Lita Burke

For anyone venturing into the fantasy world of Sye in the stories Wrath, Prequel to Tredan’s Bane, and Tredan’s Bane, here is a quick note for one of Sye’s sentient creatures: dragonette or dracon (informal names), Seri/Madam Drracon’el (formal titles).

A dragonette is a miniature five-pound dragon; typically 4’ long with wing span almost 5’ wide.  Domesticated dragonettes are the pampered pets of powerful magicians and Enchanters.  Along with a basic omnivore diet consisting of fish and fresh vegetables, dragonettes must also consume magical essence daily to stay alive.  Because they eat magic, dracons must be acquired and registered through the local Magic Guild.

Living Arrangements and Friends

A typical living arrangement is a dragonette and two humans; one person is a magician and supplies the dracon with essence, the other is a non-Maji’ker and sees to the creature’s physical care.  Dragonettes are empathic with their human caretakers, who are typically married couples with at least one of them a Magic Guild worker.

Dragonettes are especially fond of Enchanters and the rich magic fare they offer.  Flocks of wild dragonettes have attacked unprotected Enchanters and mauled the magicians to death while eating magical essence from the helpless victims.  Domesticated dracons are much more genteel and readily befriend Enchanters.

Colors, Fire and Dracon Scent

Dragonettes are the colors of the four magic types: Earthe, Mer, Aer, and Fyre.  These are the dracon hues:

• Earthe: Brown or Green
• Mer: Blue or Blue-green
• Aer: Silver
• Fyre: Red or Orange

Dragonettes do NOT expel fire either naturally or by magic, even if they are a Fyre dracon.  Their very slight body odor smells of magic, which resembles allspice and cinnamon.  Their kisses taste like fruit to humans: strawberries, apples, blueberries, etc.

Dragonette Names

Just like their human caretakers, a dragonette has a common name, which it gives to itself when very young, plus it receives a magical Secret Name from its mother (the “dracon dama”) when just a hatchling. For example, in Tredan’s Bane, Lanith’s Mer dragonette has the common name of Arnl’jhott (“frightens eagles”) and magical Secret Name of Vatter’sang (“water song”).

Dracons as Companions

Dragonettes are sentient magical creatures. They converse with simple speech and are affectionate with their caretakers.  Telepathic ability between dracons and humans is rare.

Long associations with their human Maji’kers (magicians) gives dragonettes the ability to recognize and do simple spells.  Life-long companionship also trains the dracon to release its magical essence to its non-magician caretaker.