The Imperial Guard
Shy has always prided himself in being the best geneticist across the Nexus. Able to bring into being creatures of such fantastical proportions, that his work was not science, not magic, but art.
He had not considered, that no matter how beautiful his creatures were, how destructive- that one day he would consider them a failure.
The Court dragons, were failures.
Unable to show loyalty, the Court dragons that separated from the Vella Crean through “free will”, were failures.
Unable to win a war, the court dragons that remained and could not protect the Empress, could not protect against the Death Court, were failures.
Shy had failed.
Unsure, lacking confidence, demoralized – and so, so unlike Shy, he threw himself back into his work. The Light, the Dark, and the Blood Court had failed him. But he had the Imperial Courts: taking the best features of all three, spinning it into a line of dragons that would protect his Vella Crean.
But it wasn’t enough.
So the Imperial Guard was born.
Not a Court in itself, and created to be the protection that the Vella Crean needed.
He started with the Shield: taking the most offensive capabilities of the Courts to turn them into a new breed of dragons to protect his Empress and his creations.
He continued with the Sword: visiting children he had scattered across the Nexus and bringing together magic that he could mold and turn into the deadliest of weapons.
But Shy was not done.
He had failed once. He had created dragons who could not protect his world, who dared to think they had free will.
He would not fail again.
The Imperial Guard
The Imperial Guard is a new line of dragons created by Shy of the Vella Crean.
They are not a new court: they are court adjacent, and would probably fall under the Imperial Court.
The first generation of Imperial Guard dragons were specifically tampered with by Shy. These traits will pass onto their offspring should they breed by natural means.
An Imperial Guard affiliated with an Imperial Court dragon has specific markings that demonstrate their affiliation.
Although the Guards utilize the base genetic court of the Imperial Court, binding them to the Vella Crean, they are a combination of Inaras Thain (Shy’s daughter Rin’s dragon) and Aegeria ve Vanwanar (Shy’s son Raiden’s dragon). The Imperial Guard augments and supports the magical abilities of the Imperial Court. Capable of a unique combination of magic that has never been seen in the Vella Crean Court dragons, they represent magic capable dragons to protect and destroy those that attack the Vella Crean.
The Imperial Shield
  |
The Imperial Shield was created using the offensive capabilities of the Light, Dark, and Blood Court. A new branch using the same genetic foundation as the Imperial Court, the Imperial Shield was created specifically to help augment the abilities of the Imperial Court, and to provide the physical defence to the Vella Crean.
Abilities: Telepathy, Teleportation, Verbal Speech. Fire Breath, Fire Balls. Venom Bite and Claws, Poison Stinger. Elemental magic**
** The Imperial Shield harnesses blood activated elemental magic to create shields and barriers against both magic and physical attacks. To a limited capacity they are able to harness the four elements, but primarily in shield and defensive magic.
Male Imperial Shields are bulkier in build, with curved horns used less for physical attacks. Female Imperial Shields have longer, straighter horns often used in physical attacks, as well as additional spikes and stingers around their poison stinger.
The Imperial Shield dragons are capable of bonding but do not require bonds. Highly intelligent, they are incredibly loyal to their cause.
They are the first dragons that Shy has created after the Death Court Wars. They are hardcoded with a genetic that makes them incredibly unwilling to fight against the Vella Crean, and the Empress’ bloodline. It is a subtle underwriting to the genetic code that does not make itself known unless the dragons are put into a specific situation.
The Imperial Sword
The Imperial Sword is a more direct product of Shy and his progeny.
Abilities: Telepathy, Teleportation. Verbal Speech. Elemental Magic activated by Blood. Imperial Court augmentation (Supports magic and spells wielded by the Imperial Court).
Abilities passed on from Inaras Thain: Healing, Acid Breath, Magic Breath, Naughty/Nice (Ability to identify motive and intent of others)
Abilities pass on from Aegeria ve Vanwanar: Holy Magic, Healing Magic, Electric breath.
The Imperial Sword dragons are capable of bonding but do not require bonds. Highly intelligent, they are incredibly loyal.
The Imperial Shield dragons are capable of bonding but do not require bonds. Highly intelligent, they are incredibly loyal.
They are the first dragons that Shy has created after the Death Court Wars. They are hardcoded with a genetic that makes them incredibly unwilling to fight against the Vella Crean, and the Empress’ bloodline. It is a subtle underwriting to the genetic code that does not make itself known unless the dragons are put into a specific situation.