I've played with this for a day or so, and I like the look of it. I'll make it look nice later.
Rider's Name: Oskar Zaki
Dragon's Name: Izril
Rider's Race: Dwarf
Dragon's Color and Element: Brown; Dragon of Earth and Strength
Rider and Dragon Appearance:
Rider:
At 4' 2", Oskar is short and stocky, with muscled arms and a bit of a belly. His skin is light brown, as he spends most of his time underground. His hair is red, and starting to recede, although he has a full beard and an abundance of hair on his chest and arms. With his small gray eyes, large nose, and heavy brow, he won't be winning any beauty contests, but he does fit the stereotypical image of a dwarf.
He dresses simply, more out of necessity than preference. Living out in the wilderness, he doesn't have a lot of options. He wears an armless green tunic with a simple leather belt, brown trousers, and leather boots. He carries several bags and pouches on his belt, and a variety of tools and weapons such as a dagger strapped to his left forearm, a hand axe at his waist, and a sledgehammer at his back.
Dragon:
Even by dragon standards, Izril is large for her age, and her posture allows her to stand up on her hind legs with no discomfort. Her scales are dusty brown, lightening to a creamy beige on her underbelly, while her eyes are emerald green. Despite her large size, her wings and tail are relatively short and thick, although her wings can either be folded at her sides or wrapped snugly around her torso, and her tail is flexible enough to circle around her. Her heavily muscled front limbs end in surprisingly human-like hands, with three fingers and a thumb and large claws designed for digging.
Her snout is long and narrow, and filled with sharp teeth. On either side of her head are large, bony ears which allow her to hear better underground. Most unusually, a green gem-like crystal grows from her forehead.
Riders Hometown: Oskar was born in the mining community Gorlgron. His mother was the mine's foreman, but she insisted he stay indoors and out of the mine for his own safety. Initially believed to be a gold mine, dwarves flocked to the site, but began leaving when the gold ran out. Many stayed, and kept mining for the more plentiful iron in the area.
Dragons Abilities:
Sand Breath - Izril can exhale a stream of sand, dust, and gravel. With practice she could refine it to only exhale one substance, and possibly unlock other earthy substances.
Pit Trap - By punching the ground, Izril can create holes in the earth of various shapes and sizes. Striking the earth channels her magic into it, and she can create holes within a short distance.
Crystal Growth - Izril can grow crystalline structures from the earth, either offensively in the form of crystal spikes or defensively as crystal walls. With effort, she can create crystals in midair to use as makeshift shields or projectiles, but this is much more taxing on her.
Riders Magic:
Stone Fist - Oskar can raise earth and stone to surround an object and harden into a stone shell. His preferred target is his hammer or his own fists, increasing their weight and the damage he inflicts with them. The shell will crumble back into dust after a short time, or if Oskar chooses to dismiss it.
Personality:
Rider: Having grown up working at his family's mine, Oskar is a down-to-earth, resourceful, and dependable Dwarf. Hard-working and proud, he's not afraid to get his hands dirty, and would never stoop to tell a lie. He's not overly fond of people, so he spends most of his time living the hermit life in the woods.
Dragon:
Izril may not be the brightest of dragons, but she more than makes up for it with her boundless enthusiasm. She is energetic and eager to help, but has all the grace and subtlety of an earthquake. While she enjoys being friendly and nice, she also enjoys lording her strength over others, and loves competition.
History: Oskar always knew his life would take him somewhere unexpected. Growing up at a mine, seeing workers come and go, he knew that the mine would eventually stop producing and he'd be forced to leave. He just didn't know when, and he certainly couldn't know how. Despite his mother's intentions, Oskar worked in the mine, and proved to be a good worker. While excavating a new tunnel, Oskar stumbled upon the entrance to a cavern that had been buried for thousands of years. He knew he should have reported it, but he felt compelled to investigate, like he was being called.
He had barely taken seven steps into the cavern when a small tremor shook the room, dislodging loose rocks and sealing off the entrance. Oskar shouted for help, but no one came, and after an hour, he resolved to find his own way out. He ventured deeper into the cavern, finding a tunnel and going into the darkness within, trying to escape. He could hear sounds around him, whispers that he couldn't comprehend, and he could occasionally see forms moving in the darkness, fading away before he could get a good look. After what felt like hours, he found himself back at the sealed entrance, and could hear a rescue team moving the rocks to free him. He called out to them, and soon he was free.
The team had felt the initial tremor, and responded immediately. All told, Oskar had only been trapped for five minutes, and investigation of the cavern revealed it was simply a pocket in the earth, containing only the entry chamber and the tunnel, which only went in about 10 feet before hitting a wall. No one else heard any whispers or saw any movement, but the whispers stayed with Oskar, and he heard them in his sleep. He woke up a mile away from the mine, and kept walking.
Twelve years later, he no longer thinks about his experience, and lives in a cabin in the woods near a Human trade town, making his living as a lumberjack. He writes it off as a psychotic break, caused by spending too much time someplace he didn't belong. He felt that he would find his destiny here, a feeling that was verified when he found a glowing orb in the woods. He kept it, later discovering it was actually a dragon egg, and that his destiny would take him far away. The whispers came back to his dreams, and after three weeks, he finally understood what they were saying: "Pharus". With little more than a name and an idea where to look, Oskar and Izril left his quiet life behind at set off to find out what Pharus is, and why it had chosen him.