Dragons: Mythical Creatures Spotlight: Breathe

Hello, Friends.

Today, we are starting a new series. In these Spotlights, I will ask you questions about a mythical creature, the different ways that specific creature can be used in writing, and dynamics of that specific creature. I will not go as in-depth as I did with dragons, however. At the end of this (or, after we have a healthy arsenal of mythical creatures) we can put these into practice in writing or imagining. We can make these creatures 3D, and avoid cutting corners like some authors do. At least, this will get you thinking.

But before we start looking at specific mythical creatures, I just want you to open your mind and breathe. Think about aspects of mythical creatures. I've outlined a lot of dragon aspects, and this is kind of what I'm going to do in condensed version in the Spotlights. Think about creature relations. The ecosystem. Advantages of different creatures. Disadvantages. Whatever else.

Most importantly, though, remember this is for fun. The goal of the spotlights is to expand your mind, to get you thinking in new, different, and creative ways. The goal is never to overwhelm you, to make you focus on detail so much that you start to dislike writing, or make you perfectionistic.


Let your mind imagine things. :) Have fun with this!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/city-float-floating-city-airship-563171/

Topic of the Month: Mythical Creatures

Hello, Friends!

This month, look for mythical creatures in the book you're reading. How does the author use mythical creatures? Are they made up, or already established?

What I mean is, in DragonSpell, by Donita K. Paul, Paul creates her own races: Doneels, Emerlindians, Kimens, Mariones, O'rants, Tumanhofers, and Urohms.

Tolkien, on the other hand, created some of his races, but used already established ones as well. Although he created hobbits, he used elves, but still changed the common perception of elves just enough to make them his own.

How do authors you're reading use mythical creatures? Post in the comments!

Spruce Nogard

Source: http://dragonkeeperchronicles.wikia.com/wiki/High_Races

Attributions: https://www.amazon.co.uk/DRAGONSPELL-Donita-Author-Paperback-Published/dp/B005IDRW46/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498556579&sr=8-2&keywords=dragonspell+donita+k+paul

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Hobbit-There-Back-Again/0261102001/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1498556755&sr=1-13&keywords=the+hobbit

 

Dragons: Dragons Through Cultures: European*

Good Day, Riders!

Today, we're going to start a new series: Dragons Through Cultures. This series will explore how dragons are depicted in different cultures. Let's start with European Dragons.

European dragons have a fearsome reputation. These are probably what you've seen before. They're the dragons with giant wings and who breathe fire, and kill knights. This opinion of them was probably influenced by the view people used to have of dragons, Greeks and Romans viewed dragons as a symbol of evil, and Christians viewed dragons as symbols of the devil. For example, St. George liberated a town for the tyranny of a dragon, and St. Margaret resolutely resisted evil, even when she had dealings with a dragon.

Lately in literature, however, European dragons have started to play positive roles as well as negative roles.

In what ways are dragons used in the book you're reading?

Spruce Nogard

*Post actually written on June 26th. See here for details.

Sources: 

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Margaret-of-Antioch 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/dragon-mythological-creature 

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/dragon-slayer-st-george-george-1229921/

Books: Fairy Tales: Unusual Mythical Creatures

Hello, Fantastical Beasts!

We recently saw an exhibit about mythical creatures. Some of these creatures were mentioned there, but some weren't.

1) Kraken

Origin: Scandinavian

A kraken is a giant, octopus-like creature that sailors claimed sank ships. It had octopus-like arms, one giant eye, and a beak.

Here are links to pictures (I can't put them actually on my blog because they're copyrighted.):
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/1b/08/78/1b087858e78cc7092331505dd167d0dd.jpg
https://thoryshinwa.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/kraken-03.jpg

2) Roc

Origin: Madagascar/Other East African islands, Tales of the Arabian Nights

A roc is a giant bird that eats elephants. Many accounts of giant roc eggs exist throughout the islands where the roc was said to be found.

Pictures:
http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2015/03/list-6-mythical-monsters-roc-E.jpeg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/52/1c/fd/521cfd972090c9e35a307bc054208aa7.jpg

3) Kappa

Origin: Japanese

A kappa is a Japanese water spirit/creature that sometimes drowns people, and loves cucumbers. Also, it gets its power from water it keeps in its head.

Pictures:
http://i.imgur.com/Fv1o07V.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/05/30/article-2644036-1E53F56300000578-658_634x286.jpg

Spruce Nogard

Sources:

A Field Guide to Fantastical Beasts by Olento Salaperainen

https://www.britannica.com/topic/roc-legendary-bird 

Dragons: Features: Personality

Hello, Riders.

We've kind of already talked about this, but not as a specified topic and not completely.


There are many components to a dragon's personality:

• Intelligence-Are your dragons just animals? Are they a whole separate race of superior beings?
• Do they depend upon humans in any way? Are they the same as humans, just with different bodies and abilities? Are they above humans in any way?
• How do they like to live? Are they solitary? Do they live in groups? 
• How can you best describe their personality?

Spruce Nogard

Dragons: Skin

Hello, Dragon Riders.

First of all, sorry this post is up late. :(

Second of all, we are talking about dragon "scales" today. Which version of "scales" do you like the best?

Dragons can have many different types of skin. Which will you use in your story?

Do they have hard, glittery, stone-like scales?

Do they have leathery skin?

Do they have soft, snakelike scales?













Do they have fur?

What else could dragons have for skin?

Spruce Nogard

Attributions:

https://pixabay.com/en/leather-textures-background-fabric-1251772/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/dragon-head-reptile-scaly-animal-1571287/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/leather-snake-bag-materials-stuff-506757/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/gray-fur-grey-texture-fabric-791625/

Dragons: Dragon Breath

Hello, Dragon-Lovers!

I have decided to begin a new section on dragons. Instead of looking at how they are portrayed in different books/movies, I will be looking at different features: scales, wings, etc.

For this post, I am looking at breath.

Dragons breathe fire. Everyone knows that. It is also fairly common to hear of dragons breathing other substances, like snow.

But did you know the substance a dragon breathes varies as much as the types of dragons you can create?

For example, dragons can breathe fog, light, and, one of my ideas, black holes/galaxies.

Dream of it, and it's true. Just. Like. That.

So, what will your dragon breathe today?

Spruce Nogard

Attributions:

https://pixabay.com/en/milky-way-andromeda-stars-galaxy-923801/

Creative Complex: Build-A-World Part 3

Hello, Builders! Are you ready to continue making our snow globe?

If you missed the first two installments of this series, here they are:
Creative Complex: Build-A-World Part 1
Creative Complex: Build-A-World Part 2

Today, we are focusing on characters. Start with deciding if there are more than one race of intelligent beings.

Examples:

• Elves
• Dwarves
• Humans 
• Make up your own!

Also, decide if there are intelligent creatures that are not human based. For example, are dragons one of your races?

Next, pick one to five major characters, and one to five minor characters. A major character is a character that is very important in a story, but is not the main character (ex. a friend of the main character), and a minor character does not play an important role in the story (ex. the milk man, who delivers milk every morning, says hi, and that's about it). If you are confused, ask questions in the comments.

Then, one character at a time, decide if they are:

• Static
• Their character (beliefs) stays the same no matter what experiences they undergo

• Dynamic
• Their character (beliefs) change depending on the experiences they undergo

 and

•  Flat
• Usually minor characters, you know very little about them; and they have a very basic personality

• Round
• Usually major characters, you know a fair bit about them and they have a complex personality

Leave comments below!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions:

https://pixabay.com/en/fantasy-fairytale-elve-man-owl-1481591/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/beast-dragon-flying-monster-1296506/

Creative Complex: Imagine Words

Hello, Friends,

Today, pick one of the following words:

Creative

Imaginative
Artistic
Inventive
Grow
Raise
Cultivate
Garden
Dragon
Pixie
Sea Serpent
Phoenix
Story
Novel
World
Words

After you have picked one of the words, twist it to make it a new word. It can be a new word, or a word you made up.

You can twist it pretty much any way you want. Here are some ideas:

• Say it backwards
• Scramble
• Combine  more than one word
• Anything you can think of!
• P.S. Does it have a definition?

Examples:

Artistic backwards is Citsitra. Keet-seet-ruh. I think it sounds pretty.

Words scrambled is Sword.

Have fun!

Spruce Nogard 

Attributions:

https://pixabay.com/en/phoenix-bird-fire-sun-bright-red-500469/ 

Dragons: The Inheritance Cycle

Greetings, Riders.

Today is a day of dragons! We are going to look at how dragons are portrayed in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle. If you are unfamiliar with the series name, the book names are: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. The series follows a farm boy who finds a blue stone in the middle of the woods. The stone turns out to be a dragon egg, and Eragon, the boy becomes its Rider. The rest of the series follows Eragon as he has to fight a powerful and evil empire, and bring back Dragon Riders.

Someday, I may write a review on this series, but for now, I want to talk about the dragons.

In the Inheritance Cycle, dragons hatch for their Riders. This means that a dragon could stay in an egg for three hours or 2,000 years; they hatch for the person they want to become their Rider. Once the dragon hatches, the dragon and Rider are bonded forever. They "mindspeak" to each other, but the farther away they are from each other, the harder it is.

In these books, dragons are much wiser than people (or elves or dwarves) but are bound to people. Dragons possess a magic that is inconsistent but powerful. A dragon's name is extremely important to it.

This is our first look at one of many views on dragons.

Experience the joy of dragons, Dragon Riders.

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://www.amazon.com/Eragon-Inheritance-Cycle-Book-1-ebook/dp/B000FBJCK8?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect 

Sources: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/113436.Eragon

Creative Complex: Mythological/Fantastical Creature

Hello, Animal-Lovers.

For today's Creative Complex, create a new mythological/fantastical creature and use it in a story.

Although this just looks like an evil cat, really, it's a creature I made up. It can: spit poison, bite people (which also injects poison), and breath fire. Have fun!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/cat-pet-domestic-cat-diabolical-237197/

Dragons: Dragon Basics

For the first Dragons post, I am assuming you all have a basic idea of what dragons are, and what they do, unlike Eustace at the beginning of Prince Caspian, by C.S. Lewis. However, many of you probably don't know that depending on who you talk to, what books you read, and even folklore you hear of, dragons will be different.

Let's start way before any modern authors' perceptions of dragons: with legends. The legend of St. George the Dragon-slayer has been around for centuries, and is probably where we get the idea of a knight rescuing a princess from a dragon. The story varies from telling to telling, but basically a dragon who was terrorizing a city was offered someone to eat daily so he wouldn't destroy the whole city. Then, the king's daughter got chosen to be offered to the dragon, and the king was devastated. Somehow (depending on version), Saint George came, killed the dragon and rescued the princess. In this case, dragons are evil creatures that like to terrorize people and eat princesses. This is one view of dragons, but dragons can be much more versatile. We will see this when we look at other authors'/people's views of dragons, and even some of my views of dragons. 

Also, in medieval times, dragons were viewed as signs of the devil, which is why there are so many stories of evil dragons.

 

Also, to end this post, please, I beg of you, Google search “dragons,” click on images, and just scroll through all the pictures. I cannot reproduce any of those ones here because they are copyrighted, and I could get fined a ton of money if I did put them on here, so I'm sorry, but please scroll through at least some dragon pictures. 

*By the way, some of them are a little disturbing, and some are slightly inappropriate, so again, sorry, but you can just skip those ones.

Have fun, dear Friends, finding the dragons of the world on the breath of a Dragon's wing.

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/fantasy-dragon-sky-reptile-1183666/