Friday, November 7, 2008

Unicorns

I do not know where my original work on Unicorns is. It may be lost forever. A lot of work was when my computer crashed beyond repair a few years ago. Everything I had failed to print was lost. I had done backups, but the new computer doesn't recognize the format and they can't be read. Technology is so wonderful.

What I remember is that the Unicorns were similar to Dragons in that their number was fixed. I don't recall what that number was. Unlike Dragons, Unicorns were not phyically powerful. Instead, they imparted extraordinary ability to those who managed to befriend them. Many believed the Unicorns to be magical, but in truth they merely enhanced natural ability.

There were eight kinds, each with its own color. A Unicorn's color revealed its special power, as well as the region in which it could be found. I do not recall which power went with which color, nor the region. It may be that had not been decided. Certainly, I had not named any.

The colors were as follows: white, black, red, green, blue, gold, silver and lavender.

The powers (as I remember them) were: sight, hearing, quickness, smell, vision (as in fortelling), understanding, healing (both self and of others), shadow (the ability to remain unseen).

Dragons

I was just looking at my Dragons Geneology. It's one of my older documents, dating back into the 1980s. It's an unfinished document. I haven't worked on it in years. The intent was to list every dragon every made/born on The Great Sea. I have slots open for names, but very few dragons actually received their name. Originally, there would be 2,544 dragons divided equally over 12 breeds. I'm sure I will return to this document and actually finish it, but probably not until I finish with the family archives. That could be a while.

Dragons were conceived by Zenophone, but created as a collaberative effort with Kensington and Draem. They were the mightiest, and most intelligent, of the Children of Fire (COF) creations. They were made from the elements found within the Great Sea, but also imbued with the Fire, which burned in the center. That the dragons should be intelligent with wills of their own was unexpected. But then, the COF didn't fully comprehend the Fire they used to help make their creations.

Zenephone's purpose in creating the dragons became clear when he made his move to take control of the Great Sea to himself. It had been his plan that the dragons would come to his aid, and many did. But not all. The Wyth and Byth dragons refused him, concerning themselves more with protecting the Pennell people. Other breeds did join in the war, but it wasn't always clear which side they fought for. Only a few were completely under Zenophone's control.

Each dragon breed was different in appearance, strength and wisdom, but they all shared certain traits. They could all fly, although some were better at it than others. They all possessed tremendous strength, and were impervious to disease. They lived forever, unless killed. That could be done, but few were capable of it. Each began with a single pair. Females would lay seven eggs, over a period of years. The second egg would not come until the first hatchling had left the nest. The first was always a male, and it would be the largest and strongest of the seven. The next two would always be female, each slightly smaller than its predecessor. The fourth would be male. The first male would eventually mate with the first female (these are not people, so it isn't sick), and the second female with the second male. The last three would not mate. They also lacked the intelligence of the first four. Basically, they were giant beasts, acting on instinct rather than thought. Although not nearly so powerful as their older siblings, these were the dangerous dragons, the beasts which were most often found hoarding gems and jewelry. They could talk, and they believed themselves to be all-powerful and wise, but they were deluded.

Wyth Dragons
Wyth Dragons were white. Along with the Byth Dragons, they were the largest and wisest of the twelve breeds. They were also the most difficult to find. Wyth dragons were most often found in the high reaches of mountains. Their color allowed them to blend in seemlessly with the snow which surrounded them. When they flew it was generally within clouds. Their piercing awareness allowed them to see through the mists. They took their life energy from the Fire, which poured light and life upon all worlds. They were especially friendly to the Pennells.

Byth Dragons
Byth Dragons were black. Apart from pigment, there was little difference between the Byth and the Wyth. Byth dragons lived in shadows, where their dark color camouflaged them. They could be found in mountain caves or thick forests. They were most active at night.

Rath Dragons
Rath Dragons were red, rubies being a major part of their scales. They were impatient with the lesser beings and creatures of the Sea and often inflicted harm on others. They feared nothing, except Wyths, Byths and sometimes Gaths.

Gath Dragons
Gath Dragons were green. They were like a twin to the Rath, holding all other creatures in disdain. Like their Rath cousins, they tended to avoid Wyths and Byths - and Raths.

Bourn Dragons
Bourn Dragons were blue, like azure. They were the first of the Third Level Dragons. Less in stature then the Wyths and Byths, and the Raths and Gaths, they were still formidable. They were usually found near water. They were probably the most tolerant of the Free Peoples.

Gourn Dragons
Gourn Dragons were gold, and they were attracted to places rich in gold. Although not exactly tolerant of the Free People, Gourns did tend to ignore them - as long as they left the gold alone.

Sourn Dragons
Sourn Dragons were bluish silver. They liked to travel and seldom remained in any area long. They had a wicked sense of humor and enjoyed testing their wisdom against the Free Peoples.

B'Lei Dragons
B'Lei Dragons were bronze. They were a desert dragon, though not sandy desert. They preferred pack clay, burnt orange from the sun. They were one of several breeds which gave themselves wholly to Zenephone during the Great War.

Y'Lei Dragons
Y'Lei Dragons were yellow, like sulfer. They were also a desert dragon, although they could be found in grassy plains as well. Like the B'Lei, they were eager to join to Zenephone when he attempted to take control of the Sea to himself.

P'Lei Dragons
P'Lei Dragons were one of the more beautiful dragons. Their color ranged from lavender to violet, depending on age. As they grew older, they darkened. Like their cousins, the B'Lei and Y'Lei, P'Lei dragons bent toward supporting Zenephone in his quest for domination.

Grond Dragons
Grond Dragons were grey, and they belonged to the final tier of dragons. They preferred rocky terrains in any climate. When laying still they tended to look like a large pile of rocks. They were observant, paying attention to all within their scope. It is said they so looked like the rocks which hid them, that it was not unheard of that the Free Peoples should actually camp within their reach and never know it. Grond Dragons were slow to act.

Brond Dragons
Brond Dragons were brown. They were not keen on the Free Peoples, but they loved the other creature made by the COF. It is also said they protected the herds of hoofed animals which roamed grassy plains. They proved to be less of an aid to Zenophone than planned. They mostly concerned themselves with the care of beasts.

Today's Music



Yeah. That's The Great Sea all right.

Contributors