Guide: Designing a Sparkclaw Character

Before you read this, please read the pages on Sparkclaws, the Dragon Empire, and the Red Claw to get an idea of how Sparkclaws work and generally look and how the individual societies pan out. This page will only go into character design and general thoughts on the society they would live in, not in great detail.

When you create a Sparkclaw, there's a lot you need to take into consideration. These are four big categories as seen in the table of contents below.

Always remember that there are oddities. Your character can be common in all aspects but very strange in one, or strange in most and common in one. Your character is a personality in themself and they have a mind of their own; their past shapes their beliefs and personality. Be unique and have fun.

Physical Attributes
Is your Sparkclaw male or female?

Male Sparkclaws are generally a bit larger than females. They're also a bit stronger. Males can have as many horns as they can fit, but the amount depends on their age. Males also always have nose horns, no matter what. They can have between one and three. The shape is generally the same - curved backwards to a point, then curves inwards. Horns can curve any which way, but usually they are straight. They can never spiral or be jagged, however.

Female Sparkclaws are slightly smaller than males and are a bit weaker. Their thinner forms are also more agile than their male counterparts. Females grow their first set of horns when they are very young, but their second set (if they have one) will only come in when they reach adulthood. She cannot have more than four horns total and she will never have nose horns.

What color is your Sparkclaw?

Sparkclaws come in a variety of colors, but there are limitations and rarity values to each.

 Color Chart 

On this chart, left to right signifies rarity. Up and down are just different shades and tints of the color. You may only use the colors on this chart as a base color - Sparkclaws cannot be any other color than these. (Aka you'll never see a pink or purple Sparkclaw)

In words, in order of rarity, the colors are: red, orange, yellow, brown, green, blue, and silver. Brown isn't really shown on the chart above as it's truly just a deeper shade of red-orange/yellow-orange.

Sparkclaws technically have three main colors for their body: the base, the tint, and the shade. The base is their general color that isn't hit by any direct light or shadow. The tint is the color that appears in the light, and the shade is the darker color that appears in the shadows. Sparkclaw scales shift colors depending on light conditions this way as they are iridescent. Base colors are rather saturated, but not hugely, and are average on the dark/light scale. Tints are more desaturated, but lighter, and shades are more saturated but darker. Check the image above to see what I mean by saturation and lightness.

When choosing colors for your Sparkclaw, they cannot be too desaturated or too dark. Refer to the image above. The greyed-out areas behind the border are colors you cannot choose for any tint, base, or shade.

Once you find your base color, you need to find your shades and tints. Here, shades are called "darkest" and tints are called "lightest". Your shades will be down and to the right of your base and your tints will be the opposite. Be careful not to break the previously mentioned border when choosing these colors! You can also choose adjacent colors (aka yellowish tints on an orange dragon) for variation, but don't move too far.

Once you find your tints, shades, and base, you will now need colors for the wings. The wings are generally just a shade darker than the base color, and usually come from a slightly different part of the color wheel. (For example, Ruskaer is orange but his wings are coppery-brown). The wing tint is only present on the bottom of the wings, not the top. Also, the 'base' for the wing's tint is the same as the color of the chestplates without exception.

Horns and claws are just bit lighter than the tint and a lot less saturated or are a shade darker than the shades and more saturated. The latter is rarer.

What are the other details?

Eyes can come in all colors except pinks, purples, and pure reds. Whites and blacks also do not exist, but darker/lighter eye colors are possible, if rare. Brown is also rather rare. The sclera of the eye is never visible, only the iris. Pupils are always rounded.

Sparkclaws will always have small, thick, and round scales. They also will have three digits on each paw. Forepaws have a thumb.

The final detail is the spines. Sparkclaws have a few variations of spines - hooked like their nose horns, long spines, or nubs. The smaller it is, the more common it is.

Can your Sparkclaw fly?

No. Sparkclaw wings are far, far too small to ever carry the dragon in flight. They can glide, but that is it - they cannot fly at all.

Can you customize the fire of your Sparkclaw?

Yes and no. Sparkclaw fire all varies around the same heat, but you can change the quantity they can breathe and the initial temperature upon leaving the mouth. Bursts of white or blue flame before fading into orange swiftly are possible, if rare, but there will never be blue, green, or purple (or any other color except red/orange/yellow) fire.

Differences in Alignment
The Red Claw

If your Sparkclaw is part of the Red Claw, expect them to be nocturnal and only coming out at dusk and dawn otherwise. Their eyes cannot handle the brightness of full sunlight. However, they can take the brightness of cloudy days, if only partially.

Your Sparkclaw will be tough and have military discipline. They will know how to fight in an army by the time they're an adult. They also will be assigned to a group of siblings or a group of non-siblings (if they have no siblings) if they join the military, but if they do not, they can be conscripted if necessary. Various other occupations are available, but note that Sparkclaws will always be doing things by fire- or candlelight.

Relation-wise, your Sparkclaw might have leftover angst against Longwings if they come from the Dragon Empire initially. Otherwise, your Sparkclaw will not be racist or else will face consequences from society and be looked down upon.

The Dragon Empire

Sparkclaws in the Dragon Empire have no knowledge of the surface. They are the lower class or lower middle class and will never leave it. Society is rigged against them and they cannot advance in this system.

Your Sparkclaw will likely work in the mines or as a smith and will have left school early to work in the system. They do not make much money to support themselves and cannot afford luxuries at all. Your Sparkclaw will likely loathe the Longwings for their riches and will have the King and Queen for their cruelty. Of course, this can change, but this is the general attitude.

Sparkclaws in the Dragon Empire will also usually be thinner and underfed. They will be entirely muscle, but no fat, and so therefore rather unhealthy. They will not be starving, but they will definitely be underweight. There is no such thing as a fat Sparkclaw.

Classes
In the Dragon Empire, your Sparkclaw will always be lower or low-middle class. They will not make much and likely will be unable to afford luxuries. Work would include mining, smelting, smithing, and other heat-related labor activities. Construction work and digging out caverns is also the work of Sparkclaws.

Your Sparkclaw will be trod on by society, but will also be the backbone of it. Without their work, society would likely collapse. Yet, they are treated as nothing but garbage and waste.

Sparkclaws in low-middle class may afford a few luxuries or a more comfortable living space, but they still cannot go to any great extent. These Sparkclaws tend to hold jobs as construction supervisors or are master blacksmiths. Sparkclaws who serve Longwings as caretakers are also along this line.

In the Red Claw, your Sparkclaw likely will be in any real class. The leaders of the Red Claw are set in stone and therefore your character cannot be a high-up leader, but other high positions are possible. Your Sparkclaw could also just still be a lowly smither or whatever you like. There is nothing preventing your Sparkclaw's rise in classes here, though be wary that the Red Claw still has very few luxuries. Metals are used for the military only and most buildings are made of stone, for example. Due to the stigma that paint has gained in the Empire, only Empire-born Longwings risk dying their scale and even then only for special events; Sparkclaws usually despise the luxury.

Dissidence and Conformance
The only dissidents in the Red Claw would have been born there. Anyone from the Dragon Empire is likely much happier to be in the Red Claw rather than elsewhere. Dissidents here likely would just want less military control and more individual freedom.

The biggest place for these two extremes is in the Dragon Empire. Conformists are dragons like Karissa who abide by the rules of society, accept their place under Longwings, and work their jobs without complaint. They believe in the religion of the Creator putting Longwings above Sparkclaws and wish to work their place in society to the best of their ability. They pride themselves on being the backbone of society, despite being so trod upon, and often are in denial of change.

If your character is a dissident, expect them to get in a lot of trouble with the law. The Dragon Empire does not take protest or suggestion of change lightly and will likely try to quiet the Sparkclaw before they can get a following - often by imprisonment or by "chance" illness. Dissidents will be part of more underground movements and not speak of their issues out loud. Rabble rousers and troublemakers would be part of this category.