- History
- Blazing across the night sky in a hellish green glow are these six luminescent dragons, united by the magic that robbed them of their original identities. Known to be incredibly intelligent beings, these dragons are searching far and wide for a way to remedy their current condition.
That's the information specific to this set. But let's look at what we can learn about all six of the dragons in it.
- History
- If you've heard stories of knights and dragons, they were most likely stories of forest dragons. Europe was once covered by forests, and these dark woodlands teemed with forest dragons, although each kept to its own territory. Travelers and woodsmen all spied forest dragons occasionally, and the resulting fright required that brave warriors seek the mighty beasts in their lairs. Forest dragons preferred to avoid conflict, only attacking when attacked, and they often moved to deeper forests when human settlements expanded.
- Story
- The knight shrugged his shoulders, attempting to take some of the weight of his ill-fitting armor off his back. He'd tied his horse off and left it with a squire several miles back, the trees and brush far too thick for the charger. Now, shield in one hand and sword in the other, he hacked through thick undergrowth, venturing deeper into the darkening woods. An out-of-place noise ahead startled him. He dropped his visor and raised his shield, realizing that between the coming evening and the layers of leaves, it was nearly pitch black with the visor down. He dropped his shield in order to raise the visor, when he was suddenly knocked to the ground by a solid object, followed by a whooshing sound and a growl. So it was true. A dragon. He reached for his sword and leapt to his feet, still with his visor down. Something felt very hot. Still seeing almost nothing through the slits of his visor, he wheeled around, sword prodding in front of him. Now he heard crackling, like a fire was burning somewhere. Sharp points slammed into his back, knocking him down again. This time, he crawled into the bushes, stood, and ran. Behind him, he heard the growling again, but this time it sounded like laughter.
- History
- Ice dragons were discovered by humans quite recently, as technology and ship construction have only recently allowed explorers to travel deep into the Artic. Ice dragons prefer cold, icy lands where they can blend with their surroundings, which limits their range. Some fossils have been found in Europe and Canada, suggesting that the dragons ranged farther south during the last ice age. In any case, with their limited range and fierce territorialism, their numbers remain low.
- Story
- In 1845, Sir John Franklin commanded two English ships on an expedition into the Arctic to attempt discovery of the Northwest Passage. The ships carried 129 men and 930 gallons of lemon juice. They were powered by engines meant to break pack ice, and their bows were covered in metal to blast through tight spots. However, the expedition was wholly unprepared for the greatest danger of the north: the ice dragon. The first clue was a hunting party that went missing without a trace. Then one ship was damaged during the night, having struck an unknown object in clear seas. A day later, during a snow storm, the mast was snapped off the other ship, and men reported seeing a dark shadow pass overhead. As they moved further north and west, the doomed crews encountered more resistance. Crew members disappeared from night time watches, oars were snapped off in calm seas, with tooth marks and scratches left behind. Sir John Franklin and his crew were never heard from again, but an expedition over 150 years later discovered a ship's log buried in the ice. The ships themselves have never been found.
- Present Status
- The piercing howl of this creature is said to cause avalanches and rockslides. These dragons tend to be solitary creatures preferring to prowl alone in the frozen polar regions of the North. It is said that their breath can instantly freeze even the largest beasts.
- History
- Like any other species, dragons are classified by shared traits and characteristics. One family is the Dark Dragons, a class of winged, dark-colored beasts that exit their lairs only after sunset. All are rare, and the family includes Ghost Dragons, Twilight Dragons, Cave Dragons, and, of course, Midnight Moon Dragons. This species is so named because they prefer to fly only during new moons, the darkest of all dark nights. They appear in few stories because even the brave knights of King Arthur's time knew better than to grapple with the fell midnight moon dragon. Although not fire breathers, they are silent fliers, which, combined with the dark skies they prefer, makes them nearly invisible.
- Story
- Midnight moon dragons once terrorized dark nights, appearing once every month during the new moon to sweep into villages and raid farms. These dark nights allowed the silent dragons to move about almost undetected, until a brave peasant devised a cunning plan to prevent further attacks on his village. As the sun set on a moonless night, he built a large bonfire, filling the sky with flickering light. The bright flames easily lit up the golden underbelly of a high-flying midnight moon dragon, allowing the village archers to launch a volley of arrows in its direction. None could harm the dragon, but without the element of surprise, the dragon sought easier targets. Thus, the village began a tradition of new-moon bonfires that continues to this day.
- Present Status
- Rare, monitored, stable numbers. The most well-known Mightnight Moon lives on Kilauea, in Hawaii. It is sighted at least once a month.
- History
- As the horned dragons spread throughout eastern Asia, they began to adapt to their surroundings. Some forest dwellers developed brighter colors, not needing to camouflage themselves against predators. Coastal dwellers developed long tails so they could move through water more easily. Mountain dwellers, like the Golden Dragon, adapted with more compact bodies that required less food, and they developed wings for easier travel. All these adaptations helped them survive and thrive in the harsher mountain environment.
- Story
- Once each century, the people of the lowlands, river valleys, and forests sighted an incredible spectacle: the flight of the Golden Dragon from mountains to coast. However, since the event occurred so infrequently, with multiple generations between each sighting, many of the young believed it was only a legend. In truth, the journey wasn't for the benefit of the people below; rather, Golden Dragons made the flight because the coast was their ancestral nesting ground, the place where ancient forefathers had first hatched. Once per century, Golden Dragons returned to the coast to lay eggs. The eggs would be half buried, so they looked like nothing more than dark rocks covered in sand and buffeted by the waves. After a year, though, the rock-like eggs would crack open, and the next generation of Golden Dragons would make its way west to the mountains, traveling only at night, arriving home months later.
- Present Status
- No sightings since Middle Ages, circumstantial evidence (horns, scales) as recently as 1986.
- History
- Cloud dragons were discovered much later than other species, as humans only gained the ability to explore the skies in the later part of the eighteenth century. The first cloud dragons were reported by balloonists, whose frightened claims were ignored by many.
- Story
- The morning sky was grey, but the fog had lifted and the sun promised to break through later, so the pair of balloonists decided to lift off shortly after dawn. The newest fad sweeping Europe was floating in hot air balloons, an invention that promised new experiences to explorers like themselves. Up they floated, adding heat and pulling ropes to keep the balloon afloat. They passed through thin, low-hanging clouds to where the sun burned more brightly, when suddenly, a dark shadow moved quickly across their balloon. Something much, much larger than a bird had passed between them and the sun, with a noise like rushing wind. Staring upward, the sun made it impossible for them to see clearly, but a shimmering silvery shape appeared to be soaring through the clear sky, swooping between clouds. Little did they know, they were the first humans to spy a cloud dragon.
- Present Status
- This mystically colored dragon lives high in the skies on magical cloud islands carefully watching the world below. It breathes icy cold air and can create cloud forms at will.
- History
- Dragons have a deep history stemming back to ancient China. Over 3,000 years ago during the Shang Dynasty, it was worshipped as a supernatural power. During the 800-year Zhou Dynasty that followed, the dragon was somewhat supplanted by the phoenix, becoming an artistic symbol. At the peak of Greek culture, dragons were enjoying a resurgence in China, again becoming a symbol of benevolence and power. During the dynasties that followed, stretching over 400 years to the end of the Han Dynasty, dragons achieved the form known today, a long serpent-like body with sharp claws. Dragons also came to symbolize emperors, a place they held for centuries after.
- Story
- Emperor of all China Qin Shi Huang set down his book, The Art of War, and pondered his growing empire. He rose from his chair, which he referred to as a dragon throne, and patted the long dragon embroidered on his robe. He now referred to himself exclusively as son of the dragon, and he intended to live up to the name. In the north, the foundations of a massive project were underway. Eventually it would run the entire northern border of his empire, repelling invaders and allowing his armies to travel quickly from place to place. Nearer, another project had begun. Artisans were creating an army of soldiers out of clay - a fitting force to accompany the dragon's son to the afterlife, where he intended to continue his conquests. Over a thousand of the unique figures were complete already, placed in poses throughout the massive necropolis that would one day be his tomb. Suddenly, a light flashed across the sky, followed by a streak. A dragon, perhaps? Qin Shi Huang felt a sense of foreboding, but the son of the dragon should not fear. He went to explore this fire from the sky.
- Present Status
- In the Chinese zodiac, the dragon is a symbol of nobility and represents the Emperors of China. Most people look up to those born in the year of the Dragon because they are born leaders. Dragon people are feisty and gifted with wisdom, power and good luck.
