Age of Fire
|
Cover from Dragon Champion | |
| Author | E. E. Knight |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Paul Youll |
| Country |
 United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy, Adventure |
| Publisher | Roc Books |
| Published | 2005 – present |
| Media type | Paperback |
| Preceded by | 'Vampire Earth' |
Age of Fire is a series of fantasy/adventure novels written by E. E. Knight, who is also known for writing the Vampire Earth series of novels.
Plot
The series follows the adventures of three dragon siblings. All having hatched from a clutch of five eggs carefully protected by the female dragon Irelia and her mate, bronze AuRel, the young dragons quickly establish themselves into distinct roles. Upon hatching, the males of the clutch are instinctively driven to fight each other to the death, which leads to the death of a Red hatchling, while the Copper suffers a crippled leg and must live as an outcast, leaving grey Auron to dwell with his two sisters under the protection of their parents. All four hatchlings survive their first seasons in the cavern, until an attack on their home cave results in the deaths of their mother and the female hatchling Jizara. Auron and Wistala escape into the Upper World, while the crippled Copper eventually makes his way deeper below ground. In the fantasy setting of the novels, dragon population has been dwindling as relations among the many races worsen. Humans especially are becoming the dominant species, but there are still powerful factions of dwarves, elves and other sentient species.
The first three books are written from a different sibling's point of view and occur simultaneously. They are stand-alone novels that are accessible without having read the other two.
Dragon Champion (Book 1)
- Perspective: AuRon
Dragon Champion follows AuRon (Auron), the youngest male and clutchwinner. After being separated from Wistala, he is captured and sold to humans buying dragon hatchlings. He escapes and sets forth to seek the dragon NooMoahk because of a rumour that the ancient black knows the secret of dragonkind's supposed fatal weakness. Along the way he encounters many friends and future allies, the Dawn Roarer wolf pack, the tradesdwarf Djer, Naf the mercenary and the girl-child Hieba. AuRon studies under NooMoahk for a time and then comes to rule a small kingdom of the local blighters after the latter's death. However, the blighter ruler he had installed is killed by rivals who wish to lead all blighters to war with the humans. AuRon comes to learn of the Wyrmmaster who believes in human supremacy and wishes to wipe out the other races. The blighter war was instigated by him to destroy the other races. The Wyrmmaster is so named because he uses dragons to fight his wars; it was to him AuRon would have been sold to as a hatchling. AuRon volunteers and infiltrates to serve the Wyrmmaster and finds the "fatal" weakness of dragons: the fact that they imprint upon the first creature they see upon hatching and can then be tamed. With the help of the female dragons AuRon leads a successful uprising against the Wyrmmaster. AuRon mates with Natasatch and hopes to raise his children so that the males do not kill each other upon hatching, ending the book.
Dragon Avenger (Book 2)
- Perspective: Wistala
Dragon Avenger follows Wistala, the sole surviving female. After being separated from Auron, she tracks down their gravely-injured father and spends some weeks nursing him back to health. However, Wistala and AuRel are found by the dragon hunter Drakossozh, and after her father is killed she is forced to leap into a gorge to escape. She is rescued, unconscious and near death, by a kindhearted elf named Rainfall who becomes an adoptive father to the orphan. During her stay with Rainfall, Wistala becomes involved in a conspiracy by the local thane Hammar to claim Mossbell, Rainfall's ancestral home. She later travels with a circus as a fortune teller, briefly roaming the land after uncasing her wings in search of dragons who can help her avenge her family's deaths. After an unsuccessful meeting with a small group of ambivalent dragons in the north, Wistala returns to the circus and wins favor with a dwarf named Gobold Fangbreaker, the ruler of the Wheel of Fire and the same dwarf responsible for the murder of her parents. Wistala manipulates his downfall from a position of trust, instigating a war between the dwarves and the human barbarians of the north and sabotaging the dwarves, leading to the downfall of the stronghold. Wistala slays Gobold and later encounters the Dragonblade, who agrees to end the bloodshed between their families. The book ends with Wistala preparing to leave in search of AuRon, who she finds is still alive.
Dragon Avenger spans the least amount of time of the first three books, following Wistala's first 14 years or so.
Dragon Outcast (Book 3)
- Perspective: the Copper (RuGaard)
Dragon Outcast follows the copper as he explores the lower world. Meeting with blood-sucking bats and dwarves, he makes his way to a community of dragons in the Lavadome, where he is adopted into the imperial family by the current ruler, the Tyr, and named RuGaard. RuGaard deals with politics and hominids, and searches for his place in a world of treachery and war. During his stay in the Lavadome, he becomes the owner of the human thrall Rayg, the lost great-grandson of Wistala's adopted elf father. He is later forced to mate with the sickly dragonelle Halaflora by the Tyr's mate. Not long after the Tyr dies and his brother-in-law SiDrakkon becomes Tyr. Rayg succeeds in crafting a brace for the wing that Drakossozh crippled in RuGaard's infancy, enabling the Copper to fly. Emissaries of the Wyrmmaster arrive and attack the Copper's home of Anaea, shortly after SiDrakkon dies under mysterious circumstances and his nephew SiMelovant becomes Tyr and arranges peace with the invaders. After the accidental death of Halaflora, RuGaard leads a successful assault against invading dragonriders and kills the Dragonblade, Drakossozh as well as SiMelovant. With the victory, RuGaard is named Tyr (king) of the Lavadome dragons, with his drakehood love Nilrasha as his mate.
Nearly all of Dragon Outcast takes place in the lower world.
Dragon Strike (Book 4)
- Perspective: AuRon, Wistala and the Copper (RuGaard)
A mysterious plague sweeps through Lavadome forcing upon RuGaard a decision that could save or bring an end to dragon kind. Meanwhile, Wistala sets off to find AuRon and winds up falling down a deep well during a fight. Wistala is captured by Demen and becomes their "ambassador" with the Tyr of the Lavadome. AuRon leaves the Isle of Ice to find Wistala and find gold for his hatchlings. Eventually their different paths merge, bringing them together to confront their common foe, the Red Queen of the Ghioz. Dragon Strike is the fourth book, but the sequel to the first three books.
Dragon Rule (Book 5)
Perspective: AuRon, Wistala and the Copper (RuGaard)
Wistala, sister to the Copper who is now Emperor of the Upper World, has long thought humans the equal of dragons. She leads the Firemaids, fierce female fighting dragons who support the Hominids of Hypatia. Which puts her at odds with both her brothers, for the Copper has no use for the humans he now dominates, and AuRon, the rare scaleless grey, would isolate himself and his family from both the world of men and the world of dragons. Dragon Rule is the fifth book[2] and was released on the 1st December 2009.
Dragon Fate (Book 6)
Perspective: AuRon, Wistala and RuGaard
Dragon Fate starts out with RuGaard, Wistala and AuRon all taking shelter away from the Lavadome (as they were exiled in the last book). Wistala goes with DharSii to hunt a troll while AuRon has returned to visit his mate. While Wistala and DharSii are hunting, they learn that NiVom and Imfamnia have tried to take power from the twins and another clan war has broken out.
World
Species
Most species in Age of Fire are technically sentient and can speak at least one language, either specific to their species (cat, dragon) or general for their type (beast, avian). However, the focus of the series is on the dragons and their interactions with the different hominid species.
Places
- The Egg Cave
- A cave inhabited by AuRel and Irelia and their clutch. It is shared with bats, slugs, and rats. The cave has lichen growing on bat droppings, and streams and pools of water from the upper world.
In Dragon Champion
- The Inland Ocean
- An ocean spanning to the west of the mountains.
- The Isle of Ice
- A collection of islands in the north of the inland ocean. These islands are often covered with fog and clouds. They are inhabited by dragons and blighters. Also the site where AuRon fights the wizard of the Isle of Ice.
In Dragon Avenger
- Mossbell
- The ancestral home of Rainfall and focus of events throughout the book.
- The Troll's Cave
- The cave of a troll that constantly causes trouble for Rainfall and anyone who passes over the bridge. Later Wistala deems it to be the perfect spot for a dragonelle to live in and have a clutch.
- The Wheel of Fire
- A dwarven stronghold that creates pricey weapons and spends a great deal of time hunting down dragons. The leader of the hall is the same dwarf who betrayed Wistala's parents. Also taking residency there is the Dragonblade and his family.
- Sadda-Vale and Vesshall
- An extremely secluded, steep valley known for its high winds and large number of trolls. Vesshall is an ancient collection of carved structures and abode of the white dragon Scabia (the only female dragon portrayed in the books who is not green) and her immediate family. Dhar-Sii is also known to frequent the area as part of an exchange deal with the Lavadome.
In Dragon Outcast
- Lavadome-Underground feature possibly created by the wizard Anklemere. It consists of a large underground cavern with a crystalline inner surface that is backlit by lava (hence the feature's name). Within the Lavadome, a dragon empire emerged after the fall of the wizard Anklemere. The first Tyr, FeHazethant, united the three clans (Skotl, Anklene, and Wyrr), and forged the empire. Most of the draconic population lives within the Lavadome itself, though several exist in the Upper World to oversee the Upholds (think colonies). One such Uphold is Anaea.
- Anaea Uphold-Uphold where the Copper/Rugaard is assigned after his mating to Halaflora. A mountainous Uphold, its primary value lay in that it was the perfect environment in which to cultivate kern. Kern is critical to the Lavadome dragons because it aids digestion (presumably because it's high in fiber) and because it delivers nutrients to the dragons they would normally receive through sun exposure. Without these nutrients or sun exposure, the dragons become extremely sickly. In Anaea, Rugaard eventually becomes RuGaard when he uncases his wings.
Characters
Main characters
- AuRon (Auron, Long-Tail Fire-Heart, Firelong): AuRon is the champion of his clutch, being the last surviving male to remain on the egg shelf. He is rare among dragons in the fact that he has no scales, and thus is termed a "grey"; however, his skin color actually changes to match his surroundings. Scaleless, he is lighter and able to fly longer and faster than other dragons. He makes less sound than his scaled brethren. Additionally, AuRon has no appetite for metals, which normal dragons crave and consume to replace their scales. He is energetic and slightly headstrong, though he can be very serious and is extremely smart. AuRon is rare among dragons in that he keeps his egg tooth, which later hardens to become a horn of sorts, which he uses to aim his fire. In his opinion he believes Dragons should not interfere with the tribulations of the hominid races, though he does see the problems of isolating himself in an area with no metal for his family.
- Wistala (Tala): Wistala, the first of two females to hatch in the clutch, has a sharp wit, and is very self-confident. Due to the traumatic destruction of her home, Wistala becomes something of a tomboy rather than being interested in typical dragonelle behavior, such as mating. Her scales are green, as is normal for most females. She shows a thirst for knowledge after being taken in under Rainfall and becomes a librarian of Hypatia. She also shows a particular interest in the dragon DharSii, a possible love interest. From her mother she takes the lessons of how to improvise and to learn from the mistakes of the dragons from Silverhigh, a famed dragon empire destroyed by complacency. Though having promised her father to bear a fruitful clutch, she is the only dragon to remain unmated at the end of her book. She believes dragons can coexist peacefully with the hominids. She is stronger than most dragons and thicker scaled then most dragonelles.
- The Copper (RuGaard (Formal Adult name taken when wings come in), Rugaard): The Copper was the first of the three males in the clutch to hatch. Together with Auron, they killed the third male (who had ruby-red scales), but then Auron forced him off the egg shelf, dooming him to a life of namelessness and self-sufficiency (as their parents more or less would not pay attention to a male besides the clutchwinner). He learns to be very resourceful, though, even with the multiple debilitating injuries he acquires: a crippled leg from the fall off the egg shelf, a hurt eye from a fight with Wistala, a stab that cripples his wing from the Dragonblade, and a stab to the fire bladder from a group of Demen. The only piece of advice given to him from his mother is to overcome and create a new line all his own. Out of all the siblings he seems to have been given the highest position, yet he still feels estranged from other dragons. He receives the name "Rugaard" upon reaching the Lavadome, though in the narration is still referred to as "The Copper".
Siblings' family
By heritage
- Jizara: Jizara is the only sibling that did not survive the raid of the Egg Cave. She is described as being thinner and longer than Wistala, and has a wonderful singing voice (as described by The Copper). She is also the only one who shows any real kindness to the Copper. She is killed by the Dragonblade during the raid of the Egg Cave, her last breaths being used to beg for mercy.
- The Red Hatchling: This red hatchling was the second male to hatch, but was killed by AuRon and the Copper.
- AuRel: A bronze dragon with a storied lineage. He is the father of the siblings. AuRel returns from hunting to find the Egg Cave being attacked. He escaped, but with serious injuries. Wistala finds AuRel wounded and unable to fly, and tries to heal him. While returning from a search to find metal for him, she unknowingly leads The Dragonblade to AuRel. AuRel attempts to fight The Dragonblade, but being injured makes him unable to fight. The Dragonblade kills AuRel as Wistala watches.
- Epata: The mother of AuRel.
- AuRye: A red dragon; the father of AuRel. After destroying an army of humans, he was killed when he faced a second army, filled with survivors of the old, that countered his tactics. A very famous dragon, from the Skotl clan of the Lavadome, AuRye was renowned for his thick scale and skill in warfare, smashing armies. He is recognized by AuRel as impulsive but also very mighty- one of the strongest dragons ever to exist.
- Irelia: The calm, sensible mother of the siblings. She is green, as is common for females. Irelia is killed in the Raid on the Egg Cave.
- Antialovna: The mother of Irelia, and thus the maternal grandmother of the Siblings.
- EmLar: The father of Irelia. He was the grey whose genes were passed to AuRon.
- NiVom: The grandson of EmLar, a cousin to the Siblings. Meets the Copper in the Drakwatch and becomes a full commander. As of Dragon Rule, the siblings and NiVom do not appear to be aware of their relation. NiVom is poisoned by Imfamnia, who is later revealed to be possessed by The Red Queen, in Dragon Fate.
- AuNor: The ancient ancestor of the siblings, whose line they belong.
- ""AuSurath"": A red and the first of AuRon's sons, headstrong and impatient. He later joins the Aerial Host and rises to the position of commander of the Heavy Wing of the Aerial Host.
- ""AuMoakh"": A gold and the second son of AuRon, observant and methodical.
By mating
- Natasatch: A green female dragon who is enslaved and sold to the Wyrmmaster. Along with other females she was kept captive and forced to help the wizard breed his army for years, later helping to stage an uprising and evicting the humans from the isle. She becomes AuRon's mate at the end of Dragon Champion. In "Dragon Rule" she develops a keen interest in the newly emergent Empire society that leads to her separation from AuRon during his exile.
- Nilrasha: An ex-Firemaiden, she worked alongside the Copper during the events of Dragon Outcast and fell in love in spite of (or maybe perhaps because of) his unique physical disabilities. She is the centre of much controversy, partly because of her breaking the Firemaiden's oath of virginity to mate with the Copper and also because of the suspicious circumstances surrounding Halaflora's death which many believe she was directly responsible for. The aristocracy of the Lavadome resent her meek beginnings and accuse her of being a relentless social climber. She is later injured during the Battle of Hypatia and rendered flightless, leading to her being forced into an unofficial retirement from the political scene.
- Halaflora: The sickly granddaughter of FeHazathant and Tighlia, she becomes RuGaard's first mate through an arranged mating by Tighlia as a means to legally bind him to the family, although the Copper doesn't truly love her. Although the circumstances of her death is unclear - as the only one around at the time is Nilrasha and she has motive to kill Halaflora - Nilrasha claims that Halaflora thought herself pregnant and, confused, starts to rapidly consume meat. However, Halaflora's sickly nature made her too weak and she chokes on a piece of bone and dies. The Copper and many others view the story with skepticism, but do not dare voice their opinion to Nilrasha.
- DharSii: First appears in Dragon Avenger, is mentioned in Dragon Outcast, features in Dragon Strike and Dragon Rule as well as Dragon Fate. Described as orange or red with several dark stripes along his back. Former commander of the Aerial Host in the Lavadome. The name DharSii is an assumed name taken after a fatal duel with AgGriffopse, Tyr FeHazathant’s only son. DharSii translates roughly as sure-claw or quick-claw, a reference to the manner of AgGriffopse’s death. Wistala and DharSii secretly mated in Vesshall, producing a clutch given to Scabia’s daughter in exchange for living in Vesshall.
Recurring characters
- Hazeleye: Hazeleye is an elf who captures, studies, and traffics dragons. Despite her job she displays a great deal of compassion for dragons and is often at odds with her compatriots. She frees AuRon as a hatchling after growing disillusioned with a dragon-trapping trade and is crippled for her actions. She is one of the only characters to interact with all three of the siblings.
- The Dragonblade (Drakossozh):The Dragonblade is a man who dedicated his life to hunting down dragons; he has two weapons designed to do just that, a spear, Byltzarn (the White Spear of Lightning), and a sword, Dunherr (the Thunder's Edge). He is hired by Gobold to get revenge upon two dragons that cheated him. As a result he directly kills AuRel and Jizara. In his career only three dragons survive or are spared by the Dragonblade: AuRon, Wistala and The Copper. He is one of the only characters to interact with all three of the siblings. At the end of Dragon Avenger Wistala and he put an end to their mutual feud and he retires, only reluctantly battling the Copper at the end of Dragon Outcast. The Copper killed him in their final duel.
- Eliam Dragonblade:Son of the Dragonblade, he is seen as short-tempered and arrogant. In contrast to his father he is sadistic and cowardly; more of an executioner than a warrior and afraid to face dragons on equal terms. He lost his left eye to Wistala during the sacking of Mossbell and is killed by AuRon during the revolt on The Isle of Ice.
- Rayg: An inventive young human, he is the son of Lada and Thane Hammar. He is eventually acquired by the dragons of the Lavadome and becomes a thrall of the Imperial Line. His expertise gains him great recognition from the Copper. It was he began construction on a bridge and invented the brace for the Copper's damaged wing, the Copper often comes to him for advice and promises to free him if he completes his bridge project. Despite the Copper's promises Rayg is never freed, usually because of his various unfinished projects. He is pragmatic and does not seem too troubled by his enslavement. In Dragon Fate, Rayg conspires with Imfamnia (later revealed to be possessed by the Red Queen of the Ghioz) to overthrow dragonkind. He breeds an army of supersoldiers by feeding dragonblood to the Demen Legion while also digging tunnels in the Lower World to allow their transport. He also breeds a host of trolls on dragonblood, controlling them through a crystal. This mutates them into scaled monsters with wings, which he augments by creating dragonblooded Griffaran guards, which sacrifice speed for size and power. To end all challenge to his plans, he destroys the Heavy Wing of the Aerial Host in an ambush, overcoming the most powerful force under the sun by ambushing them in their sleep with his trolls. Most of the Aerial Host is killed along with the Grand Commander of the Aerial Host. He is killed when he flees the siblings with Infamnia, whose wings fail her, sending them plummeting to their deaths.
- Rhea (girl): One of the many thralls that belong to the Dragons of the Lavadome. She is never shown to speak in the stories and is assumed to be mute. She is married to Rayg and the two of them have children together. She is the only unbiased eyewitness to Halaflora's death.
- Naf Touraq: A mysterious man from the east who has an enormous sense of humour. He becomes a commander in the military and later king of his own lands. He is perhaps the only human that AuRon truly trusts.
- Hieba: A girl rescued by Naf and raised by AuRon for a year of her childhood. She grows up and falls in love with Naf, but is held captive by the Red Queen. On several occasions she is referenced by AuRon as a "loose woman".
- Gobold/Fangbreaker: Dwarf of The Wheel of Fire, who eventually becomes their king after killing one of the previous rulers. Gobold had sought revenge upon AuRel and Irelia for (from his perspective) betraying him in a deal that resulted in the pair gaining their home cave. Gobold received the name Fangbreaker when he killed Irelia by smashing her jaws with his fist. He himself is betrayed from within the Wheel of Fire by Wistala in an act of vengeance.
Other important characters
In Dragon Champion
- The Dawn Roarers: A pack of wolves that AuRon joins after devastating most of the members. They consist of the leader, Hard-Legs Black-Bristle, and members Bright-Sight Fey-Bark, Way-Nose High-Star, and Long-Tail Fire-Heart (AuRon). Their descendants go on to guard the Isle of Ice under AuRon's dominion and help keep his hatchlings entertained.
- Djer: A tradesdwarf of the Chartered Company of the Diadem who frees AuRon of his slave collar and takes him to his company to offer a job. Thanks to the friendship and actions of AuRon, Djer becomes a partner of the Chartered Company. During a later battle Djer is burned badly by a dragon, his body charred inside and out. He suffers until AuRon finds Djer and ends his suffering. Djer is also seen by Wistala in chapter nine of "Dragon Avenger", where she decides not to kill him after seeing him leave his meal to go cold while he tends to an injured pony. Although he is not named, Wistala notices his oddly tall boots, a nod to his nickname "Djer Highboots".
- NooMoahk: A decrepit but wise black dragon, millennia old. In his final years he teaches AuRon wisdom and languages. In the writing he is shown to have a failing mind and little distinction between long term and short term memory, possibly due to the effects of prolonged exposure to a mysterious crystal he guards. He later dies fighting AuRon during one such lapse. It is possible that he is an ancestor of the siblings. AuRon is reverent of him to the point that he even takes a false-name similar to his when investigating the Isle of Ice and even names his one of sons after him.
- Wrimere The Wyrmmaster:: An old wizard who is breeding dragons on the Isle of Ice to be obedient to their human masters; He does this to the purpose of waging a genocide on the elves and dwarves of the world. By manipulating hatchling dragons tendencies to imprint on the first thing they see, he raises dragons as war mounts and enslaves the females as a 'breeding stock'. He commits suicide after AuRon overthrows the dragon riders.
In Dragon Avenger
- Bartleghaff: The leader of a large flock of mountain condors. He is AuRel's oldest friend, though his first appearance would lead you to think otherwise. Wistala meets him as he is waiting for AuRel to die, so he can give his flock the signal to begin feeding on the body. However, it seems this is what AuRel wished for his old friend to do. AuRel jokes about not wanting some stranger getting the best meat for themselves, and Bartleghaff laments that the feast his family would have off of AuRel's corpse would be remembered at every cliff-sit for the next century.
- Rainfall: An elf who cares for Wistala after she narrowly escapes the Dragonblade. He is chivalrous and courteous, introducing Wistala to Hypatian traditions and fostering her interest in them. Rainfall plots with Wistala to stave off Thane Hammar's advances on his familial land, and to this end legally adopts Wistala as his daughter. He is killed by a vindictive Thane Hammar during the sacking of Mossbell
- Yari-Tab (cat): A cat befriended by Wistala.
- Avalanche (horse): Rainfall's horse, once belonged to Rainfall's son. He feels guilty because he wasn't able to prevent his previous master's death. He is killed during the battle with the troll.
- Thane Hammar: The thane of the part of Hypatia that Rainfall lives in. He has a long and bitter rivalry with the old elf, taking his granddaughter captive and impregnating her. He conspires with barbarians to further his own position. He later gains an infamous reputation and the title "Dwarfhanger." Wistala plays him against the dwarves and avenges Rainfalls death by taking him and dropping him among a group of desperate warrior dwarves.
- Stog (mule): A mule previously owned by the Dragonblade and longed for the glory days he had with his group despite his friendship with Wistala. He has a bit of a negative attitude, but he proves to be smarter and a much harder worker than most horses. He is shot and killed by Barbarians while trying to protect Mossbell.
- Lada: Rainfall's granddaughter and mother of Rayg. She is held captive by Thane Hammar as a part of his rivalry with Rainfall and develops Stockholm Syndrome, believing that he loves her. Upon her return she is an impudent brat who resents Rainfall separating her from the Thane and competes with Wistala for Rainfall's affection. She eventually gains a measure of wisdom following a pregnancy and time in the circus.
- Circus Members: A traveling circus consisting of various performers and handlers. Led by the elf Ragwrist who is kindly but tight-fisted and often bemoans the expenses of his circus. Notable members are Dsossa, an elf horse trainer, Intanta, a wizened old fortune teller and Brok, a dwarf in charge of the beasts of burden. Wistala and Lada become members for a brief time.
- Dragons of the Sadda-Vale: Distant relatives of AuRon, Wistala and the Copper. They do not feel that dragons should concern themselves with anything outside of their own territory, even if it is the killing of another dragon family. The only one to show any sense among them in DharSii who stays there sparingly and leaves there hurriedly.
In Dragon Outcast
- The bats: A family of bats that assist The Copper in exchange for his blood, and his saving their lives. They accompany him to the Lavadome where they act as a spy and messenger force for him, and later the Lavadome. After a few generations of feeding almost entirely on dragons blood several bats become large and almost dragon-like, earning the nickname gargoyles.
- '"Tyr FeHazathant"': An old male dragon (deep red/purple) who is the ruler of the Lavadome dragons. He adopts the Copper into the Imperial family after the latter "saves" some griffaran eggs. The Copper sees him as an adoptive grandfather and is devoutly loyal to him. FeHazathant dies shortly after the Copper/RuGaard, informs him of a potential plot against him by SiDrakkon. The Tyr dies under unknown circumstances, naming the Copper as his heir to Tighlia before his death.
- Tighlia: The old mate of Tyr FeHazathant. Wise but can be seen as calculating and cold-hearted. She has a low opinion of the Copper and forces him to marry her sickly granddaughter Halaflora. She dies at the hands of the Dragonblade
- SiDrakkon: A deep red-purple male who is brother to Tighlia. Often bad-tempered but a capable military leader. Has an unhealthy obsession with the smell (and taste) of human thralls. Inherits the position of Tyr from his brother-in-law FeHazathant. Dies under suspicious circumstances.
- SiMevolant: A gold, grandson of the Tyr. Lazy and apathetic, often described as an idiot by the rest of the Imperial Line. He shows his true deviousness in orchestrating the assassination of SiDrakkon with his sister Infamnia and takes the position of Tyr. Willingly submits to the authority of the Dragonblade. Is killed in a duel by the Copper and Nilrasha. Large and thick scaled.
- NoSohoth: The silver majordomo of the Imperial Line. A loyal dragon, but a stickler for protocol.
- NeStirrath: The red commander of the Drakwatch, lost his wings in a past battle. Mentor and father figure to the Copper.He dies in the final battle against the Wyrmmasters dragon riders.
- Rethothana: An Anklene scholar and ally of the Copper
- Drakwatch: The draconic equivalent of the ROTC for young drakes in the Lavadome. Taken by many as the chance for glory and advancement. Has a friendly rivalry with the Firemaids. After the establishment of the Aerial Host it withers down to a cadre of outcast and impoverished families.
- Firemaids: The female equivalent to the Drakwatch, except that upon reaching maturity Firemaidens take a vow of chastity. Has a friendly rivalry with the Drakwatch.
Naming conventions
Naming styles vary by species, and may also vary by situation. Generally, certain species have certain ways in which they name their own, listed below:
Dragons: Typically, male dragons have names beginning with an elemental symbol for the family name, Au for 'Gold', Fe for 'Iron', No for 'Nobellium', and so forth. Before their wings emerge, emphasis on a dragon's name is placed on the, familial, first syllable. Once a male dragon's wings emerge, the emphasis of his name shifts to the second syllable. For this reason, adult males' names are written with the second consonant capitalized, to represent adulthood. For example, when Auron's wings emerge, his name becomes AuRon after that point. Female dragons do not follow this convention, though they may shorten their names for familiarity, such as Wistala's preference that her elf father a human family call her "Tala."
Elves: Most elves have an earthy name reflecting their close ties to nature, and involve some kind of natural object or natural occurrence in their given name – three elves through the books are named as Hazeleye, Rainfall and Halfmoon.
Griffaran: Given their slight difficulty with Drakkine, the griffaran naming conventions vary slightly. Many of their names are a reflection of the sounds they make, such as one of the chief griffaran bodyguards, Aiy-Yip.
Humans: There seem to be no strict naming conventions for humans, though there are regional differences. Men of the Ghioz have different names from men of the Ironriders' Sweep, just as one would expect a difference in names between Europe or Asia.
Wolves: Wolves are called by different names based on familiarity. When spoken by another member of their pack, the first part of their second name is combined with the first part of their first name. For instance, Bright-Sight Fey-Bark is referred to as Feybright within her pack.
Glossary of terms
Since this series contains characters who speak a variety of languages, the terms are grouped by language.
Drakine
- Foua: A product of the fire bladder. When mixed with the liquid fats stored within and then exposed to oxygen, it ignites into oily flame.
- Griff: The armored fans descending from the forehead and jaw that cover a dragon's sensitive ear holes and throat pulse points in battle.
- Prrum: The low thrumming sound a dragon makes when it is pleased or particularly content.
- Saa: The rear legs of a dragon. The three rear true-toes are able to grip, but the fighting spur is little more than decoration.
- Sii: The front legs of a dragon. The claws are shorter, and the fighting spur on the rear leg is closer to the other digits, and opposable. The digits are more elegantly formed for manipulation.
- Torf: A small gob from the fire bladder, used to provide a few moments of illumination.
- Griff-Tchk: An instant, and immeasurably short amount of time
- Laudi: Brave and glorious deeds in a dragon's life that make it into the lifesong.
- Kazhin: A dragon related to you on unfriendly terms.
- Uzhin: A dragon related to you on friendly terms.
Dwarvish
- Cocolat: A dwarvish sweet made from rare tropical beans and milk (chocolate?).
- Dhssol: An "evil star" or catastrophe.
- Dwarsaw: A metal chain which converts into a saw when pulled taught.
- Pogt: A dwarvish curse.
Elvish
- Gar-loque: A smelly but flavorful bulb of the lily family with a slightly dragonish odor (garlic?).
- Haspadalanesh: The final, rooted stage of an elf's life.
- Senisote: Music.
Feline
- Tchatlassat: A close friend.
Hypatian
- Balagan: A sort of crane.
- Mod: Hypatian low-priest title.
- Nuum: Hypatian librarian or professor title.
- Vesk: A Hypatian mark of distance based on the amount of distance light infantry can cover in an hour - about three-and-a-half miles.
- Yeo: An informal title for those who act as retainers for Hypatian nobles.
Dragon notes
Colors of scales
- Male Dragons can have scales in the colors of Gold, Silver, Bronze, Copper, Red, Blue, White, Black or scaleless with gray skin/hide.
- Female Dragons scales are green, although occasionally there is a variance in color, such as the in leader of the dragons of the Sadda-Vale, Scabia, who is a white dragon.
Names
- When dragons first emerge from the egg, both genders are called hatchlings.
- When a hatchling breathes its first fire, the males are named drakes, and the females are named drakka.
- When a drake gets his wings, he is then called a dragon. When a drakka gets hers, she is called a dragonelle.
References
- ↑ Knight, E. E. (2008-10-19). "Sunday morning notes". Bohemian Word Werks. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
- ↑ Knight, E. E. (2008-05-22). "Re: Dragon Strike". Bohemian Word Werks. Retrieved 2008-12-15.