 Fantasy: May 31, 2017 Issue [#8310] |
  Fantasy
This week: Here Be Dragons Edited by: eyestar~*  
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 Hiya! I am happy to be a guest editor for the first time in Fantasy newsletter. 
"But it is one thing to read about dragons and another to meet them." Urusla LeGuin.
"How much can a dragon carry? As much as it thinks it can." Anne McCaffrey
“People who deny the existence of dragons are often eaten by dragons. From within.” Ursula Le Guin
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Here be dragons. I have been fascinated my myths forever and dragons are one of my favourites. From the Reluctant Dragon to the dream dragon in The Neverending Story" and Smaug in "The Hobbit" and on to "The Dragons of Pern" and beyond.
 My first writing experience with a dragon was when my muse was gifting me a tale. Here was this young woman sitting at a table by candlelight, pondering on how she was chosen to be the next prophetess when this miniature old dragon, Snark, appeared on her shoulder with his gruff voice, looking for dinner. He was her friend apparently. Outside the window there was another, a giant this time, but young in comparison to Snark. This trio...well... the tale is still untold. Yet, it showed me that my imagination had picked up some vision of small and huge dragons. When pondering what they might look like, I saw the usual type we all know. Firebreathing scaley creatures with wings.
But did you Know?
The root from the word dragon comes from the French-latin word "draconem" meaning huge serpent or dragon? Before that was the ancient greek word "drakon" meaning "serpent or giant fish" seen by ancient mariners. But that is not all, we can go back to Proto-indo european root word "derk" which means "to see" or "one with a deadly glare"!
Many of our creation myths are associated with dragon beings like the Uroboros, who swallows his own tail, symbolizing the cyclic nature, alpha and omega! Then there is Tiamat, Queztacoatl, the feathered serpent , and the shamanic Itzapaplotl, Aido Hwedo and the dragon goddess NuKua! Such powerful symbols for transformation which can involve destruction out of which can come creation!
Eastern dragons were benevolent and symbolic of emperors? There are many Buddhist shrines and temples associated with the dragon, who was thought to be potent energy with auspicious powers and especially control of waters and rainfall, weather: a good luck symbol connected also to agriculture! Not pets and you certainly would want them on your side!
Then there are the very strange ones like the Bunyip, The Basilsk and Zmaj! The what ?? Yep, that is what I said too, on my travels through dragondom!
Appearance:
So many ways to describe your dragon with details like size, shapes, lengths, colours, features. They are so versatile as mythical creatures. Consider Toothless in How to Train Your dragon, vs. Valcour in The Neverending story or Draco in "Dragon heart"! They each get differing reactions when we see them. 
Check this out:
ttps://dragoncalling.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/dragon-size-chart/
Using Mythical Background:
There are so many differing cultural views on dragons. I read about MO'0 the shapeshifting Hawaiian water dragon as well as the examples I mentioned earlier. Imagine mixing up some fo the cool ideas from other traditions and coming up with something orginal! I found this site fascinating:
https://wyrmflight.wordpress.com/
Personality:
This aspect always draws me to appreciate dragons. Giving dragons unique qualities is a super way to make them shine! I loved the intellectual wise dragons as In Ursula Le Guin's "Earthsea" series and the cute invisible dragon in 'Pete's Dragon." They are very versatile mythical creatures and make good allies or fierce foes or both at the same time. Change up the stereo typic qualities of your dragon!
Realism:
Experts say the more detail in action and description you have to make your dragon character pop out as real, is vital to a believable and appealing character. I think the idea of Show specifics, not Tell would fit here.
Lin Carter in "Imaginary Worlds" says that the little things the dragon does helps create the realism. Treat it like a real specimen with exact actions, even if using the basic dragon archetype, like the ones in Harry Potter, with different appearances and ways of reacting and being treated. The poor abused dragon in the vault seemed real to me! 
So dragon kind, talk to your dragon muse and dream of even more amazing dragons than are in the world of fantasy now! A challenge indeed it seems to me. Are you up for it?
Sources:
https://paulinege.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/what-makes-dragons-so-popular/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imaginary_Worlds:_The_Art_of_Fantasy
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Links to some Dragon tales!
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How about writing your own tale?
For you fantasy sci-fi folks!
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