#because that sounds sick as fuck tbh. turned it into a moral dilemma though. for the shade beasts not for the dragons.

[heckling-hydrena]

I have no idea if I'll ever fucking get around to writing Wishbone's lore so I'll explain what the city is outright:

the big reveal by the end of that particular storyline is supposed to be that Wishbone isn't a city, it's the lure on an eldritch anglerfish. the reason why so many citizens have a conflicting view of the city (for example, Kestrel came to Wishbone by train, even though no one else has ever seen train tracks running through the desert) is because it's shaped to fit the individual's ideal view via magic fuckery. everyone that came to wishbone was unhappy. everyone wanted something more. and that Want led them to Wishbone - a city they have never heard of before yet one they innately knew had what they were seeking, and also, somehow, knew how to find. every version of Wishbone is true and none of them are. the beast below is simply stockpiling food for when it wakes from its slumber and gets the desire (not a need, the shade needs nothing.) to feed again. it's why the magic chargers in Wishone are so potent - they draw from the massive, massive well that is the creature. it's also why shade beasts are so drawn to the city - that powerful pull of magic that draws them in with the need to consume. with so many dragons in one place, they assume that's all that the pull is. because once a magic source gets so big, it's hard to tell its actual size. and the maw doesn't mind sharing its food with other shade, it'll end up eating them anyway. they can devour as many dragons as they want, so long as they're prepared to be devoured in turn. the creature feels no malice, only that pure, insatiable hunger that any shade knows, no matter if they act on it or not. dragons Want, and the shade Hungers, and that's how it will be until the great shade that lurks in the depths of space grows big enough to swallow sornieth whole, gods and all, and never knows hunger again.

that's the gist of it at least lol