Kalahan's Guide To All Things Dragon

The Official Blog of Kalahan's encyclopedia on the wonders of their kind: dragons! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns not addressed in the FAQ, Kalahan or their human co-author, Nichole Reynolds, will be happy to assist!

[herethere-be-dragons]

Is this project still active?

It is, more or less, it’s just on a bit of a back burner right now. =3 I very much haven’t forgotten it, but my life is very much in flux right now. I don’t have a lot of stability, currently, and thus I can’t devote the time to this project that I want to. It’ll also help the project a touch if I get my name out there a bit more, the better footing I have, the better it’ll be for the book itself.

Never fear, I haven’t forgotten it. But as someone who cares for dragons more than most anything else, I can’t risk botching this in anyway.

And I very much appreciate the check up, it’s a lovely thought to know people remember I set this up.

[iguanodont]

Re-did the art for my take on the Sirrush/mušḫuššu, coz I felt it was a little rushed the first time. It’s name may be Sumerian for “reddish snake”, or possibly “fierce snake”, but either would be accurate descriptors. This large dog-sized dragon has accrued a reputation since antiquity as a tough and noble creature.

The sirrush’s bony scales make it mostly impervious to predators, and protect it in intraspecific turf battles, where both sexes wield their sharply horned heads like spiked maces. This natural armor is so effective that for centuries soldiers in the region to wore their hides for protection in battle.

Sirrush usually forage for fruit, roots, and small animals, but in lean seasons they have been observed picking risky fights with larger prey such as wild pigs, hoping to fatally wound it with a well aimed headswing. This scrappy behavior may be the reason behind their association with the Sumerian deity Marduk, who slew the dragon Tiamat with an arrow to the belly.

Only males bear the more delicate secondary horns, which are used exclusively for display. These animals tend to live in small family groups, though adult males are more solitary. Family groups work together to guard brooding females and on corner large prey. Males converge for the mating season, where they compare their horns and joust.

Unlike true mammals, sirrush scent the world using a long forked tongue like that of a reptile. They also lay eggs, but secrete a rich fluid similar to milk from the belly skin, to supplements a hatchling’s diet in the first few weeks of life.

[herethere-be-dragons]

Another fun fact regarding dragons and snakes is that Bestiaries used to draw all snakes like dragons. Vipers and Snakes and Boas would often be given wings and legs in the art.

Did you know that there was this show on Syfy about a group of people investigating myths and testing them out and whatnot.

...it was absolute shit, the stars were morons, it was an utter disaster. To give you an idea of how disastrous it was, their idea of a “realistic dragon” was basically a giant komodo dragon with flying-squirrel membranes that made electrical currents with its teeth to breathe fire. I can’t find an image of it right now, but it was...just...odd...

HOWEVER, the saving grace of that episode was when they visited an animal sanctuary or something, where they had snakes in glass boxes to examine for dragon inspiration. The artist who drew dragons based off of them drew such BADASS, AMAZING DRAGONS, that the cgi flying lizard squirrel was just a letdown.

But yeah, snakes are pretty damn awesome, especially for the role they played in the rise of dragons, hehehehe.

[herethere-be-dragons]

It is true. But a lot of people don't realize that snakes are the roots of dragons. Which, fun language fact, in most cultures their word for "Dragon" is derived from their word for "snake." Even "dragon" itself comes from "drakon," what Greeks called giant serpents.

Exactly, and ironically, in the Kung Fu Panda short about the origins of the Furious Five, they mention a legend that snakes were descended from dragons. Granted, that was Kung Fu Panda, I don’t know how much truth is or is not included in that. X3

But yeah, I also find it amusing you call snakes the roots of dragons…cuz like…sometimes roots have branches coming off of them…LIKE LEGS AND WINGS, AHAHAHAHAHA.

I’ll show myself out

[herethere-be-dragons]

Will there be any negativity in the book? I know you don't agree with every dragon depiction, but I don't think attacking designs you don't like would be a good place to go.

I’ll try to be objective at the worst, and positive at the best. But now, do you mean my Wyvern Debacle, or my Pokémon Discourse?

Because regarding the latter, I will try to include as few copyrighted characters, if only because I am unclear how many I will be able to get permission to include. But with Pokémon, I won’t bother to include them, solely because it is not a dragon-focused product. Also...it’d probably be a bitch to get permissions with some of them anyway. X3

But now, regarding the former, all I would be doing is touching on dragons who’ve been switched to wyvern-esque forms (given that wyverns technically have barbed tails and breathe venom). Wyverns themselves would not be besmirched, only studios for some reason repetitively using the wyvern form...even though it’s been proven multiple times that European dragons can be done and have been done.

[herethere-be-dragons]

Fun Fact: Dragons are just snakes after the longest game of Telephone.

...well...to be fair...most if not all of mythology is the fantastic embellishment of reality into what became fantasy, so...this is kind of true????

[herethere-be-dragons]

Will this book be based on actual folklore, or will a lot of it be made up? While I liked Dragonology, they did make up a lot of stuff, like Amphipteres being from America (they're European, and Quetzalcoatl didn't have wings) and the Frost Dragons (which don't appear anywhere in myth, and were created by the book)

I plan on doing a combination of the two; because I want it to be a legitimately educational encyclopedia, but also to broaden horizons and delve deeper into what dragons could be.

After all, dragons are only limited by imagination; they have been and continue to be designed and portrayed in an increasingly diverse way over the centuries. But especially in recent years, as dragons get more and more popular and explored. I’ve designed my own unique species of dragons, myself, as have many others.

My book would aim to lay the real historical groundwork of dragon history, and expand upon it with new material that has been made and delved into.

IT’S ALL ABOUT DAT BALANCE.

[herethere-be-dragons]

Here There Be Dragons

I decided I would make official media accounts for my future dragon encyclopedia, because I want to get as much traction for this thing as I possibly can. I do, after all, plan on starting a Kickstarter to help me commission artists for illustrations to put into the book, as well as any other expenses that may come my way.

My project here is simply an illustrated dragon encyclopedia, similar to he Book of Dragons from How To Train Your Dragon, and the Dragonology book. There are a few details I’m still ironing out, but it’s going to have as much information as I can gather of as many different dragons as possible. From the dragons of myths as thee once were, to the dragons of fiction they now are, and all of the others in between and too new to be known. Dragons are my lifeblood, they are my greatest love and when I see them, I see myself; therefore, to honor them and all they’ve done for me and others, I will make a dragon book worthy of them…

But I need an audience first, and so that’s where this blog comes in.

There’s a FAQ on the blog page that I put a few initial questions that I thought would be appropriate up there, but I am more than willing to accept asks covering anything not mentioned in the FAQ.

As well, my book is going to have a fictional “co-author” by the name of Kalahan Tarakona, the handsome devil you see in this blog’s icon. It’s just my way of emulating the previous dragon books—Book of Dragons’ Bork the Bold, and Dragonology’s Ernest Drake.

SO IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING A DRAGON ENCYCLOPEDIA ANYWAY YOU CAN, FOLLOW ME HERE AND ON THE TWITTER I WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE.

[herethere-be-dragons]

I've updated this post, btw; to fix the missing letter from Kalahan's surname, and extra info too. ;3

[herethere-be-dragons]

Warcraft dragons do have their own language.

I figured they did, there are so many languages in the World of Warcraft, I couldn't fathom the idea that there wouldn't be one for them.All right, on a side note, I'm going to refrain from answering any other questions till tomorrow. I'm technically at work, so I shouldn't actually be on my phone; and I'm on mobile, so answering asks is harder because I can't see the ask itself until I'm done or I cancel.Thank you to all the askers so far, and everyone who's followed so far as well! While I hope to get more before too long—and have plans to make that a reality—I am very touched at how many have gathered so far. =3

[herethere-be-dragons]

Oh, and the HTTYD Books have Dragonese, and Dragonology has Dragonish. The Erth Dragons also has a dictionary of terms in the back of it, though these are very few. Other book series also give their dragons languages, like Temeraire, WoF, and Lady Trent, but we never really see what the individual words are.

I think a lack of substantiality is why I had a hard time remembering any language beyond Dovahzul, to be honest. I don't even know if Warcraft dragons have their own language...I don't think they do, but again, I'm unsure.So basically, what I'm hearing is, dragon languages that are fledged out at all are in short supply, so no one will complain if I add it? X3

[herethere-be-dragons]

D&D has a language too, called Draconic.

*snaps fingers* Yes, there is that, thank you. I knew there had to be at least one other, but it was escaping me. X3

[herethere-be-dragons]

Will there be a few pages ON dragon language?

Potentially yes, if enough people are amiable to the idea. For the sake of copyright it would be my own language; partially for copyright reasons, mostly because this book would be an excellent excuse for me to show it off. But as far as I’m aware, the only other dragon language out there is Dovahzul, from Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but I could just be forgetful…which is common. X3

But anyway, yeah, if people are down with a draconic linguistics section in the book, or a separate book focusing on my dragon language, I would be all for doing it myself. =3

[herethere-be-dragons]

Will your OCs be in this book? As well as the dragons from HTTYD and Dragon Booster?

I'm definitely going to include as many of my dragons as I can, but under the condition that it's not just for the sake of having them in there, ya know? Their presence in my book is going to be practical, and be for the book's sake. Basically, any OC I include in my book is going to be a representative of their specific breed of dragon. Though we'll see exactly how many I can convince myself to put in the book. I have a lot more than people realize...a LOT more.As for HTTYD or Dragon Booster dragons, we'll have to see. I'm trying to contact different companies that own some dragons to see what I am and am not allowed to do regarding dragons that don't belong to me. Since this is a book I plan on selling and earning profits from if it turns out successful, copyright is going to be a double-edged sword I need to keep an eye on. But we'll see what I can do.

[herethere-be-dragons]

Will there be a book in dragons!!??

Wait, what? I'm sorry, I'm confused, what do you mean?If by "in dragons" you mean in a dragon language, no, it'll be in English. The book is going to be ABOUT dragons. =3

[herethere-be-dragons]

The latest Tweets from HereThereBeDragons (@KalahanTarakona). The Official Twitter of the upcoming illustrated dragon encyclopedia "Here There Be Dragons". IT'S TIME TO RELEASE THE DRAGON

THE OFFICIAL TWITTER FOR THE UPCOMING DRAGON ENCYCLOPEDIA “Here There Be Dragons” NOW EXISTS. EDIT: I changed my handle after I posted this, but the link is updated now.

[herethere-be-dragons]

Here There Be Dragons

I decided I would make official media accounts for my future dragon encyclopedia, because I want to get as much traction for this thing as I possibly can. I do, after all, plan on starting a Kickstarter to help me commission artists for illustrations to put into the book, as well as any other expenses that may come my way.

My project here is simply an illustrated dragon encyclopedia, similar to he Book of Dragons from How To Train Your Dragon, and the Dragonology book. There are a few details I'm still ironing out, but it's going to have as much information as I can gather of as many different dragons as possible. From the dragons of myths as thee once were, to the dragons of fiction they now are, and all of the others in between and too new to be known. Dragons are my lifeblood, they are my greatest love and when I see them, I see myself; therefore, to honor them and all they've done for me and others, I will make a dragon book worthy of them...

But I need an audience first, and so that’s where this blog comes in.

There’s a FAQ on the blog page that I put a few initial questions that I thought would be appropriate up there, but I am more than willing to accept asks covering anything not mentioned in the FAQ.

As well, my book is going to have a fictional “co-author” by the name of Kalahan Tarakona, the handsome devil you see in this blog’s icon. It’s just my way of emulating the previous dragon books—Book of Dragons’ Bork the Bold, and Dragonology’s Ernest Drake.

SO IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING A DRAGON ENCYCLOPEDIA ANYWAY YOU CAN, FOLLOW ME HERE AND ON THE TWITTER I WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE.