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Gemshard Dragons were released on March 28, 2015, alongside Plated Colossus and Striped River Dragons.

Gemshards have six color variants. The dragon's color cannot be determined until the egg has hatched, and the chance to get any color is influenced by the day the egg was created.

Gemshard eggs have a unique cracking sequence where the gems on the egg fall off as the egg hatches.

Official descriptions[]

Egg[]

This egg is encrusted with colorful gemstones.

Hatchling[]

Aww... It’s a cute baby dragon. It has bright, shiny scales and loves to play in the sunlight.

Mature hatchling[]

Aww... It’s a cute baby dragon. It has bright, shiny scales and loves to play in the sunlight.

And look! It’s grown a forked spade at the end of its tail and long, tufted whiskers! It must be close to maturing.

Adult[]

Gemshard Dragons are small, gregarious, expressive easterns, living in large clans high in the jungle canopy. Their bodies are covered in tiny, gem-like scales that shimmer in direct light, and each dragon has a unique pattern of markings on the forked spade of its tail. Though Gemshard Easterns cannot fly, they often leap from springy branches high into the sky on sunny days and perform acrobatic spins and twirls to entertain themselves. When the weather turns foul, they pile up together on sturdy tree limbs and interlock the forks of their tails with others to keep warm and dry.

Sprite artists[]

Sprites[]

Series Egg Hatchling Mature hatchling Adult
Jade female Gemshard egg Gemshard jade hatchling Gemshard jade mature hatchling Gemshard jade adult female
Jade male Gemshard jade adult male
Ruby female Gemshard ruby hatchling Gemshard ruby mature hatchling Gemshard ruby adult female
Ruby male Gemshard ruby adult male
Sapphire female Gemshard sapphire hatchling Gemshard sapphire mature hatchling Gemshard sapphire adult female
Sapphire male Gemshard sapphire adult male
Amethyst female Gemshard amethyst hatchling Gemshard amethyst mature hatchling Gemshard amethyst adult female
Amethyst male Gemshard amethyst adult male
Aqua female Gemshard aqua hatchling Gemshard aqua mature hatchling Gemshard aqua adult female
Aqua male Gemshard aqua adult male
Citrine female Gemshard citrine hatchling Gemshard citrine mature hatchling Gemshard citrine adult female
Citrine male Gemshard citrine adult male

Egg sequence[]

Stage 0 Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Dead
Gemshard egg Gemshard crack 1 Gemshard crack 2 Gemshard crack 3 Gemshard crack 4 Gemshard crack 5 Gemshard dead egg

Retired sprites[]

Temporary event sprites
Series Egg Hatchling Mature hatchling Adult
April Fools' Day 2022
Jade female
Gemshard jade adult female AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Jade male
Gemshard jade adult male AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Ruby female
Gemshard ruby adult female AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Ruby male
Gemshard ruby adult male AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Sapphire female
Gemshard sapphire adult female AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Sapphire male
Gemshard sapphire adult male AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Amethyst female
Gemshard amethyst adult female AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Amethyst male
Gemshard amethyst adult male AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Aqua female
Gemshard aqua adult female AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Aqua male
Gemshard aqua adult male AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Citrine female
Gemshard citrine adult female AF 2022
April Fools' Day 2022
Citrine male
Gemshard citrine adult male AF 2022
Retired sprites
Series Egg Hatchling Mature hatchling Adult
Jade
Retired 2021
Gemshard jade hatchling retired 2021-05-23 Gemshard jade mature hatchling retired 2021-05-23 Gemshard jade adult female retired 2021-05-23
Gemshard jade adult male retired 2021-05-23
Ruby
Retired 2021
Gemshard ruby hatchling retired 2021-05-23 Gemshard ruby mature hatchling retired 2021-05-23 Gemshard ruby adult female retired 2021-05-23
Gemshard ruby adult male retired 2021-05-23
Sapphire
Retired 2021
Gemshard sapphire hatchling retired 2021-05-23 Gemshard sapphire mature hatchling retired 2021-05-23 Gemshard sapphire adult female retired 2021-05-23
Gemshard sapphire adult male retired 2021-05-23

Variant determination[]

Prior to the 15th Birthday release Gemshard variants were entirely random. Alongside the introduction of three new variants, the 15th Birthday release also implemented a time-based mechanic which influences variant depending on the day of the week the Gemshard egg was created.

Variant Day of week
Jade Gemshard jade hatchling Monday
Ruby Gemshard ruby hatchling Tuesday
Sapphire Gemshard sapphire hatchling Wednesday
Amethyst Gemshard amethyst hatchling Thursday
Aqua Gemshard aqua hatchling Friday
Citrine Gemshard citrine hatchling Saturday
Random
Gemshard egg
Sunday

Encyclopedia entry[]

Show/Hide Entry

Encyclo title bar

Appearance/Basic Anatomy

  • Adults are long, flexible, and covered in tiny smooth scales the color of gemstones.
  • They have powerful limbs and love to leap from springy branches into the sky on sunny days.
  • The flat, flexible spades on the tips of their tails serve to balance the Gemshard as it twirls through the air, and every dragon’s spade has a unique pattern of spots and stripes that set it apart from its peers.
  • Their antlers are mostly curved with few tines, in order to prevent them getting tangled up in tree branches.
  • Males and females are roughly the same size as adults, though female Gemshards have larger spades which they use to help shield their eggs during incubation.
  • Gemshard Dragons are highly social and gregarious, even with dragons of other species. They have been known to try to incite play with more aggressive dragons by nipping at their tails.
  • When excited, Gemshard Dragons will arch their backs and bounce around on all fours, flashing their colorful scales in an energetic display that never fails to inspire other Gemshards to join in.
  • Gemshard Dragons have hollow bones and are very light for their size, allowing them to safely climb branches that otherwise seen like they should break.

Hatchling Behavior

  • Hatchlings begin mimicking their parents’ leaps at a very young age—usually with little success.
  • It is unknown how Gemshard offspring derive the color of their scales, as they only occasionally take after their parents.
  • They are able to scurry from branch to branch nearly as well as adults within days of hatching.
  • Hatchlings will begin to leap for display soon after shedding their antlers for the first time, at which point they are capable of fending for themselves.
  • Hatchlings are raised communally and will often treat any friendly stranger like a responsible parent when they’re hungry.

Adult Behavior

  • They enjoy nothing more than vaulting high into the air and performing impressive aerobatics, flashing their brilliant colors for all to see.
  • They will try to jump as high as they possibly can and twist into dizzying patterns in order to impress potential partners.
  • During the rainy season, Gemshards spend much of their time below the canopy, huddled together in tightly-knit piles with their spades interlocked in an effort to keep warm and dry.
  • Freshly laid Gemshard eggs are actually quite soft.
  • Expecting parents will go to great lengths to collect colorful stones to festoon their newly laid eggs in order to protect them from harm.
  • Most scuffles among generally-peaceful Gemshards arise over ownership of the gemstones with which they decorate their eggs.
  • Adult Gemshard Dragons will enter a brumation period when temperatures drop, spending most of their time sleeping and moving very little until the temperatures rise again.

Habitat

  • Almost exclusively found in dense jungle canopies.
  • Multiple generations of gemshard dragons often call the same tree or stand of trees home.
  • Nests are constructed high in the trees, often made of interwoven branches and vines.
  • A Gemshard which finds itself on the ground is likely injured or ill.

Diet

  • Herbivores; their diet consists of fruits and vegetation that can be harvested from the trees.
  • In the wintertime, Gemshards will eat little more than tree bark stripped from their immediate surroundings.
  • On rare occasions, a gravid female will eat insects and the eggs of other arboreal species for additional nutrients.

Trivia[]

  • After a user commented that laying gemstone-studded eggs must be painful, Odeen revealed that the gems are not produced within the bodies of the dragons, but rather added manually to the eggshells for protection before they harden.
  • The original three colors were referred to by Odeen as ruby, jade, and azure.[1] Following the release of an additional three variants, the variants were referred to as ruby, jade, sapphire, citrine, amethyst, and aqua or aquamarine.[2]

Additional information[]

Regarding Gemshard tail-interlocking behavior:

They pile up all over each other and lace the forks of their tails together to form a crude thatched umbrella. It's an absolute nightmare to untangle afterward, but gemshards see it as a challenging game and the whole exercise helps form and strengthen communal bonds.
Odeen (Forum Post)

Odeen also responded to a remark on similarities between Gemshards and World of Warcraft's Cloud Serpents:

The resemblance isn't coincidental. I play WoW, and cloud serpents were one of the critters that inspired me when I was designing these.
Odeen (Forum Post)

References[]

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