[Benathorn]

Takara

Owner: Verdana
Gender: Female
Breedable: Yes
Type: Jade Elkrin

Treasure of the Isles
The Oriental Isles are famed for the Jade Palaces and beautiful culture, but what is truly beautiful are the secrets held within this place. The Jade Palace holds within it's walls a vast secret garden that harbors many ancient and thought to be lost creatures from Eldemore. The Royal Empire here prides themselves on the care and respect they give to their magical beasts but none more so than the fabled Jade Elkrin. They are said to be graceful in appearance and will only accept a rider from royal oriental blood and no other. The Decedents of the Jade Palace have bonded with these creatures for hundreds of years and they still continue to do so till this day. Their beautiful scales decorate their hide in various hues ranging from a shimmering bronze to blackened ebony. A Jade Elkrin's scales are one of the most prized gifts in the world and their beauty has no match. The Emperors and Empresses that live in the palace have small jewelry and sashes adorned with the scaled ornaments, proclaiming their right to rule and signifying their bond with the deer. When a prince or princess comes of age in the Jade Palace they are sent into the Secret Gardens to be judged by the Jade Elkrin. If they are accepted they will receive a scale from their new mount, the highest of honors that can be given. But, if they are rejected, then it means the young human is not fit to rule and is cast out from the gardens, shamed. Only the pure of heart and sound of mind will be accepted to rule at the Jade Palace, but first, each ruler must be accepted by the Jades. For they are one of the few creatures who can judge a man's true worth.

[mulder]

; Fᴏʀᴍ ;

. Nᴀᴍᴇ .

Astraea
Astraea is the personification of justice, though more commonly associateed with innocence and purity.

. Bʀᴇᴇᴅᴀʙʟᴇ .

Most likely no.
Unless a stag really dazzles her, in both personality and looks, she will not breed.

. Hᴏᴡ Wᴇ Mᴇᴛ .

WIP

Dropping out. My muse has abandoned me. :c

[Sarill]

Definitly trying out for her :3

[Diddlebug]

Beautiful! I love her wonderful gift! But I am in Love with the Jade Stag, so good luck to all those competing for this gorgeous doe

[SukarettoYanagi]

-dropping out, sorry. I don't have the time-

[Melonbread]

Name:

金玉 or, Jingyu


Jingyu is composed of 金(jing), which means gold in Chinese, and 玉(yu), which means jade. So, Jingyu litterally means gold jade. It could also be pronounced Jingyú instead of Jingyù, and Jingyú could be taken as "goldfish", referring to her golden scales. I chose to name this Elkrin because of her looks and breed because, well, the parents have no way of knowing what thier child's personality is going to be like!

Breedable:

Jingyu is breedable, but she won't accept anything but the best of the best!

Short Story:

Jingyu will speak in this color

I scowled, whisking through the palace halls. The marble, gold and silk flashed by as I ran along. Living as Oriental royalty was so hard! My dress fluttered behind me, and my various pieces of jewlery threatened to come off. I stormed down the hall, frustration bubbling up inside me. It was always lessons lessons lessons, then after I see a bit of rest in reach, it's off to the boring balls and parties that the rich people of the Oriental Isles held. It was the same, every single day! Even on my birthday! Sometimes I wish I could just run away and never come back!

I was looking for a place to settle down, and have some peace and quiet for once. The palace's Secret Garden came to mind. I accually wasn't supposed to know that much about it, exept that it was where the coming of age ceremony was held. A garden sounded nice. As always, there were gaurds stationed at the entrance to to garden. I would have to get in another way.

I raced to my room and quickly changed out of my more formal attire into plain, normal, everyday clothes. If my parents or one of my siblings caught me dressed like this, I was roadkill. I opened my door and peeked out, checking if the coast was clear. My long black hair flowed down around me, momentarily blocking my view. I decided that it was ok to come out, and I slipped out of my room and crept around to the "normal" palace gardens. From the outside, the palace was pure jade, The walls were green jade, the roofs were yellow jade. Designs made of red and white jade swirled around on the castle. I was proud to call it home.

The gardens themselves were filled with exotic plants and animals, and intricate statues and all were arranged into artistic designs. Hibiscus, passionflower, parrot's beak, bird of paradise, ferns, willows, palms and many other plants filled the garden. Bright birds chirped and whistled, and various species of ducks, geese, and monkeys thrived here. I slowed down, but still walked briskly. I kept an eye out for gaurds, the palace gardner, and any of my 6 siblings. My parents, the Emperor and the Empress rarely ever set foot out of the castle, exept for when they were on important buisness.

I slipped through the remaining trees, and stood at the base of a high, polished, black jade wall. I could not see through it, and the shine of the smooth, polished, well-cared for jade almost blinded me. I would not be able to find any foot or hand-holds, as this was the Jade Palace! Everything had to be perfect. I took a few steps back, and looked around. I stood on a path made of all the colors of jade, from gold, to red, to purple, to green, to blue, to black, to white. The trees were hung thick with vines. I noticed one particular tree stretched very close to the top of the wall, though whether i could make it, I could not tell.

I walked over to the tree, and placed my hand on it's rough bark. I wasn't too experienced with climbing, and I had only been allowed to do it when I was very young. Far away, I heard my name being called. That did it. I looked around, and grabbed a rough, mossy branch. I placed my foot on a higher bump in the roots, and began to climb. Now, the people of the Oriental Isles are quite lean, natrually without fat. Thus, I had no problem getting through the branches. It was quite taxing though, and by the time I was sitting on my target branch, I was panting quite heavily. I crept along the branch, and reached for the wall. I carefully got myself onto the wall, only to tumble down the other side. Battered, bruised, and filthy, I had finally gotten myself into the Secret Gardens.

I flicked my ears and bent my head over the cool water. The water here was crystal clear, and it flowed quitely into tiled pools, pools with a school of koi each, and lotus blossoms drifting serenely in the water. I flicked my tounge out in quicky, steady strokes, taking a long drink. Then I lifted my head and bit into a sweet, red fruit. My herd was nearby, a patchwork of jade blue, green, purple, black, white, red, and gold, pierced by deep forest green and bright tropical reds, pinks, blues, and oranges. I stood there admiring the scenery for a moment, and I shook my head and wandered a little farther away. Us Jade Elkrin were not common, mindless grouping creatures. We were intellegent, and all the young Elkrin awaited their turn to see the outside world, a dream that could only be achieved by finiding a rider.

I wanndered closer to the black jade wall, the wall that separated the magical creatures form the exotic and "normal" ones. I trotted along happily, but was quickly stopped by my brother. He was a proud and strict red Jade Elkrin.

"You won't be going to look for a rider. The 5th Elder's grandson is next in line, remember?" He growled roughly, pushing me back in the direction of the herd.

"I know. I don't care if I get a rider or not. I wan't to see what's past that wall." I huff back. The 5th Elder's grandson was a blue stag. His turn was next, and he approached all those who entered the Secret Gardens, although he didn't always show himself. My brother was after him, and then me. I shook my head, and stepped back. " Leave me be brother, and go back to our herd. How much longer do you have to wait? Not long I should think. Now go, before anyone misses you. No one will miss me, the odd one that hangs around on the edges of the herd."

" That's not true! Come back, you won't have to wait long to get a rider either!" My brother protested. I just shook my head and butted him away, using my hard head and scales to send my brother stumbling, then turned around and leaped over a wall of undergrowth, leaving my brother and my herd far, far behind. My parents had aldready found riders anyways, so I had no regrets. Only the shadows of doubt in the corner of my mind.

I slipped between the trees like water, and came very near to the Black Wall. I suddenly stopped. A human was walking through the undergrowth. Judging from the scent, this human was afraid, but curious and happy too. And it was a she. This was also a human of royal Oriental blood. Intrestiing...


I stood stiff, and still. Something large rustled and moved in the undergrowth. I took a step back, then another. I glimpsed golden scales, and hooves. I was scared. Very scared. What was it? A dragon? A chimera? What? These questions raced through my mind. I remembered something from one of my textbooks.

A Chimera is relentlessly pursue it's prey, once caught, the chimera will kill with a powerful bite, and eat it's victim. It prefers young girls.

Chimeras were just m-myths right? They weren't real right? I told myself they weren't real. Maybe this was some creature I had never heard about. Still, my mind kept nagging Chimera, Chimera, Chimera. The creature moved closer.

Oh boy, I'd better run. I spun on my heels and ran back to the wall. Exept, I had forgotten. There was no way back over it. The tree that I had used was now on the other side. I turned to the side, and set off along the wall, looking for a way to escape this predicament. And the golden creature drew ever nearer.

I finally got ot a corner, but I had had no luck yet. A rock was placed to one side, and the only way out was the direction in which the creature was approaching. I was more or less trapped. My pursuer was now only hidden by a thin wall of ferns. I was panicing by now, and hid myself the best could, huddled half behind the boudler, in a space between the wall and the rock. However, what came out of those ferns was nothing that I had expected.

It was a golden deer-like creature, scaled, but it still had fur. I tilted it's head curiously at me, then moved forward, sniffing the air. I had heard of these before. If fact, I had seen them. My mother and father each possesed a creature much like this, a Jade Elkrin I think. My mother had a pale green doe, and my father a pure white stag. These Elkrin chose the Emeror and Empress. The young royal children had wives and husbands picked out for them when they were 3, and those people were meant to marry, if both recieved the mark of approval from a Jade Elkrin. I held my breath as The Elkrin came closer, and stared at me out of bright, golden eyes.

The girl smelled pure of heart, and she looked sweet, and innocent, guilty of only stealing sweets from the kitchen. She had the right personality for a leader, willing to listen to others, yet make her own decisions, resourceful, knew proper etiquette, and wasn't too headstrong. I shuffled closer, and inspected her carefully. She didn't seem to value her looks above all, but she kept things neat and tidy. She wasn't lazy, and she thought about first impressions. She was cautious as well. All the perfect traits for a Empress.

I stepped back, and plucked a scale that had been shletered by the tuft of fur on my right shoulder. I cleaned it off carefully with my tail, and presented it to the girl. She was obviously flabbergasted.

" Me? Is that for.... Me?" She stammered. I pushed it towards her. She sat there gaping at me, looking a little bit like a fish. I sighed, and dropped it in her lap. She scooped the golden scale up and held it up, admiring it in the sun. Her period of shock seemed to be over. " It's beautiful..." She trailed off. "Thank you." She said softly. "But I don't want to rule a kingdom. I want to see the world." She said, shaking her head, and holding out her hand, with the scale in it. I looked at her. Seeing the world was what I wanted to do! I made a happy, whistling sound, and pushed the girl's hand away with my head. " You do too? Then... Then I accept!" The girl whispered.

" Your name is Jingyu." I told the Elkrin, and I walked towards the garden entrance. They would have to let me through now. Jingyu followed at my shoulder. I tried to push away the thought that I would have to learn more about polotics and economics and history and writing and all those other things. I was going to go on a journey, and I had no time for that! I told myself. Suddenly, there was the sound of the pounding of hooves, and a herd of Elkrin leaped into view, blocking our path. They were all jade Elkrin. Jingyu took one look and stepped forward. The seemed to be having a conversation, and after a couple of minutes, the Elkrin stepped aside.

Jingyu and I approached the Secret Garden entrance, and sure enough, the gaurds took one look and wen running off in the direction of my parents. I didn't care though. I had my beautiful Jingyu, and that was that. I couldn't wait to go tell my siblings. For now though, I slipped quietly into my room, and changed into better clothes, a turquoise dress and leather sandals, with some gold jewelery, and of course, a jade necklace. I was prepared to meet whatever fate threw at me. No, WE were prepared to face the future, no matter how many boring lessons it contained.


Word Count - 1982

[Vespur]

This is a pretty Elkrin. I am deciding if I should try for her or not, but this is beautiful. (:

[Sneky]

:Form:

Name:

Chengse Lu Long

This name means Orange Deer dragon in Chinese.

Breedable:

Yes, but she will be very picky. She is royalty after all.

Short Story:

A Surprising Prank

WIP

Dropping out

[Verdana]

:Form:


This one's too big.

(If this is too many images, I'll remove some. It's just the same thing from different angles ^^ Step-by-step pictures on request)

Name:

Takara

Meaning:

This is a Japanese name, meaning 'Treasure'. It refers to her glorious, rich golden scales, her rarity and preciousness as a Jade Elkrin, but also the singularity of her mind, which makes her a far greater rarity.

Breedable:

Yes, but this will be highly selective.

Short Story:

My tale begins with a fourteenth daughter, and a falling vase.

It is very unlucky for any family to have fourteen girl children, and even more so to have all of those daughters but no son. Yet, this fate befell the Emperor of the Jade Palace. Many thought this portentous. It was said by some that the Royal line grew weaker, and that disaster was sure to follow. Disaster did indeed follow. Three days after the birth of Sakura, the fourteenth daughter, a maid knocked a vase out of a window while cleaning the highest room in the palace. It tumbled to the earth, and hit the head of the Emperor, who was passing by beneath it. He was killed instantly, and ruin was predicted for the Empire.

The Grand Vizier had no choice but to call upon the sons of the lesser families, one by one, in search of an emperor.

My family - the Tottori family - was connected to the Royal Palace by a tenuous cousin. However, the Vizier was in no position to be picky. Son after son from noble houses had been rejected. The Council grew desperate, and their standards lowered. Any blood - any at all - was acceptable. My family had two children, and one was a son. This was enough to bring the Procession.

I was not that son, but it was I who stood at the gates to accompany the Councillors to the Palace.

My elder brother, Fumio, was handsome, wise, patient, and would have made an excellent Emperor. I adored him. His legs had been withered by a terrible illness in his childhood. He could not walk. He was imperfect - as are we all - but my parents felt that he was a blight upon our family image, and did not allow him out of our home. I contested this fiercely. I had this power, for in my brother's absence, I became the family's son. I did his chores, and filled the spaces he left as he studied. I was never a pretty child. My features were too strong, and my manner too aggressive. My family's reluctance to be lowered any more in social standings outweighed their honesty. It was a simple matter to find me the attire of a noble boy, for my form was not feminine.

My parents were not concerned about being discovered. There was no chance of me being chosen, for I was a girl and of a low family. They did what they did to save face, and nothing more.

My name is Tottori Chiasa, and I was the first Empress of the Jade Palace.


My tale begins with a kick in the chest and wounded pride.

There was dissent within our small herd, where there had never been any argument before. My brother - an impetuous, haughty stag - had been set to choose one of the brash, brazen lads sent to our forest for selection. I had not agreed with him. I had intervened before he could pluck a scale, slamming into his side and, while he was unbalanced, I chased the boy from our Garden. I had not gotten halfway before my brother had caught up with me, and slammed his hooves into my chest.

It was too late. The boy was gone, and I was furious at having my judgement slighted thus.

Humans are not the only creatures with politics in their relations. My herd held a complex hierarchy, and my brother was steadily winding his way up the ranks. I would not play their game. As a result, I was low-ranking and disregarded, although my instinct was strong and my breeding fine. My resentment grew.

I would have fought less passionately, had a suitable candidate appeared for the throne. However, none of the children presented to us were right. I knew it, just as I knew the smell of rain in the air. The boys were either too timid or too bold, too weak-willed or too unyielding. My herd grew restless, and I along with them. Our lands needed a leader.

The humans knew it, too. Their stream of children grew thicker, and in it, the royal line weaker. This frightened my herd. They felt that they had missed their riders somewhere within the flood. This made them hasty.

So, I was kicked in the chest for my resistance, and an idea began to form.

We would simply have to look for more than a strong royal bloodline.

More children came and went, each less suitable than the last.

Then she came, and she was right. I knew it, just as I knew the smell of Spring. She named me Takara.

I am Takara. I chose the first Jade Empress.

They blindfolded me at the palace walls, but I was not afraid, for my Rune Dragon, my young, energetic Hiroshi (a Rune of luck, it is said, and I was glad of it, for I worried that my family would be shamed. I needed luck). It is forbidden for any but the Chosen to see what is within the walls. I navigated by my ears, my nose, the feel of earth against my feet and cool shade on my arms, and by the soft chirrups and pressure of my Hiro on my arm. The path wound and bent. I was soon lost and confused.

We came to a standstill. I stood in the forest for many minutes, waiting for our journey to resume. When nobody guided me, I lifted the blindfold.

I was, save for Hiro, alone in a clearing, surrounded by dense disorder of forest.

The newest child was not alone. We surrounded the human, and watched its progress. A shiver went through us when we saw the Rune Dragon. Luck Runes are auspicious creatures. For the first time in weeks, we hoped.

My brother was stepping forward, when the wind changed, and we smelled the human child.

He smelled different. I, who had never met a woman, did not recognise the scent. I liked it.

The Elders reared back, repulsed and clattering.

The Luck Dragon saw us. Then the child did.

They hated me.

As soon as I saw them, I could see their disgust. I had offended them. I was a woman, and I had dared break convention. They gathered together, and, as one, they struck.

Hiroshi leapt forward.

So did something else.



I didn't think. I knew by my instinct, just as I knew which leaves were good to eat, what I had to do. I jumped ahead of my herd, facing them defiantly.

They almost didn't stop.

We stared each other down, my herd and I, and through the tilt of our heads and the flicks of our tails, we argued. They told me to stand aside. I refused. I told them that this was an Emperor. They told me that women could not lead. I disagreed. I told them what I saw and felt, beyond the surface femininity of my Chosen, for she was my Chosen. I could not back down. My choice was made.

They asked me, one more time, if I would stand down.

Very slowly, and very deliberately, I plucked a scale off of my side, right where my heart was, and proffered it to the girl.

And so I chose the first Jade Empress.

When I took that scale, I plunged myself headfirst into a tidal wave of politics and strife. The Council was shocked, horrified, but they could not defy my Takara, my protector, who was my constant guardian, and would brook no disrespect. There were negotiations and discussions, and all sorts of events which I was forced to sit through. For all of their attempts, they could not find a loophole.

I was on the throne, and I was there to stay.

We changed our world, my human and I. We encouraged trade. We fixed flaws. Chiasa was a vanguard; a fiery-eyed fighter with a sense for justice and progression, and I stood firm beside her. I loved her more than I loved myself, and she loved me just as fiercely. We were good queens, my mistress and I. She ruled her humans, and I guided the creatures of the Secret Garden.

Now, I am old. I was never beautiful, and now I am even less so. My hair is white, my eyes are lost in wrinkles, and I begin to lose my teeth. I am not dead, nor am I dying. My reign, however, has ended. My horde of children and grandchildren ready themselves for their adventure into the Secret Gardens. For the first time in history, all of age, both male and female, shall journey. Takara has prepared her herd. They will choose without prejudice.

The new Emperor or Empress will take the throne.

But we -

- We will not be there to congratulate them. We are old, my human and I. My scales begin to shine with silver. But we are not dying, and we must leave. Great things are afoot in Eldemore. The tide of power is changing. Whether it is for good or evil, we do not know. The three of us - two old women, with Old Man Luck on our side - will slip from our palace.

We shall guide and nurture goodness and progress in Eldemore, just as we have nurtured our Empire for so long. But, whatever we do, we do it together.

[pecan]

:Form:

Name: Kimu (Japanese for 'gold')

Breedable: Yes

Short Story

Life in the Secret Garden is so boring.

I guess I should not be so ungrateful, for I have abundant food to eat and can do almost everything I like. Other Elkrins, outside the cold stone walls of the Jade Palace, envy us for the luscious fruit we can munch on, the juicy grass that beckons our snarling stomachs to growl louder than ever, and tall, majestic trees and beautiful marble pavilions that shelter us from sun and rain.

But we lack one thing; freedom.

The Secret Garden, however huge it is, always has its boundaries. The only time I look forward to, every few months, is the Coming of Age ceremony, where royalty steps into our abode for judging. The other creatures are mostly solitary, keeping to themselves, like fresh flower buds that will not open properly no matter how much strength you have. The result will be only tattered, half-grown petals. Maybe I am the...real loner. I am the only Jade Elkrin who does not have a little herd. I prefer to rest under a tree and delve into my own thoughts.

I can hear excited murmurs now. They are coming from some unseen entrance to the Secret Garden. There is an entrance, but I only see air rippling before the judged one appears out of nothingness. More murmurs, this time an angry holler rises out of the babble of human voices. I lift my head to scent the air, but there are only the heady, perfumed scents of the Secret Garden.

A ripple shudders the air, then a young girl steps out of thin air and into the Secret Garden. She is looking around in wonder, ebony eyes wide. Her raven hair is traditionally pulled into a neat bun, with decorative accessories weaved into it. She wears a simple red kimono, and gold swirls brighten the outfit. Her delicate features are beyond beautiful and her pale skin contrasts sharply with her black eyes.

She looks exactly like a princess, but something is wrong...

I watch her warily as she reaches out, awestruck, to touch a curious Jade Elkrin stag's nose. He huffed angrily and backs off, pointing his intimidating curved horn threateningly at her. She jumps, and tries bonding with another ebony-hued doe, but only to nearly receive the doe's furious kick. Stupid human! I think, lashing my tail. She's risking her life by doing this!

After an hour, the princess gets nothing but several bruises, a few cuts and spilled tears that blemish her flawless face. A rune lands on a tree bough and hisses at her. The other creatures speed away from her when she is within touching range. Finally, she gives up, walking towards an empty pavilion. She sits down and tucks her head beneath her arms. Her body trembles and shakes all over, and it took me a few seconds to realise that she is crying yet again.

Pity engulfs me in a crushing wave when she makes no move to shoo away another disdainful Rune which pulls and teases her hair. The shade of the tree I am relaxing under darkens with nightfall. She has only a few hours left in the Secret Garden. Suddenly, my heart and hooves forces me up and towards the princess though my mind yanks the other way. When I near her, a sense of digust and nausea threaten to overwhelm me. No wonder the other Elkrin and creatures stay away from her.

She is just a plain resident of the Oriental Isles, not one trace of royal blood in her veins. But I cannot leave her like this. She flinches as the Rune bullies her hair harder. An instinct rules me, and I snap my bared teeth at the gloating dragon. He startles, surprised, and before he can retaliate I strike at him with a hoof, careful not to hit the girl. Hissing in defiance, the Rune ungracefully staggers away.

I must defend this girl. I must. This strange new thought controls me, but I make no move to resist it. I nudge the girl gently, hotly aware of the other creatures' disbelieving stares burning into my pelt. She reluctantly raises her head, eyes exhausted, the hope all lost.

The moment her weary eyes lock with mine, my world spins around. The surroundings were just pale, dull gray. Pain rules my body, and in midst of my excruciating agony, I can hear whip cracks and a harsh human voice that snarls and snaps at me. The gray brightens into a red so bright it burns my eyes, and mocking whispers and snide remarks make me burn with anger and embarrassment, which blazes through my body, with no way to unleash them. Then the scene becomes green, white, black, purple...With each change, I long to thrash about and shriek out my unbearable pain. There is no use. They are locked in my throat, and I cannot release them.

I did not know your life was terrible, Rider. I say softly. So what I have seen and felt are this ordinary girl's feelings! She is my Rider, no doubt about that. "I..." My Rider coughs and stares at me, astonished. "I can talk at last!" I look at her with undisguised surprise and bafflement. "I used to be mute," she explains. "I'm not royalty. The Empress Dowager brought me to the Jade Palace when she found me as a baby, dumped outside the palace gates. After she died, my life was...like that." She shrugs simply and hugs me. I lean into her touch, and when she finally pulls away, a gleaming bronze scale falls into her hand.

She gasps, and a torrent of sheer joy overwhelms me. "I'm fit to rule! Now that I can talk, and I have you, no one shall dare to obstruct me."

If anyone does, Rider, I shall make that person feel the same pain as you did last time, I promise, glaring at the Rune which had mercilessly bullied her. She laughs, fingering the precious scale in her hands.

A shaft of moonlight lights up gold-plated double doors that appear with a sound like tinkling bells before us. Head held high, I confidently stride in with the future Empress at my side.

Grandfather smiled, laughter lines crinkling up the sides of his eyes. "So now, my dear grandchildren, you have heard the story of the Jade Elkrin and Princess Ashiyo." One of his grandchildren, a wide-eyed boy with a sprinkling of auburn freckles across his nose, sprang up to his feet. "Princess Ashiyo? You mean Empress Ashiyo? Wow, I didn't know that was how she found Kimu!" "Aye, and she retold this tale all from the perspective of her precious Kimu. She is a wise one; she will be one of the greatest Empresses of the Oriental Isles."

Somewhere in the sprawling gardens of the Jade Palace, leaves rustle and velvety flower buds open in the glory of Kimu, the first Jade Elkrin to accept non-royalty as her Rider.