on average throughout sornieth, the concept of a sixth egg is used variously as a neutral, relatively innocent and somewhat cute symbol associated with adoption, but can also be conceptually nebulously associated in a negative light with the unnatural depending on the usage on a case by case basis. though these meanings usually exist simultaneously in culture but tend to be mutually exclusive, on many occasions throughout draconic history the adoption meaning of the sixth-egg imagery has also been used in a negative light by political movements and propaganda as a "too many mouths to feed" symbol, used to justify societal expulsion of a designated other.
in the southern icefield in particular, the idea of a sixth egg is nearly exclusively associated in a negative light with "too many mouths to feed" (with a very occasional tiny side of unnatural where it pertains to their neighboring arcane dragons). the cold harsh winters and only marginally gentler summers are a harsh environs for it's oft-migratory clans, and the cultural isolationism of their kin toward other dragons makes for a cultural landscape where every new mouth is a new logistical problem.
the shifting expanse has a (less pronounced and much less universal but still noticeable) tendency towards using the idea in a generally similar sort of not-enough-resources-burdensome-extra-mouths negative light as the southern icefield for much of the same reasons, just in a more... capitalism-oriented way, combined with a paradoxical and hypocritical propagandistic drive to produce more hatchlings that can grow to work the factories. oddly, the idea of it being associated with something unnatural-either negatively or positively-is absent here entirely.
in plague and nature specifically, the imagery of a nest of six eggs is a positive symbol of prosperity and flourishing, though the exact nuance of the symbol is quite different-with plague it's more "we will survive and breed you out, fuck you, we're everywhere, multiplying like flies", and is generally referenced in reaction to nature culture out of irony and spite, but does not tend to be brought up or directly alluded to otherwise and does not typically appear on traditional scrimshaws, which instead prefer to depict the concept of a clan's reproductive prosperity with images of many nests holding a nonspecific number of more than five eggs.
nature however is far more into it and also uses it as a much more literal actual physical symbol, they plaster it on everything in stylish woodcut swirls on their decor like a blessing of fertility to make things feel like home. (which also has the slightly amusing effect of, in some places, leading to the six-egg symbol being vaguely associated with nature dragons.) entire architectural styles center around it's usage. a certain variety of organically-shaped tree growth magically trained into smooth tasteful wooden swirls and archways-decorated with delicate scrawls and, of course, fertility egg decoration and alluding symbols- is especially popular in the southern regions of the jungle proper hosting a large cultural influence from diaspora of the light flight (which would explain why this spacious style is also so fond of incorporating libraries, lofts, complex windows, and lanterns).
the starfall isles tends to view the idea of more than five eggs as a sign of the unnatural with barely any lingering cultural remembrance of the adoption association at all, but specifically in a neutral to positive light, something to be curious and intrigued about rather than initially repulsed. more typical average global draconic society tends to raise their eyebrow at this perception.
in the shadow flight, the idea of a sixth egg is associated with much more esoteric and mythological ideas. depending on the exact circumstances it can be seen as an omen, a sign the hatchling will be cursed, a sign the hatchling will be magical, a sign the hatchling will be touched by spirits or fairies, a sign the hatchling is a chosen one of a prophetic poem, a sign the hatchling is fated to kill their siblings, a sign the hatchling will be insane, a sign of about seven dozen different mythological creatures that are all said to eat, replace, curse, imitate, and generally nest-parasitize draconic eggs, a symbol associated with twice as many mythological figures who were said to be born from unnatural sixths eggs, an uncountable number of absurdly specific tarot card prophecies related somehow to star signs, an even more uncountable number of different localized folk tales, an even more uncountable number of eerie folk sayings and wisdoms that are always taken strangely seriously (shadowlings are nothing if not a superstitious lot), and so on and on and on and trying to figure out which specific thing any given usage of the idea is meant to evoke is like trying to figure out which tolkien elf any given unlabeled piece of art is about by counting the stiches on their clothing as someone who barely even knows there's a book. for any but a native shadowling, there is virtually no hope.
some scholars in the light flight treat the idea of sixth egg as a sort of in-joke about chasing evidence of a scientific impossibility.
in addition to the low-grade typical associations of the sixth-egg idea, earth flight also has and has historically had many different political and cultural movements within itself that use the imagery of a nest with eleven eggs of differing elements. this symbol is generally used by movements calling for mediation and reconciliation between the world's flights, and less helpfully, as a justification for paternalism and for-all-intents-and-purposes "benevolent" conquest of them. on occasion a harpy egg or another clumsy attempted nod to beastclans is added, but it is rare, and the groups that do so tend to be the sort that are somewhat derided by mainstream society as, for lack of a better word, overly dragon-woke.
the eleven-element nest has also been used by unrelated groups across the rest of sornieth from time to time as a symbol associated with various forms of anti-war movements, calling for the end of conflict between flights. often these are somewhat derided as foolish and overly idealistic-or even actively blasphemous and traitorous, depending on how much the individual is drinking their given deity's "conquer the world spread our glorious element" koolaid-by mainstream draconic society in much the same way that those who use beastclan-inclusive versions of the eleven-nest are in the earth flight.
it's important to understand that these ideas-with the exception of the eleven-nest, the nature ongoing campaign of homely sigil-spam, lightning's occasional usage on political flags, and orphanages occasionally having a cute six egg graphic on their signpost, the idea of a sixth egg is not a literal, actually present cultural symbol or rune of any kind. the idea is incorporated into some common sayings, but you're not going to see people going around referencing the almighty six egg rune of power or something, instead the idea is "associated" with these things in the sort of unspoken social undercurrent, unrealized, subconscious way that people tend to have a vague knee-jerk association of nighttime with owls.
fuck you shifting expanse wouldn’t do that actually
