all else, and thuroghly enjoys his "liberty", curling up in warmth, being read to by his Captain, or even talking and joking with other dragons.
Background:
Thomas was born and raised around dragons, his family having inherited the Thibodaux Enclave from the original owning family when the last son died with no heirs. Thomas' family had worked the Enclave for generations, even before the Civil War - originally being owned by the breeder family - but given a good deal more liberty as the Thibodauxs never considered themselves slave owners, merely giving those who were "purchased" a chance at a good life and vocation - a family they could trust with their prized beasts as much as they. When the last of the last son of the fourth Generation owner of the enclave died without a heir, he gifted the Enclave to his most trusted worker, a man he considered a close friend, Thomas' great great grandfather - who out of respect, changed the clan name to Thibodeaux in his friends honor. Since he was able to walk and talk, Laurence helped with the chores around the Enclave, meeting with the breeding dragons - nearly all who looked as protectively over the family as the family did them. Thomas was especially drawn to the "special pens", where the family was breeding the heavy combat-middleweights. Thomas looked with awe, and as he grew older, spent more and more of his time with his father, learning about dragon breeding and spending his time with the Longhorns that where already born and growing.
Thomas was the first to find Hermeticus' egg after the mother dragon - a "true breed" Longhorn, laid him - a muddy colored egg with black and grey whorls upon it. Thomas called his father over, and the egg was transported to the heating sheds, to be kept warm in a ideal environment until it was ready to hatch. It took nearly two years for the egg to finally harden, and during that time Thomas was checking on "his find" daily, spending time reading to the egg by lantern-light in the evenings, and noticed the hardening of the egg. Thomas begged his father to let him be there when the egg hatched, and even if the dragon wanted, to let him keep him. Thomas' father relented after a week of near constant begging by his young son - knowing that the generation was to low for the dragon to be of any true use to the Air Force and for the desired traits to have bred true to make it a superior specimen.
Thomas was there when Hermeticus hatched, and the little dragon bonded with the teenager who read to him near daily while he was in the shell. They two were very nearly inseparable, during the first week Hemerius slept in Thomas' bedroom, close by his new friend and master, and when the dragonet grew to large to stay in the house, was moved outside to a close by pen.
Hermeticus grew quickly that first year, and Thomas and he went flying regularly once chores where done. They became a proficient team, and Thomas for the first time in his life, thought about joining the U.S. Airforce. The decision was taken from him when a Air force General came to check on the progress of the heavy combat-middleweight program when he saw Thomas and Hermeticus flying - he all but demanded that the dragon be sent for training. Inseparable as the two had become, Thomas insisted if Hermeticus went, he would go to.
His father finally assented, and while it was hard for Thomas during his training - racism played a huge role in his daily life out in the great wide world - he managed to pass with flying colors. Unfortunately, despite his high marks during training, Thomas and Hermeticus were constantly passed up for choice assignments, usually being regulated to the backwaters.
When the Second Great War began, and Britain needed volunteers, Thomas requested to be allowed to go with his dragon. His commanding officers finally agreed to allow him to go, seeing as a way to get rid of a problem they didn't want, and he and Hermeticus were shipped off to England.
Use some damn common sense there!
Nyah nyah!