⋆˙⟡ After the many trials and tribulations of rendering the spots in a way that I both like and find convenient to draw, the hot goth wife mentioned in a recent OC redesign is complete. Meet Sigrunn!

I initially wanted a crow dragon, hence the nakey muzzle, the funky feet and the blue eyes (young/juvenile crows specifically have striking blue eyes, it's neat af) but over time I started throwing a couple of cat features in there too. Getting the markings right was hell- I have to balance detail with efficiency. Eventually I came up with a system for rendering most of the major spot shapes, and hopefully I can easily reproduce them across various illustrations.

If it piques anyone's interest, I drafted a wordy lore-dump for this character overnight:

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Where forests and plains weather the mountain's cold shadow, sheep graze peacefully under the watchful eyes of Draconic shepherds.

Sigrunn is one such individual. Having taken over the job after her mother's death, she protects her flock with keen senses and a really long stick.

Runn has a calm, quiet, and enigmatic demeanor. Spending most of her time alone, she's learned to find peace in solitude. While perfectly friendly and welcoming to passersby, she shares her innermost thoughts with a select few. These individuals include both her partner and her mother before she passed.

Among people she trusts, Runn expresses more outgoing and frankly downright silly behavior. Gentle bullying and context-appropriate horseplay is her primary love language.

She has a remarkable memory, being able to recollect almost anything she has a mind to. She puts this talent to good use- like many members of her community, she deeply values the oral tradition. Runn has not only memorized several of her culture's own folktales, but she will also shelter travelers in exchange for a good story. She's swapped such favors with people of all races and creeds. Her passion for folklore outside her own is controversial among her peers, but she is the youths' favorite storyteller because she always brings something new to share.

She also practices some amateur potioncraft. Runn forages or barters for organic materials rich in magic- primarily plant and animal parts -and follows the dozens of family recipes she has memorized. One recipe she keeps in her mental book is an elixir that enhances her fire breath. Due to a birth defect that hinders her body's ability to process mana, she is weaker than most dragons and cannot breathe fire normally. The potion corrects whatever inhibits her body's natural processes and also boosts her power, giving her a searing azure flame. If she stops using the potion for a prolonged period of time, her fire and her strength will begin to wane. Then the withdrawal will kick in, and she suffers severe fatigue and irritability.

She has a small, eclectic collection of gifts she's received from her partner. The collection consists of rocks, pressed flowers, pottery shards, bones and bone fragments, old coins, and other assorted, not-super-valuable shinies. Sentimental (though too proud to admit it), she keeps everything Gryvaundr brings her.

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If you've read this far, thank you! Hope you're having a fantastic day. This is the most I've written for a character in months, feels good to be creative again. Take care, y'all.